PR Straight Talk

[NOTE:  I wrote this piece for The Huffington Post in March.  Friends have urged me to post it here too. ]

I once rescued a little dog I named Harry, an older yorkie, from a county animal shelter here in South Florida. Harry was blind in one eye, and had a cataract in his other eye. He had kennel cough, and pneumonia. I could not bare to see him squeezed into a small cage. My heart just lept out for him. So I brought him home — home with Chickie, my chihuahua/pug mix who I rescued from that same shelter several years earlier; and two rescued cats, Crystal and Mitzvah.

I immediately took Harry to the vet where he received a shot and some meds better than the non-meds he was receiving at animal control. When I brought him home, Harry revealed a very great intelligence and in spite of how sick he was, he immediately began to snoop around the house, curious about everything. But more, he sensed he was in a home, and he showed his perkiness and happiness to be “home”.

A few days later, I gave Harry a warm bath, and upon towel drying him, wrapped him in a large bath towel and placed him upon my soft mattress. He was in heaven, oohing and ahhing at the great comfort he was enwrapped in and lying upon. I could sense a great deal of negative energy and tremendous stress leaving Harry, and he fell asleep for the next 12 hours.

Thereupon, for the next four months, Harry was restored to complete health. He loved being walked outside, and he displayed a kind of dance, which was the dance of celebration of being alive, and being loved. I frequently held Harry in my arms, and rocked him like a baby. He loved it. When I brought him in from a walk outside, he was so happy to be home, and he would approach Chickie and the two cats and caress their faces with his. Harry was a sweetheart.

Then one day he began coughing, non-stop coughing, where he could barely breath. I rushed him to the vet and she reported he had a collapsed trachea. She did not think he would make it, but gave me tranquillizers for him to quiet him in the hopes that the tension upon the trachea would quiet. It didn’t work and a few days later, Harry had a severe tracheal attack where I had to rush him again to the vet, where he was desperately choking and gulping for air. I knew Harry needed to be relieved from this suffering, and gave the vet consent to put him to sleep. Before she did, I spoke to him and told him how much I loved him, and thanked him for coming into my life and giving me such joy, and the opportunity to heal him. Seeing him die was very painful for me, for Harry was the epitome of life; and I prayed over Harry’s warm body. I prayed very hard that he would now move into the Light and be comforted by angels and heavenly caretakers.

Harry was abandoned and betrayed by someone — someone who didn’t care enough. He might have fared better had he not fallen into the hands of the shelter — a shelter that at that time had no heart for its inhabitants — a shelter that was in effect a disposal unit — and not an adoption facility as it should be.

The Harry’s of the world, and those younger and healthier than Harry was, are the beloved and comfort of millions. They connect us to what is natural and spontaneous and unconditionally loving in our lives. They take us out of our busyness and complexity, out of our everyday stresses, out of our heads, and bring us into the wonder and joy of each moment.

Dogs are members of more than 43 million households in America, and cats of more than 37.5 million. These feeling, intelligent, loyal creatures give comfort to people of all kinds — to the young, middle-aged and elderly, to families with children, to couples without children, and to those living alone. When they are brought into hospitals caring for children with grave illnesses, or into nursing homes tending to the aged, they become healers who bring smiles to faces. They defend homes as faithful watchers. They save lives, whether on the battlefield, or as brave aides to firefighters.

The fact is, each year we kill 3 million healthy and treatable dogs and cats at our shelters. If we are agreed that these animals are precious individuals who have a right to live, then we can also agree that a fundamental paradigm shift must take place at all animal shelters. The new underlying principle must be no-kill.

For those who don’t believe it is possible to transition from kill to no-kill, look at other shelters who’ve done it — in Charlottesville, Va., in Tompkins County, New York and in Reno, Nev. They’ve done it. They show it is possible.

