Animal Welfare - Raul Colon - photographer, digital marketer & writer living on the beach in Puerto Rico.

My 8+ Birthday Wishes, Easter Bunny, and Juanga

April 23, 2011 by Raul Colon

I was going to write a post aligned to this but I guess the message was more than clear and a special signal from a superior being (whichever you believe in God, Allah, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Darth Vader and the many others).

As many of you know I am an animal lover. Not only do I dearly try to protect them I also don’t eat them.

Last night while some friends brought me an early Birthday present we saw a rabbit running around the street. Since we knew it has escaped we set up a strategy and will a little bit of cabbage to entice him we where able to capture him.

Since we live in a gated community I called the security guards so they could contact the owner of the rabbit. The owner was notified but I guess for him enjoying his Friday night was more important than retrieving his pet.

Sadly this is a good example on how in our Island (Puerto Rico) people really treat pets as pure objects. Yes I have to give credit to a few of us that are really passionate about defending their rights and protecting them but we are an obvious minority.

As I have expressed various times through this blog and via other channels I regret not having people that are more conciensce of the rights of animals in and it makes it even harder to understand when they do it with their pets.

I am not asking everyone to become vegetarian or to be as committed as a few people that I know like @mark_hayward and Dellymar from @sasfapr are to improving animal wealth-fare here locally but if you decide to buy a pet make sure you make the full commitment.

I guess given this incident of how the Easter Bunny came to visit me early has created a disturbance in the force since my pampered pet Juanga decided that he did not want this intruder in our home. So here on the Saturday Morning of my Birthday after trying to calm Juanga all night and not sleeping much I want to share my Birthday Wishes.

As a Birthday present I would really like you to the one (or more than one its up to you of) the following things.

Contact Sasfapr.org and Adopt a Dog from Sasfapr.org an animal No Kill Shelter in Puerto Rico and/or Animal Wealthfare of Culebra ( you can send a tweet @mark_hayward he can gladly help you via twitter also).
Help my friend @ricklipsett by donating, buying art, and spreading the word on helping a friend with Newborn which was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks back. Yamil Colón, needs a bone marrow transplant. His twin sister Camila, died of this condition when no one suspected what was going on. Since I am a new dad myself and @danielalcolon would really appreciate if you reach out to them.
Or be creative and do something special for someone or even donate to your favorite charity.
Make sure a Homeless person gets a meal today. I will go out and make sure I make that happen if not today in the following days.
Let your love one’s know you love them. (4 and 5 I have taken from a great list @chrisbrogan created months ago on his blog post How You Could Help, Thanks Chris).
Send a cash donation to any of the above mentioned organizations.
Write a post of any of the Above Mention organizations to create awareness.
Sign Up for my Newsletter or hit my Blog’s Like Page , I had to at least insert one item for me 🙂 | Subscribe to Raul Colon’s Blog via Email

Remember even if you can’t donate money you can always invest time in a cause or charity you truly believe in. Even sending a tweet or posting a message in your wall on Facebook can make a difference. If you share it with your network and someone does the same it might pay off.

So if you really want to wish me a Happy Birthday! Take something from the list or add any other ideas in the comments area.

Enjoy your Easter Weekend and Love your Family and never forget about your extended family (your Pets).

Links to the Organizations

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11 Puppies Need a home ASAP

March 27, 2011 by Raul Colon

As part of me having a Vegetarian Lifestyle and being a dog lover, it is very hard for me to hear this kind of news happening in Puerto Rico.

These situations happen so often on the Island I feel helpless so I pass along this info as we shared it on @veglatino and provided by our friend @mark_hayward.

Today we were notified by @Mark_Hayward via twitter that 11 puppies were abandoned and rescued by him and his wife Terrie. Here is what Mark stated to us,

“The pups were dumped on the road as you head towards Zoni Beach on Culebra. Terrie brought to the vet in Fajardo yesterday for de-worming and vaccines. There are tons of pics on Animal Welfare of Culebra Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Welfare-of-Culebra

If people want to adopt we do a very thorough screening process — check with their vet, etc. Also, Animal Welfare of Culebra is 100 percent support by donations so if people want to help out they can donate by following this link – http://animalwelfareculebra.org/support/

This picture touches our heart in a profound way because we have a black labrador at home. Please forward this post to all of those who may be interested.

