This Just In: Philanthropy for Pets at Conference

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., May 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

"Pawing it forward," matters, as attendees of the upcoming BlogPaws Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, will soon discover.

Myrtle Beach at sunset, photo by Greg Kintz via Creative Commons 2.0

With 500 pet influencers and social media experts embarking on the 9th Annual BlogPaws Conference taking place May 18-20, 2017 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the spotlight shines on giving.


BlogPaws expands and affirms its commitment to philanthropic platforms benefiting the human/animal bond as it welcomes multiple pet industry brands and players to this year's conference. From Bayer's PAWS Act initiative dedicated to supporting and rescuing pet parents and pets who are victims of domestic violence to Merrick Pet Care's ongoing initiative in support of K9 For Warriors through its Hero's Banquet food line, there will be several surprises and an enormous outflow of social media, love and money to support these and other cause-related efforts.

"Every year, we try to expand our heartfelt commitment to the human/animal bond. We are extremely fortunate to be working with a wide array of brands in the pet industry that have created extensive programs to reinforce their own dedication," Chloe DiVita, Chief of Everything, for BlogPaws said. "This year's conference promises to be truly inspiring."

Highlights of the philanthropic giving segments of the conference include:

• Bayer Animal Health and their PAWS Act initiative dedicated to keeping families together and aiding and assisting domestic violence survivors and their pets.
• Merrick Pet Care joins up with Bleecker Street and LD Entertainment to present a premiere peek at the featurette from the film, "Megan Leavey," the true story of an Iraqi war-based Marine corporal and her K9 Warrior dog. The film exemplifies the power of the human/animal bond.
• The Cat Rescuers share the story of four volunteers working in Brooklyn to help over one million abandoned and feral cats by implementing a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) technique.
• Local Myrtle Beach Police K9 Officer, Daisy, will receive a bullet/stab protective vest to protect her from harm in the line of duty.
• Pet360 Media, the BlogPaws Pet Blogging and Social Media Nose-to-Nose awards sponsor, will donate $500 cash to each of the 14 winners' animal shelter/rescue choices. 

The BlogPaws 2017 Conference is capped at approximately 500 attendees, thus providing for a more intimate experience. The conference culminates with the much anticipated, pet blogger awards, "Nose to Nose," a Red Carpet event judged by a distinguished panel of professionals.

Attendees of the BlogPaws Conference will learn how to be the change for pets through action, education, advocacy, social media influence, and blogger intervention. Further initiatives and surprises will convene on site with the human-animal bond/pay-it-forward mantra at their core."

 SOURCE: BlogPaws

Springtime, Surprises, and Hot Chicks

Today's the day we welcome Spring to the northern hemisphere!

Yep, our peach tree's in full bloom.

~ and we wish a happy Autumn to our friends Down Under ~

...and Maxie is very glad to see Winter leaving us behind!

We've been away for most of February, and were utterly dumbfounded to discover we had been nominated by friends and readers for the BlogPaws Nose-to-Nose awards this year.

Does that come with a Bonito Flake Award? I'd like to thank the Acatemy ...

We're humbled and honored to have been selected by the BlogPaws Team as a finalist for best cat blog, along with three other very talented and delightful bloggers.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

One Hot Chick

As we mentioned, we were out of town most of February  --

Faraday: Well technically, we weren't away. The humans were.
And dad says it's because mommy is one hot chick.

Maxwell: Dood, seriously. TMI!

Allie: *sigh* What he said was she has a rare disease known as 'Man On Fire' disease. Or in her case, Woman on Fire.

Photo used with permisison, courtesy depositphotos.com

Faraday: That's what I said, Allie. If she's on fire, she's HOT.

Maxwell: Wait, whut?
How's this gonna work again?
I thought we're supposed to keep our furs away from open flames and stuff ....

Faraday: It's okay, Maxie.

I got this covered.

***

Not to worry, no fire extinguishers were harmed in the writing of this post. But we were at the Mayo Clinic for almost 3 weeks in February learning all about them. The good news is that Mayo has the only doctor in North America who specializes in hot chicks and dudes, so I'm in good hands.

Our hunt for an answer pulled us away from the blogging community far more than we would like. But we're so thankful for you, our friends and readers, who keep coming back for more silly antics, day after day.

So we leave you today with warm wishes for a wonderful Spring (or Fall) ~ and our heartfelt thanks.

***

Pee Ess: Don't tell the humans but we really didn't miss them at all, because Aunt Connie had a magical TREAT DISPENSER she operated for us while they were gone.

And Aunt Jen and Aunt Amy and Aunt Katherine and Aunt Sharon ALL came and visited us. EVERY DAY.

(no we're not spoiled, why do you ask?)

Winners, All.

Last week, the gorgeous Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort hosted the 2016 BlogPaws Conference & the CWA Annual Conference.

(aside from the fact that somemommy callously abandoned us ...) we have to admit it was an amazing experience. Many pet bloggers and social media advocates brought their pets along. There were dogs, cats, ferrets, even a rat!

Attendees could select from a number of sessions led by BlogPaws staff, national pet brands, CWA authors and editors.

