So I've decided that when the new forum launches, instead of asking for donations to cover my staggering $40/month hosting fees, we're going to do a group sponsorship of a UC Davis Shelter Dog Project dog. It's $100 a quarter, and the forum will get a little banner on the site, and we'll help out a really good program.

This is entirely, 100% voluntary, of course. Contribute a few bucks if you can and if you think it's a neat idea. What I'm doing here is I'm *pretending* that if I weren't paying for forum hosting, I'd be donating that money to charity, even though that's a big fat lie and I'd probably spend it on Doritos.

I'll put up a PayPal Button *and* an Amazon button, so you can donate however you wish. And I believe we get to select the dog we want to sponsor, even though the money helps the program as a whole.

So look at the dogs, and then cast your vote for which one we should sponsor. And hey, adopt a dog if you're in the area! Dogs are cool!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Answers

Oh, yeah, you can vote on this even if you can't contribute to the sponsorship. Since we will hopefully be driving traffic (and thus potential adopters) to the site, it's sort of like we're all sponsoring the dog, I think, even if not everyone contributes.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

You're asking us to choose JUST ONE. I knew you were mean sometimes Beth, but I didn't know you were downright cruel. There's no way to choose between all of those adorable dogs.

However, if we absolutely have to pick, I guess I pick Buck.

In two weeks I get to live with a dog. Yay.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Well, it's not like the other dogs will be taken out and flogged if we don't pick them.

Right?

Anyway ... I like Buck. Buck and Skippy are my favorites, although there is not a dog in the bunch who isn't cute and heartbreaking.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

It's impossible. I feel like we're choosing a turkey to pardon. Maybe the karma-maximizing strategy is to sponsor the dog least likely to get adopted? (My ex-roomie the shrink chose her cat that way: "Hey, that one looks fucked up, it needs me more than the others.")

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Oh man...Buck is cute, but put me down for a Skippy vote. I'm a sucker for Beagles.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Well, it *is* only $100 over three months. You never know, once the new forum is up and we have more people, we might be able to do two at a time. But let's start slow.

If this is just too awful to contemplate, we can ask them to pick a dog for us. I'm sure they would. But this is more fun.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Beth, this is a great idea.

I'll be happy to chip in, whoever we sponsor, but my vote's for Murphy.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Skippy, because that picture is wonderful despite his being freakishly small, or Murphy, because I love Oz shepherds.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Oh, Bailey. For the silly ear. That's too cute.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

awwwwwwwwwww! I wanna take them ALL home, damnit.

This is why I no longer work at an animal shelter.

I think it's a great idea, and I'll happily contribute. My vote is for Murphy, but all of them are deserving.

- t

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

They're all adorable and wonderful, but if I can only pick one, I think I'd have to vote for Dylan. I love, love, love flat-coated retrievers.

Or maybe Buck, since he looks so worried. Or Zorra, with those cute freckles. Or skinny Skippy, to buy him some peanut butter.

So yeah, I'll go along with pretty much any of them.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Sadie! She looks very enthusiastic and happy. But they're all really cute, so it's really hard to pick just one.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

I just noticed they've updated the site since this morning ... some of the dogs got adopted! Yay, dogs!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

happily for any dog, but I vote for Buck because he looks like a dog I saw while hiking the other day. The man who had her said his wife took the dog (she's a vet) because the owners were going to put her down when they couldn't find a home for her. The vet had taken care of her for 8 years and couldn't bear to put her down, so she took her. She was a gorgeous dog, I was very glad she got to live.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

I am all about Skippy. I'm not able to have a dog right now, but if I did, it would be Little Mister Floppy Ears.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Um, make that Little Miss Floppy Ears.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

This is all well and good, but can't you find us some cats to sponsor? (And thanks for choosing a place so far away from me that I can't be emotionally hooked in to rescuing them all!)

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Sorry to the cat lovers ... I didn't choose this place because I like dogs better than cats (although I do), but because I thought it was such a nifty program and I was impressed by the fact that it's all run by busy grad students with no budget. But since I think we can easily scrape up $100 every three months, if someone knows of a place where we could do something similar with a cat, that would be cool, too.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

I've got to cast my lot with Sadie. If I could have a dog and if I lived in California, I would adopt her.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Buck, the cuddle bunny.

I want him.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Dylan and Sadie scream LOVE LOVE LOVE to me.

OK, so they all do.

What a wonderful idea, Beth.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

This shelter looks pretty promising if you're interested in sponsorng a kitty or three.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Oh, cool. Thanks, Molly. We can sponsor a cat for $20, with a suggested $20 a month after that. Since I already talked to the dog people, I'm going to make them the priority, but we'll do a cat, too, if there's enough interest. I think one dog, one cat, is probably our best bet.

Now one of you is going to say, "But! For the price of a cup of coffee, you can bring food and shelter and a college education to a child in Africa, just like Sally Struthers!"

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

If you cat people would like to vote, here are your options.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Wow, dogs really are better than cats, aren't they?

Anyway, I'd go with French Fry.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Well, those are some awfully sad little cats. Lots of pathos there. Most of them seem to be unadoptable. Poor things.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Buck! My pick is for Buck. What a total cutie.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

I've got to go with Murphy.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

First, I have to vote for Trampus. But really, it doesn't matter which kitty - that shelter needs any help we can give it. Poor poor kitties.

Second - I apologize for choosing a shelter with a website that has those obnoxious extrastitial ads.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Oh...Skippy or Zorra (what is that, a female Zorro?) or Dylan or Buck! They're my favorites! But, you know, obviously I'll give money whoever gets picked, and I like them all.

AND! My boyfriend and I just adopted a 6 month old pupster dog yesterday from the anti-cruelty society here in Chicago! She comes home with us tomorrow. Her shelter name was Candy, but we have proclaimed her new name to be Molly, which is, of course, short for Molliwog.

Going to the anti-cruelty society tugged at my heart. I wanted to help them all. But the visit to the animal control center, after that, was just HEARTBREAKING. I ended up crouched in front of Midnight's cage, scratching the top of his head through the bars, and crying because he's been there since March 28th - and they normally only keep them 60 days.

I'm so glad you're doing this. Count me in.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2001

Cats: French Fry, Blackie-black, Jet are my favorites since they look like my late cat, but really, they don't seem to be the neediest and any of them would be fine. God, those are awful names. The first thing they need to do to get those felines adopted is to get someone with a clue in charge of naming them.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2001

Dog: I vote for Buck. Cat: I vote for Jet, Rowdy Yates, or Trampus. It really ate me up to look at the dog page, since SOMEBODY living in this house who isn't me doesn't like dogs at all and won't let me have one. At least not yet. Of course, this apartment is too small for the sort of dog I like best anyway... maybe by the time we get a house he'll've come around.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2001

Sadie is just too cute.

And French Fry the little black kitty made my heart break. She looks just like my little black kitty who was afraid of people too and who I lost last summer. Yeesh, making me cry.

Anyway, some of the votes were for dogs that have been adopted (yay!). I was wondering what happens if a dog we sponsor gets adopted - I'm assuming sponsorship money goes for general upkeep kinds of things anyway?

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001