Here are strategies needed for a transition to succeed:

• Hire a director who embodies humaneness towards animals in his or her philosophy — someone committed to no-kill. This is the linchpin element in a successful conversion, and in the implementation of the other essential elements that must follow. The director must support a “culture of life.”
• Hire staff people who are likewise committed to humaneness, and the no-kill principle. This means a review of the people on staff to determine who would support the new principle, the weeding out of those who don’t, and the recruitment of those who do.
• Make comprehensive adoption programs central to the shelter strategy. Some examples:
• Ongoing and intensive public relations/marketing programs. The new director should hire a director of PR/Marketing equally committed to the no-kill principle. If budget precludes a hire, enlist the support of a retired PR professional. This individual should enlist a team of other volunteer PR pros. Consultation with chapter leader of the local Public Relations Society of America can help pull a team together, as well as outreach to the heads of local PR agencies.
• Outdoor or indoor adoption events. Work with local Petsmarts, Petcos, pet supply stores, community wellness centers, festivals and carnivals to set up booths presenting dogs and cats from shelters, and literature about the shelters.
• Arrange ongoing creative vehicles, and redesign a shelter’s website to reflect new culture of life, with a new name, e.g., “Friends of Best Friends.”
• Conduct an active search engine optimization campaign for the website.
• Air public service spots on television and radio, and complement those with animal photos on major websites like Craigslist.
* Recruit animal/pet loving celebrities and politicians who consent to appear on these PSAs
• Follow-up with speaking appearances by shelter officials at PTAs, churches, synagogues, Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, as well as in-studio appearances on radio/TV. Use those venues to announce off-site adoption events, and incorporate effective signage allowing traffic to shelters.
• Help to increase pet retention. The shelter must be perceived by the community as a place to turn to for advice and support on how pet owners can keep their animals at home. Advice can include everything from discipline and house-breaking training programs to neutering programs to food budget savings.
• Volunteers. An impassioned, dedicated and large group of volunteers needs to be the lifeblood of the shelter, often complementing too few-in-number paid staff. Recruit volunteers at booths showcasing animals at festivals, carnivals and local pet supermarkets. Heading the Volunteer Corps should be a humane, paid (or retired) director of volunteers. Reports from other shelters indicate that more enthusiastic volunteers will be recruited after it’s known that a transition to no-kill has occurred.
* Rescue groups currently account for only a relatively small percentage of animals saved. They need to be encouraged to pull as many animals as possible from a shelter — and not get discouraged from doing so. And that includes not only purebreds but the many greater-in-number and wonderful mixed breeds as well. Rescuers free up cage and kennel space, and reduce costs for feeding, cleaning — and killing. They need our support, not our discouragement.
• Feral cat TNR programs. Trap, neuter and release programs have been effected by a number of communities across the country to reduce death rates.
• Proactive redemptions. Often overlooked are lost animal reclaims. Sadly, besides having pet owners fill out a lost pet report, very little effort is made in this area. Becoming more proactive has proven to have a significant impact on life-saving and allow shelters to return a large percentage of lost animals to their families.
• It is essential that those who oversee these shelters are not of an anti-life culture, where the fate of these sensitive, unconditionally loving and vulnerable animals are an absolute non-priority. Shift to staff, from top to bottom, of those who wish to find loving homes for these wonderful animals, and who embody a culture of life.• Read animal advocate Nathan Wingrad’s book, Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation.

Ultimately, the best way to ensure change is a massive campaign by voters who are pet lovers, in a well organized and orchestrated way. It will take leadership. And it will take funding from private citizens. Nathan Winograd can point the way.

There are millions of Harrys who are murdered each year at our county shelters. “Euthanize” is too bland a word for what occurs. Dragging innocent, vulnerable dogs to the killing rooms, screaming along the way — knowing their fate — where they are laid on cold metal tables and injected with poison, all the while trembling with fright. This is an atrocity — and it must end.

When you visit an animal shelter, walk up close to a dog or cat, and really look at it, appreciating it for its life and being. You can see and feel that you have simply connected with life, not only its life but your life. Then you can love it as you love yourself.

Mike Schwager is a writer, editor-in-chief of www.Enrichment.com, host of The Enrichment Hour on www.sedonatalkradio.com/the-enrichment-hour; writer and publicist (www.mediamavens.com); TV interview trainer (www.TVtraining.tv) and last, but not least, animal advocate. E-mail me at: mikemaven@comcast.net.