Along with the opportunity to polish social media skills, attendees were treated to product samples from pet sponsors, and news & information from rescues and advocacy groups.

And ... there were goodie bags from friends and fellow pet bloggers, too (#score!). 

Our video was a finalist! We also were given some cool stuff from The Island Cats & Sweet Purrfections!

We sent our mom to represent us in several categories at Friday night's CWA banquet.

The CWA awards Certificates of Excellence for many categories, and we were honored to receive 8 awards:
 - 3 for health and science articles written for Catster Magazine.
 - 3 for Photography
 - 1 for Entertainment Blog
 - 1 for Video, DVD or TV Production


You WIN!

Friday night's award banquet: two Muse Medallions, one for Best Video & one for Best Entertainment Blog

You read that right: YOU won.

The video, Our Wish, was a compilation of the hopes and dreams for companion animals everywhere -- as voiced by so many of you: our readers, fellow bloggers, animal lovers and shelter workers.

And you won the Muse Medallion for Best Video. I was merely the conduit.
If you haven't seen it - grab a tissue, and click below:

In order of appearance, the winners are:

Jenny Lewis - Pixel Blue Eyes

Debbie Glovatsky - Glogirly

Kevin Hattori - Animal Shelter Volunteer Life

Sam Ratcliffe - Vegas Rock Dogs

Connie S. - Tails from the Foster Kittens

Jeanne Kudich - Random Felines

Melissa Clinton - Barking from the Bayou

Stephanie Minck - Snotface Ferret

Sue Doute - The Island Cats

Susan Willett - Life with Dogs and Cats

Amy Shojai - Pet Author

Paula Gregg - Sweet Purrfections

Amy Palmer - Sebastian the Sensitive Soul

Linda Rodgers - Savannah's Paw Tracks

Julie McAlee - Cats Herd You

Marjorie Dawson - Dash Kitten

Ann Staub - Pawsitively Pets

Thank you for your passion - and the love that so clearly shone through. It was an honor to represent you all.

We were also honored to receive this year's Muse Medallion for Best Entertainment Blog.
(that's two years in a row! *squeee!*)

...WE?  What's this WE you speak of, Mommy?

"Don't be thinking YOU won anything, Maxie. It's clear the judges were captivated by my Impecccable Taste."

Uh, we think that's our cue to sign off for now ....

 Stay Tuned!

On Wednesday, we'll share more about the conference -- and a surprise award we never saw coming!

***

We know it's a bit nosy, but ...

Mind if we ask you a personal question?
Do you have certain blogs you just love to visit?

Web sites you've made a part of your morning routine?
Your lunchtime laugh? Your after-dinner entertainment?

(okay, that was more like five questions)

Maybe there's someone whose sense of humor brightens your day.
Perhaps they inspire you to do better, to reach farther, to expand your knowledge.
Here's your chance to tell them thanks, in a big way.
BlogPaws is asking you to nominate your favorite pet bloggers, now through April 11.

The Nose-to-Nose Awards are among the most prestigious in pet social media, honoring excellence in content. They're judged - not by popularity (and not by Faraday, we promise) - but by a panel of pet advocates, writers, bloggers, and pet industry experts.

Not THAT kind of judge, Faraday. And no, you weren't invited to help.

These judges evaluate submissions based on merit and quality, not by how many followers you have, nor by how long you've been blogging.

We'll be nominating our favorites, and we encourage you to do the same. And if we've brought a smile to your face or brightened your day just a little bit, it would mean the world to us if you chose to nominate us as well. Did you know in all the years we've been blogging, we've never been finalists?

How it works

There are twelve categories available. Some are more specific, like Best Photo, and others are more broad, like Best Humor Blog.

Remember how Maxie got his tooth back? This is one of our very favorite photos.

BlogPaws asks you for three pieces of information when nominating a blog.
Here's ours:

Direct link or URL of blog ~ http://www.atonkstail.com
Name of creator of work ~ Lisa Richman
Email of blogger ~ tonkstail@gmail.com

LINK TO NOMINATION PAGE

Nose-to-Nose Categories

Best Cat Blog

This one's easy to nominate - no additional information required!

And if you have a can't-miss dog blog, a must-see pet Facebook page or a deserving non-profit site, there are special categories for them, too.

Some ask you to provide a representative link they'll use to judge.
Here are a few of our favorites:

Best Blog Video
This year, we were honored to be able to share a very special message with you:

“For the Animals”  

This message is from bloggers, animal advocates and pet lovers around the world to future generations. It's a wish for a better tomorrow, a hope for a brighter future. 

These are real people, and their actual voices, photos and videos from all over the world. It's no exaggeration to say this was truly a labor of love. To be nominated for Best Video would mean so much to so many.

You'll need this link to the blog post where it’s embedded:

http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/12/a-labor-of-love.html

And in case you haven't yet seen it, go grab a tissue and click play :-)

We hope it touches your heart as much as it has ours.

Next, is National Love Your Pet Day.
We celebrated this day with a catchy tune and tons of real people snuggling with their furry family members. It's a tribute to the love we all share.