Photo Credit : @mark_hayward

Please Share with a Vegan or Vegetarian? #VegLatino

February 2, 2011 by Raul Colon

As many of you know I have been vegetarian for many years now and the reason Why I Don’t Eat Meat! can be found as a post in a new project @veglatino.

Thanks to @franklogic creating an awesome marketing group on facebook and some collaborations with the great people of @sasfapr I have been able to meet some awesome people who are vegetarian and hispanic to join me in creating an online space to share our experiences of staying away from meat in a Culture that does not easily accept it.

My purpose with this new project is to educate as to why being vegetarian or vegan is a lifestyle not a diet or fad.

We are looking for collaborators in sharing recipes, videos, ideas, and their experiences so if you feel like you are interested in the effort please feel free to contact me.

If you want to learn more about VegLatino visit our website or follow us on twitter @veglatino.

What would you like to see on VegLatino.com?

Which is sexier Vegetarian or Meat Eater?

January 31, 2011 by Raul Colon

On many occasions I see how the Meat industry and companies that survive of selling meat continuously use Sex driven ads to sell their products.

Like every year @PETA has decided to create their superbowl ad in hopes of having it banned but reaching many people (cost effective advertising). I follow the @peta twitter account and read the following re-tweet

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/HuffingtonPost/status/32146797740687360″]

This tweet includes an article by the @huffingtonpost including the video which simulates a porn movie casting (viewer discretion is advised).

Many of you might find the ad raunchy (honestly I have never seen vegetables handled that way) but how much different is it from Paris Hilton eating a hamburger in the Carls Jr Burger ads.

When I hear people complaining about the ad I think they want to turn a blind eye and picture of how @peta’s real objective is to create awareness on other important subjects of animal rights.

I think they are experts at creating attention similar to the examples @jimkukral shared with us in his book Attention! This Book Will Make You Money: How to Use Attention-Getting Online Marketing to Increase Your Revenue (amazon affiliate link).

Do you think that @peta is able to create the adequate awareness with these ads?

What are your thoughts?

My Personal Facebook Like & Vote for Self Promoter Policy!

January 21, 2011 by Raul Colon

In the last few days the pageants and competitions for little girls and babies have increased. I am always able to measure this by the amount of requests from self promoting parents that contact me with a link taking me to a competition where I can vote for their Daughter just because they have me on there list.

Yesterday I finally decided that if you never talk to me via facebook or any other channel and you approach (or try to obligate me) on making me hit a Like button for any of the following I will unfriend you!

Beauty Pageants. If you have a daughter and you think I should vote for her because you are my contact on facebook, don’t count on it. I have never been a fan of bringing your daughter up in that kind of environment. Here in Puerto Rico it amazes me how people give such importance to a beauty pageant and not to other things that are more important in life. As a new father I rather see my daughter playing sports or involved in a charity effort than wanting to be a model or worst a beauty pageant queen.

Photo Contests. If you want your kid or baby to win a photo contest and request me to vote for your kid and help him win something. I am a new dad and I have shared very few photos publicly keep this in mind. Most of these contests are a cash machine for the organizers by recruiting sponsors and making a huge profit of parents who are over promoting their kids.

In any way pimping your kids. My friend @karimacatherine gave me the perfect definition for such a person. I reality if you are trying to make your kid win a contest to receive some kind of economic benefit (Vacation, money, or other perks). Think twice you might be pimping your kid. So don’t be a Pimp. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your child when they have real talents but using there looks to serve you is a lot like being a pimp.

Asking for Likes in General. The purpose of a Like button on facebook if to have people genuinely express their feelings towards your status, page, brand, image, or other elements. A few weeks ago I was requested to hit like on a Steakhouse to have someone win a contest. If you know me or have read this blog you understand very clearly Why I Don’t Eat Meat!. If you are going to recommend me to like something it might not be the best idea if you are offering me to like a place where they sell dead animal carcasses in volume.

When is it Ok to ask me for a Like?

If you are part of my community, you share my posts, you comment on my blog, you talk to me (other than asking for favors), and you are trying to help a cause that I believe in. If there is a page about animal rights, human rights, people doing something positive to help others, any charity that aligns with my values please feel free to recommend me liking a page or comment.

So in conclusion my personal facebook policy on hitting like buttons to serve selfish people will get you an automatic un-friend.

How do you deal with self promoters?

How do you feel about parents using Social Media to brag about their kids? How does it change your opinion when they post inappropriate photos?