My first guest on Tuesday, June 28th at 7 PM Eastern is Rolland Smith.  Rolland  has nearly 50 years of broadcast and television production experience. He is former news anchor for CBS-TV in New York and at super station WWOR-TV in New York.  Currently he is writing and anchoring documentaries for independent television outlets. He also writes a daily blog on topics of interest from poetry to politics.Log into www.rollandsmith.blogspot.com.

Smith first joined WWOR-TV in 1988 from the CBS network where he was co-host of “The CBS Morning Program,” a 90-minute talk and news broadcast. Smith left WWOR-TV in 1993 to work for NBC in California. He returned to Channel Nine in 2000.

While with NBC, Smith covered the war in the former Yugoslavia and the OJ Simpson murder trial.

Smith calls himself a storyteller, but he is the consummate broadcast journalist. His skills as an anchorman, commentator, reporter, writer and producer have earned him numerous awards and honors.

Emmy Presentation
Rolland is the recipient of eleven Emmy awards. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has honored him numerous times with Emmy nominations. He has two Telly Awards and numerous other awards and accolades.

He is an author of three books of poetry and commentary. Quiet Musings, published by Sunscape Publications, was nationally released with critical acclaim in August 1995. Encore – The Poetry of Nature, also Sunscape Publications, was released in October 2001. In November 1996 he released a CD called “Syl.la.bles”. It is his poetry narration coupled with the original music of composer Tim Janis. His third book, a combination of poetry and commentaries entitled Stone Wisdom was released in December of 2008.

My second guest is with life coach, inspirational motivator and author Judy Winkler, and this is Judy’s second appearance on The Enrichment Hour.

“I remind people to recognize their value & think differently so they live their dreams. I offer tools to self-soothe, keep things in perspective & keep moving forward.  My goal is to bless every life I touch, to help create a world that works for everyone,” says Rev. Winkler, who is based in San Diego.

Judy and I will talk about “simple acts of kindness that make a difference; and how a tiny change in thought can change an outcome,”

Judy Winkler is author of “Get Unstuck – Live with Ease” (Sacred Life Publishers). and a wonderful CD, “Guided Meditations to Your Soul,” along with other inspirational products.  Get Unstuck is a book  filled with simple yet powerful affirmations that can get you on the road to healing.  It’s a potential liberator for those who feel stuck in their lives.  Judy is a natural-born teacher and healer.  For decades, she felt unlovable.  She experienced abuse, neglect, fear, and self-doubt.  As she faced inner dragons and demons (old memories and feelings), she learned how to move through obstacles.  

If you are stressed, confused, worried, resentful, feeling limited or unlovable…if anyone or anything kept you from being your true self…if you want to feel empowered, loved, have peace of mind and live your best life, then this interview,  applying the steps in this book can help you.

Get Unstuck includes 5-minute simple steps to change your life. You will learn to shift your focus so your circumstances change.  As Judy Winkler would put it, your focus sets into motion a change that is both waiting to emerge and draws to you that which you desire.  There are more than 75 topics within this book, which can generate inner peace, self-expression, and empowerment.

The techniques in this book are a compilation of the techniques that Judy Winkler used to live with ease and now uses with her clients.  Judy, based in San Diego, is a respected teacher, public speaker, counselor, and coach with more than 25 years experience.  For more information, visit www.coachjudywinkler.com

To listen to show, go to:  www.BlogTalkRadio.com/the-enrichment-hour

To call-in, dial:  917-889-8553

On my March 22nd show, it was my great pleasure to introduce my first guest, JOHN ROBBINS, to The Enrichment Hour. I first met John 20 years ago, when he and his wife joined me for dinner at a vegetarian restaurant in Soho, not far from my then- home. My most vivid recollection of him were his eyes – big clear translucent eyes. If the eyes are indeed the windows of the soul, then John’s very old soul is big and clear in vision, and filled with Heart. John Robbins is currently one of the most popular bloggers on the Huffington Post. In fact he shared with me that over a million readers have read each of his articles.  He is also the author of six bestsellers that have collectively sold more than 3 million copies and been translated into 26 languages. His books include his latest, “The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less” - “Diet For A New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness, and the Future of Life on Earth” - and “The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World”. For further information and to contact John Robbins, visit www.johnrobbins.info   I suggested to my audience that John, in my opinion, deserves to be nominated for, and win, The Nobel Peace Prize.  His books and lectures represent a very important paradigm shift in consciousness for the whole world - a shift leading us to reverence for life for ALL life, healthier lifestyles based on compassion for all life, and a more unititive, kinder world.