Here's the link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2016/02/a-hallmarkmoment-for-love-your-pet-day.html


Best Humor Blog

These are the posts that make our mom giggle every time she looks at them.
Do your humans go back and giggle at things over and over? Or is ours just weird like that?

PeeMail: “Oops.”
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/05/while-you-were-away-day-3.html

PeeMail: “You’re not the Boss of Me!”
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/05/52-snapshots-week-22-race.html

Watch your back, Maxie…
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/10/watch-your-back-dood.html

The Mystery of the Missing Meal
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/12/the-mystery-of-missing-meal_22.html


Best Blog Photo

Breaking Mews: TWO Tooth Fairies!
Photo: Maxie got his tooth back (“13.png”)
http://www.atonkstail.com/2016/02/breaking-mews-two-tooth-fairies.html

That look you get when you think you won the lottery…
photo: HOLY CAT! (“olyCat.png” yes mommy misspelled it!)
photo: Nooo-o-o-o (“pawluv.png”)
http://www.atonkstail.com/2016/02/that-look-you-get-when.html

One Word Wednesday: Pensive
Photo: Dramatic Faraday (“squeaks.png”)
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/11/one-word-wednesday.html

The End of Lounger Wars?
Photo: Confrontation!
http://www.atonkstail.com/2015/12/the-end-of-lounger-wars.html


A Heartfelt Thank You

We know this takes time out of your day to nominate us. I wish we could adequately express how very much that means to us ~ especially as our mom's health issues have limited our ability both to blog and to visit other bloggers.

We value your friendship and cherish every comment you leave with us.

Thank you for sharing our joy of cats - especially three characters who have utterly stolen our hearts and who charm us, each and every day.

***

Snowy Noses & Nose-to-Noses

Maxwell's feeling well enough to investigate the snowfall today.

And you can tell by his expression what he thinks of it.
He bent down to sniff and got a nose-full!

 ***

Speaking of noses (how's that for a segue?) ...

As a member of the BlogPaws Blogger Influencer Group, we've been asked to share the news about:

The 3rd Annual BlogPaws 
Nose-to-Nose Awards

It's nomination time, and there are many fantastic pet blogs out there that deserve to be nominated.

The Good News: This is one-time only.
Once a blog is nominated, you're done!

More Good News: No daily begging for votes!
That's what we really like about the Nose-to-Nose awards. A panel of judges will determine the winners in each category, so no stumping for votes on blogs!

The Categories:
There are 12 categories, including:

For the first time, you can nominate a 501(c)3 for Best Social Media Use, so be thinking of all the deserving rescues out there you can nominate!

NOMINATION DEADLINE: NEXT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12!

What you'll need to know:
You'll need to grab the blog owner's contact information and the link to the blog's homepage.

Click here (or on the image below) to be directed to the BlogPaws Nomination Page.

If you decide to nominate us, we would be so honored.

Here is our information:
   Contact Name for Blog Owner: Lisa Richman
   Contact Email for Blog Owner: tonkstail@gmail.com
   Blog's Homepage Link: http://www.atonkstail.com/

We'd be eligible for Best Cat Blog (okay, so that was a no brainer ;-) Best Humor Blog, Best Blog Post, Best Design and Best Pet Blog Photo.

Some of these categories ask you for links to specific posts that you feel best represent the category.
In case this is helpful, we've included some of our favorites (with links and everything) below:

Best Humor Blog:

Some of our favorite funnies are:

Revenge is a Dish Best Served on Facebook


Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2014/02/revenge-is-dish-best-served-on-facebook.html

Empty chairs, trash bags, and bomb sniffing...pigs?

Yep, pigs.  ;-)

Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/06/empty-chairs-trash-bags-and-bomb.html

WHAT just walked across my paw?!?!?

(don'tlookdon'tlookdon'tlook...!)

Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/09/blog-post.html






Best Blog Post:

Monday Medical: What is that thing on my cat's ear? 
Link: 
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/10/monday-medical-what-is-that-thing-on-my.html 

Thursday Trivia: The Origin of "Sourpuss"
Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/11/thursday-trivia-sourpuss.html
 
Do you know what's in your pet's food?
Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/03/do-you-know-whats-in-your-pets-food_25.html 

Straight Talk: A DVM goes Dental
Link:
http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/02/StraightTalkDental1.html 


Best Photo:

 Glam Girl


There's just something about the twinkle in her eye that we love...

Link from yesterday's post:


http://www.atonkstail.com/2014/02/almost-wordless-wednesday_5.html

 Photohunt: Ripple


Maxwell's intense concentration on the water droplet was such a fun shot to catch!

Link:

http://www.atonkstail.com/2014/01/saturday-photohunt-ripple.html








Whatcha Doin'?

We just love Maxwell's expressive face.


Link:

http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/07/whatcha-doin.html

Maxwell showing off his prowess with the cat flipper toy. And some great cross-eyed action, too!



Link:


http://www.atonkstail.com/2013/12/a-surprise-holiday-package-from-good.html

NOMINATION DEADLINE: NEXT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12!

Thank you so much!