Back in June of this year, I came across a story in the New York Times that horrified me. The story was about the discovery of 188 unkempt and malnourished dogs being kept in squalid living conditions on a 10-acre New Jersey farm.
The 188 Rescue Group Calendar
In addition to being an art director, blogger and designer, I’m the Dog Mom to Indie, a Jack Russell Terrier that I saved 13 years ago from a kill shelter when she was four months old. When I saw the photos of all the adorable terriers in cages I couldn’t ignore the story.
Thanks to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center and the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals the dogs, predominantly Parson Russell Terriers (commonly known as Jack Russell Terriers), were rescued from the 10 acre farm and treated by a staff of veterinarians and behavioral therapists.
More importantly, over the ensuing months, they were given the love and human contact they had never experienced. The 188 dogs were restored to full health and along with St. Hubert’s, terrier rescue organizations from around the country stepped up to foster these dogs and help find just the right homes for them.
One of those homes was that of my personal friend and colleague, Claudia Caplan. She then introduced me to the owner of a private Facebook Group created to track the progress of “The 188” Parson Russell Terrier Rescue survivors and I finally found a way I could help from across the country.
Claudia, a copywriter and a dog lover, asked if I wouldn’t mind designing a logo and calendar featuring some of The 188 who’d been adopted in an attempt to raise some money for a 188 Reunion and St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. She would provide the copy and facilitate getting photos from the rescued dogs’ new forever families to me. The calendars would be available to purchase through the Facebook Group. I happily agreed. I was thrilled at an opportunity to give back to these people who had done such a wonderful deed.
We received an average of three photos of each dog from the 43 proud new owners who responded to our plea. Going with the clearest and largest photos of the submissions (several required some Photoshop work), The 188 Rescue Group Calendar for 2020 was born. Seeing all these now happy and healthy dogs looking back at you month to month is heart-warming. So if you’re a dog-lover, or just vastly overdue for a good deed, they’re available to purchase with the net proceeds going to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.
The 2020 wall calendars have all since been sold. But now we have an entire Zazzle store featuring 188 products!
All of The 188 and those who love them thank you so much for your support!
all images in this post (except the NYT article) are the property of The 188 Rescue Group and may not be reproduced or used without permission