My guest in the second half hour was Hollywood producer RANDY ROGERS. Randy has written a new book, “The Key of Life: A Metaphysical Investigation.” He is the president of Telefilm, Inc., a Los Angeles-based production company handling the promotion of Hollywood blockbusters like The Matrix, Harry Potter, Pearl Harbor, Batman, Superman and Indiana Jons. A career spanning four decades in newspapers, television and motion pictures - working with such companies as NBC News, Disney, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal Pictures, MGM, Lionsgate, SONY and DreamWorks - has earned him several Emmy nominations and numerous press club awards. Randy resides in Los Angeles, California with Michele Kohse and their son Kyle. Randy’s book is described as “a gripping, true story about who we are, why we are here and how we are all connected.”  It presents a strong validation for reincarnation.

This interview with John Robbins and Randy Rogers is archived in two places:  www.sedonatalkradio.com/the-enrichment-hour, and www.blogtalkradio.com/the-enrichment-hour.

1st Half Hour -  Ryan Mack and Andrew Bruskin (4:00pm to 4:30pm Pacific - 7:00pm to 7:30pm Eastern).  Special guest:  Entrepreneurial great and author, Jack Nadel.
2nd Half Hour - Ellena Lynn Lieberman - (4:30pm - 5:00pm Pacific - 7:30pm to 8:00pm Eastern) 

In addition to being a financial advisor working with many prominent clients across the U.S., Ryan Mack has authored an important new book entitled, In The Village, a prescription for financial empowerment.  Ryan charitably lends his support to inner-city communities by  coordinating workshops and creating economic empowerment initiatives that teach the principles of understanding the power of financial literacy through his financial firm, Optimum Capital Management.  Ryan has provided keynote presentations to organizations across the country such as Harvard University, Columbia University, Princeton University, NAACP, National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Housing Preservation and Development, National Urban League, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Black MBA Association, Microsoft Corporation, HSBC, KPMG, Johnson and Johnson, Six Flags, and Deutsche Bank. 

With a strong sense of philanthropy he flew to South Africa to teach economic empowerment principles to those in need and has partnered with his local District Attorney’s office to teach financial literacy to previously incarcerated community residents with the aim of lowering recidivism rates.  Ryan can be regularly viewed on television networks such as GMTV, CNBC, CNN, Reuters, BET and FOX Business discussing economic/social issues that impact American citizens.  He has been profiled in Tavis Smiley’s Covenant and Action (a New York Times Bestseller), co-authored a book with Kevin Powell entitled “The Black Male Handbook”, featured in Black Enterprise, African American Family, The Source & NV Magazine and contributes regularly to Huffington Post, The Network Journal, Fortune, and Black Enterprise.  He received the Top 40 Under 40 Achievement Award from The Network Journal; was inducted by Medgar Evers College (where he currently serves as a board member) and into its national honor society PI ETA KAPPA as a honorary member;  and received Tom Joyner’s “Hardest Working Financial Advisor Award” because of his efforts to empower the community with the crucial life skills of financial literacy.

