Apparently, our humans are going on holiday… WITHOUT US! 🐺🐺
Yes, you read that correctly.
In a couple of weeks, Mum and Dad are disappearing off to Cape Verde to celebrate Dad's 50th birthday. Sunshine, sandy beaches, and apparently a little peace and quiet.
Although why anybody would want peace and quiet when they could have two magnificent Snowdogs singing the song of their people at six o'clock in the morning is quite beyond us.
Naturally, we have questions.
Who is going to supervise them?
Who is going to make sure they get up at a reasonable hour?
And, most importantly, who exactly authorised a holiday that doesn't include us?
However, after some careful consideration, we have decided that we might just forgive them.
Because this isn't going to be entirely an ordinary holiday.
While they're in Cape Verde, Mum and Dad will be spending a day helping the wonderful dogs and cats at OSPA Cape Verde, an animal rescue working to make life better for animals who haven't been as fortunate as we have.
And yesterday, something rather exciting arrived at our house.
SUPPLIES! 📦🐾
Lots of much-needed supplies that Mum and Dad will be taking all the way to Cape Verde for the rescue.
Now, you might be thinking that sounds rather complicated. Surely there are airline restrictions, luggage allowances, extra costs and all sorts of arrangements to make?
Well, here's the wonderful thing.
OSPA organised everything!
They arranged everything with the airline, including additional luggage allowance specifically for the rescue supplies.
That means Mum and Dad don't even have to sacrifice any of their own luggage allowance.
OSPA even sent all the supplies directly to our house, ready for them to take.
All our humans have to do is pack them, take them on the plane and get them to the rescue.
How brilliant is that?
And it got us thinking.
How many people travel around the world every single day without realising that they might be able to help an animal rescue simply by taking a few supplies with them?
Because here's the thing.
It's not just OSPA Cape Verde that needs help.
All around the world, there are animal rescues, shelters and sanctuaries doing extraordinary things with very little.
From the sun-soaked islands of Cape Verde to the streets of Thailand, from the villages of Greece to the towns of Romania, and in countless other corners of our beautiful planet, there are people dedicating their lives to animals who have been abandoned, neglected, injured or simply forgotten.
Some are caring for dogs who have never known the warmth of a loving home.
Others are rescuing cats who have spent their lives searching for their next meal.
There are puppies born into uncertainty, elderly animals discarded when they become inconvenient, and frightened little souls who have never experienced the kindness of a gentle hand.
And behind so many of these animals are people who refuse to give up on them.
People who get up every morning knowing there will be more mouths to feed than money in the bank.
People who spend their days cleaning kennels, comforting frightened animals and worrying about how they will afford the next veterinary bill.
People who celebrate every adoption, grieve every animal they couldn't save and somehow find the strength to do it all again tomorrow.
They cannot do it alone.
And sometimes, helping them is far simpler than we imagine.
If you're travelling abroad, why not spend a few minutes researching animal rescues near your holiday destination?
You might discover a small charity desperately needing blankets, leads, collars, medical supplies or other everyday essentials.
You might find a rescue that welcomes volunteers for a few hours or a day.
You might even discover, as our humans did, that the rescue can help arrange for much-needed supplies to travel with you.
Of course, not every rescue will have the same arrangements as OSPA. Airlines and countries have different rules, and some items cannot be transported without permission.
But that's why it's worth contacting the rescue first.
Ask what they need.
Ask whether they have a system for getting donated supplies to them.
Ask whether they work with particular airlines or have arrangements for additional luggage.
And if carrying supplies isn't possible, perhaps there is another way you could help.
A small donation.
A few hours volunteering.
Sharing their work on social media.
Or simply telling somebody else that the rescue exists.
Because kindness doesn't always have to arrive in a suitcase.
Sometimes it arrives as a donation.
Sometimes it arrives as an extra pair of hands.
And sometimes it arrives because somebody told somebody else, who told somebody else, until a little rescue thousands of miles away suddenly discovers that the world hasn't forgotten them.
Imagine if more of us did something like this.
Think about the millions of people who travel abroad for holidays every year.
Now imagine if even a tiny fraction of those people contacted a local animal rescue before they travelled.
One person carries some supplies.
Another spends an afternoon volunteering.
Someone else makes a donation instead of buying another holiday souvenir.
And somebody who had never even heard of that little rescue returns home and shares its story.
One small act becomes another.
And another.
Until those tiny acts of kindness begin to make an enormous difference.
We know that not everybody can volunteer, donate money or carry supplies. Life is expensive, holidays are precious, and everybody has their own circumstances.
But helping doesn't have to be grand.
It simply has to begin somewhere.
You see, we are two very lucky Snowdogs.
We have warm beds, full tummies, toys scattered across the house and humans who love us beyond measure.
We have a home where we are safe.
Where we are wanted.
Where nobody questions whether we deserve another chance.
Well, except perhaps when Obito steals another sock or Athena decides that the garden is far too wet for a princess to venture outside.
But even then, we know we are loved.
And isn't that what every animal deserves?
A little safety.
A little kindness.
A full tummy.
A warm place to sleep.
And somebody who looks at them and thinks, "You matter."
Sadly, not every animal gets to experience that.
Which is why we're so proud that our humans are choosing to spend part of their holiday helping animals who need it.
They'll be getting their hands dirty, helping however they can and, knowing Mum, probably falling hopelessly in love with every single dog and cat she meets.
We have already informed her that she is NOT allowed to return with another 47 brothers and sisters.
Although, between you and us, we're not entirely convinced she's listening.
And while our humans wait to go away, we'll be doing our own very important work.
Obito has appointed himself Chief Parcel Inspector, a role he takes extremely seriously, particularly if he suspects there might be something edible inside.
Athena, naturally, will be overseeing proceedings from a comfortable position while judging everybody's performance.
It's a difficult job, but somebody has to do it.
So, whether your next holiday takes you to Cape Verde, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Thailand or somewhere entirely different, perhaps spare a thought for the animals living just beyond the holiday resorts.
Beyond the swimming pools, restaurants and beautiful beaches, there may be a little rescue doing its very best to make the world kinder for animals who have so little.
And perhaps, just perhaps, you could be part of that kindness.
You don't have to change the whole world.
You don't have to rescue every animal.
You don't even have to do very much.
Because sometimes the smallest things we do can mean the whole world to somebody else.
Mum says there is something rather beautiful about the idea of kindness travelling across oceans.
Of a suitcase carrying more than clothes.
Of a holiday becoming part of somebody else's happier tomorrow.
And we think she's right.
So if you're planning a holiday, why not see whether there's an animal rescue near your destination that could use a helping hand?
Contact them, ask what they need and find out whether there's something you can do.
You might be surprised by just how easy it can be.
And if you happen to be travelling to Cape Verde, please consider contacting OSPA Cape Verde to see whether you could help transport supplies or support their wonderful work.
After all, you're already getting on the plane.
Why not let a little kindness travel with you too? ❤️🐾✈️
Because somewhere in the world, there might be a frightened little dog, a hungry cat or an abandoned animal whose tomorrow becomes a little brighter simply because somebody cared enough to help.
And surely that's worth making a little room for.
With lots of love, muddy paws and slightly suspicious looks at the holiday suitcases,
Athena & Obito 🐺🐺
AKA The Snowdogs.
AKA the two members of this family who STILL haven't been invited to Cape Verde.
Honestly, the injustice of it all. 🙄😂

P.S. from the Snowdogs: If you know of an animal rescue anywhere in the world that welcomes holidaymakers carrying supplies or volunteering, please share its name in the comments. We'd love to help spread the word so more people can discover how they might help. ❤️🐾

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