Hello friends,
It’s officially autumn here, my favorite time of year. I love the changing leaves and brisk feeling in the air. Wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying the new season just as much.
There are many exciting activities lined up for the next few months. In just a couple of weeks, a new MUTTS Treasury book, You Have Those Wild Eyes Again, Mooch, will be released, and signed copies will be available exclusively at the MUTTS Shop. And on November 10, I’ll be speaking at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, where I’ll join the Humane Society of Sonoma County (and other animal organizations) in celebration of the Year of the Dog.
We are also gearing up host the second annual The Gift of Nothing Day on December 15. This is a day to make memories, to celebrate the true meaning of the holidays, and to bring out the child in all of us. On December 15, I encourage you to create a gift from the heart — a decorated box filled with “nothing” — and present it to a loved one at a time of your choosing. It’s the gift of friendship. What could be more meaningful?
If you’d like to know more, please follow The Gift of Nothing Day on Facebook for inspiration and details about how to join the fun.
In our last newsletter, we introduced plans for a pilot program for “MUTTS Social for Shelters,” an initiative to help animal shelters and rescue groups boost their social media engagement. Our team hosted the one-month pilot in August with a group of 10 animal organizations. We’re incredibly grateful to these groups for taking the time to participate and provide feedback.
We’ve reviewed the results from the pilot and are happy to announce that we will indeed continue the MUTTS Social for Shelters program. Our next step will be to open it up to a slightly greater number of participants — a soft launch — before making it completely public in early 2019. Stay tuned in the coming days for more details about our plans and how you can participate.
Recently, I reconnected with a longtime MUTTS reader named Charles Rolsky, who has been making waves in the field of biological research and environmental conservation. We met a few years ago at a book signing, back when Charlie was just graduating high school. (In fact, he was wearing his cap and gown when we met.) I was incredibly happy to learn that Charlie is now a PhD student focused on finding ways to combat plastic pollution. His research has even been featured in the New York Times and other national publications. I admire his dedication and feel that his work can help make the world a safer and happier place for all creatures. You can read our interview with Charlie here.
Thanks for spending time with MUTTS. I look forward to sharing the upcoming holiday season with you all.
Patrick
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