Andrew Bruskin is the Director of Media Publications for All About Business (AAB) a global not-for-profit youth economic empowerment organization that has been featured on CNN, Huffington Post, Bloomberg, Business Week, the Network Journal and Crème Magazine.  Andrew is also editor-in-chief of its blog.  He is an alumnus of Stony Brook University, where he graduated with phi beta kappa and magna cum laude distinction.  At the age of 19, he became the nationally elected president of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS), a 700,000 member national honor society with over 270 chapters in all 50 states of the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.  During his tenure, 65,000 new members joined the society, bringing in over $5,000,000 in revenue.  For his achievements, Andrew was one of 238 students state-wide, and one of fourteen students at his college, to be awarded the 2009 SUNY Chancellor’s Award, the Provost Award for Academic Excellence, the Distinguished Community Service Award, the New York State ACT for Excellence Award and received the citation of ‘Outstanding Accomplishment in Undergraduate Activity and ‘Outstanding Achievement in Leadership.’  Andrew currently attends law school at the College of William and Mary.  He has appeared on WL Lillard’s Star Planet TV and The Mecca James Show.  He is cited in two global best-selling books and published in numerous articles.

My special and third guest in the first half hour is Jack Nadel, founder of Jack Nadel International, the gold standard of the promotional marketing business.  Jack, a spry 87 years of age, founded his company in 1953, which today has 17 offices worldwide.  Jack has also launched, built and successfully operated a dozen companies, and today sees himself on a mission to encourage and empower new entrepreneurs, the cornerstone of our economy, with his advice and business wisdom.  Jack’s new book, Use What You Have To Get What You Want:  100 Basic Ideas That Mean Business, filled with fail-proof insights and recession-busting tips based on Jack’s long and amazingly successful career.  Jack’s website: www.ideasthatmeanbusiness.com

In the second half hour, my guest is Ellena Lynn Lieberman.

This is Ellena’s second appearance on The Enrichment Hour.  I can attest to her great gift of accessing and transmitting the Akashic Records of every individual (soul), as she gave me a stunning private reading that illuminated my own personal journey.  What was also reinforced for me is that each of us have only one life, though many incarnations, and that life continues its journey,  learning lessons and growth through different bodily incarnations.

With steadfast commitment, Ellena Lynn Lieberman has devoted two decades inspiring others to realize inner growth through the transformational process of accessing The Akashic Records.  Her sensitivity to internal spiritual forces that shape all physical reality has afforded her widespread public notice.  Her true artistry lies in awakening others to the magnitude of the gifts held within the sanctity of the heart.

Ellena is a founding member of Akashic Record Consultants International and continues as a member of the board.   In her breakthrough book, The Principles of Dynamic Manifestation, she reveals through her loving mastery of spirit, how you can actualize the Divine Force of your full potential.  “When everything you manifest draws from the authentic adoration and grace that is the ultimate transmission of your life and you are aware of this orchestration physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually, you are totally in abundance.”

Simultaneously with her spiritual calling, Ellena has created and performs a concert series “A Golden Treasury of Vintage Songs” in Florida, Chicago, and New York. Trained in classical voice and acting, she is noted for her warm engaging stage presence, professionalism, and rich Soprano voice.

Ellena is available for consultations over the phone or in-person.  She is available for public speaking engagements, seminars, and also teaches classes on accessing the Akashic Records in the US. and Internationally.  Contact:  773-301-7573 or radiantcenter@yahoo.com

Ellena coming to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida:  Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27, 2011, 10:30am - 6pm, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (both days required)
Fee:  $300  Now on Sale for $250 for “March Spring Renewal Sale”

Friday night, March 25, free and open to the public, Questions, Blessings, and Sharing, 7:30pm - 9pm.  This class is hosted by: Beth LeFevre, MasterLife, Inc.
5300 Powerline Road (the checkerboard shopping center), Suite 206,
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida  33309

Here’s link to a ten minute interview I did on “Radiospectives” - Publicity As A Creative Marketing Tool.  When you click on link, scroll down to arrow just below green street signs:  http://www.radiospectives.com/2011/01/25/using-pr-as-a-creative-marketing-tool.html

Interview was taped in December, but just released today.

Dave Summers of the American Management Association interviews me for 20 minute4s on effective media interview preparation; and creative/effective PR.

