Blog - Page 3 of 11 - Show Your Soft Side

This Cat’s Legacy: Helping Others

We all know that Sande Riesett, co-founder of Show Your Soft Side, is the first person to cheer on others’ good and generous works — especially when those people are good and generous to animals. Sande is a little quieter when it comes to tooting her …

Riding the Rescue Railroad

I’ve seen the posts a few gazillion times. “Can anybody transport a dog from here to there?” “Who can pick up a kitty at such and such an address?” I’ve seen them, I’ve even shared them, but it wasn’t until this past week, I had any c …

Justice For Those With No Name

There are moments that both define and change the trajectory of our lives. For Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, it was the moment she laid eyes on Puppy Doe. As a shelter veterinarian, Smith-Blackmore had seen her share of neglect and abuse, but nothing p …

The World Needs More Cat Guys

An urgent email came in from Melissa, my husband’s co-worker of nearly 3 decades. Her son Zac had rescued yet another kitten from her husband’s job site and the employees at the company needed help stat. “I can’t stand the thought of so many cats the …

The Visionary

Few people are visionaries. And even fewer succeed in turning their vision into reality. Megan Moon is one of those rare people. As the founder and President of the Humane Education Coalition, Megan and her organization are literally changing the way …

When The Threat is Real

Like many, I cringe every time I hear about someone surrendering a pet and think to myself, that would never be me. If I had to move, Bugs and Buster would come with me. If I got sick, I’d find a way to care for them. And if a family member suddenly …

A Marriage Made In Heaven

With a provocative slogan and a roster of 175 Softies, some might doubt we have an inferiority complex. But we’re insecure when it comes to humane education. Each of us brought a different skill set when we created Show Your Soft Side seven years ago …

My Love Affair With 40 Models

Some people might be riding high after closing out an event that attracted a record number of guests and raised $190K for Baltimore’s homeless animals, but I’m afraid I’m not one of them. Instead of an adrenalin rush, I woke up the next morning feelin …

The Protector

Spy. World Heavyweight Karate Champion. Actor. Producer. Writer. Counter-Terrorism Expert. Counter-Human Trafficking Expert. Deputy Sheriff. Consultant. Diplomat. Humanitarian. Is there anything Tony Schiena can’t do? Probably not. He’s been …

Our Cat Did Not Make The Honor Roll, But Adam And April Did.

No one likes a braggart. We’ve never sported those bumper stickers that read, “My child made the Honor Roll!” If anything, we’ve been tempted to slap on a sticker that reads, “My cat did NOT make the Honor Roll!” So indulge us while we beam with prid …