Here is link:

http://podcast.amanet.org/edgewise/communication/230/mike-schwager-on-projecting-your-best-professional-image/

“The work Mike Schwager has done for me and OSI has not only produced vivid results, it has given me something of an education.  Beyond what I’ve come to understand about the world of publicity and public relations, the campaign that Mike has been leading for me has afforded me a whole new set of eyes through which to understand the work that I do in the world.  He has helped me gain a perspective that would otherwise be impossible.

“Mike is not just a pro (he knows the publicity universe as only a veteran who has played at the highest levels can know it), but he also brings to bear a tremendously fresh capacity for creativity and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve the intended result – he seems to have an endless store of energy and he directs it with passion and purpose.  But perhaps the quality that commends Mike most highly, is the fact that he is a man of deep courage and unswerving integrity.  He is committed not only to producing excellence in the product he delivers, but also to having his work truly make a lasting difference in the world.  For him this is not high-minded idealism.  It is simply who he is, what his life is about.

“It is my considered opinion that Mike Schwager stands alone in his industry.  Put another way, he is the standard.”            

Dr. Cleve W. Stevens

Founder/President

Owl Sight Intentions Inc.

www.owlsightintentions.com

“I am new to the media markets and yet amazingly find myself being invited back again and again following comments from producers like “you’re a real pro.” The credit belongs entirely to Mike. In one day’s training he showed me how to relax in front of the camera and engage an audience with high energy, organized talking points and personalization. Since then he’s helped me with on-going mini refininand refresher sessions. Whether you’re just getting started or seeking to take your media skills to the next level, Mike’s knowledge and network are an incredible asset to have on-board! His insights and encouragement continue to surprise me. I would HIGHLY recommend Mike to ANYONE seeking to improve their media platform for any reason.  You cannot find better media training.  I simply cannot say enough about him!”                                                                                                     Shari Olefson                                                                                                                                                Attorney/Shareholder                                                                                                            Fowler White Boggs                                                                                                      Author, “Foreclosure Nation”

“Michael has achieved world-wide recognition for my book. I first met him when he provided media training for several of us at KidsPeace to help prepare us for doing interviews. The training was rich with tips, guidelines, and practice. Two years later, when I had written a nonfiction book (”Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters”), I hired Michael to be my publicist. I cannot say enough about the work he did. Considering that I was essentially an unknown psychologist, the results were amazing. He got me interviews on national television (Fox), national radio (WOR in New York), and a story with the Associated Press that was picked up by virtually every major news outlet around the world (probably thousands of newspapers and websites including the New York Times, Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo News, Google News, etc.). This story triggered more interest, and I began getting calls and interviews from such places as the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, CBS-TV, CBS-Radio, and even German public radio. Michael also placed a front page story in USA Today, as well as a book review. To sum up, Michael has expert knowledge, contacts in all major media markets, and a dogged determinism to succeed for his clients. Not only that, he is supportive, provides guidance, and communicates effectively & punctually. He succeeded for me even beyond my hopes.”  

Dr. Peter Langman, Director of Psychology

KidsPeace: The National Center for Youth in Crisis

Author, “Why Kids Kill: Inside The Minds of School Shooters”

“My association with Mike Schwager crosses two realms: first, I have observed him as a consummate public and media relations professional, with a passion and penchant for getting his clients results that matter. In this arena, he is dedicated to excellence, whether the communications vehicle is publicity, writing, media interview and crisis training, cause-related marketing, or consultancy in positioning and branding. Here again, Mike’s interest is in the representation of clients with quality services, issues, books or products. Second, as a contributing columnist to Mike’s other endeavor, Enrichment.com, a spiritual, human potential, humanitarian web portal, I know Mike is dedicated - first - to furthering dialogue, tolerance and understanding between cultures, ethnicities, genders and religions; second - to inspiring people to become all they are capable of becoming; third - to promoting the great humanitarian issues and challenges of our time; and fourth, to offering valuable alternative information in science and health. Enrichment.com is a treasure trove of news, information and inspiration in all these areas. It reflects Mike’s interest in helping to build a better world at a time of great challenge - and even greater possibility.”                                                                                                                                      Dr. Luise Light, MS, EdD                                                                                                 Writer/Editor, James Mitchell                                                                                    Former Director of Dietary Guidance and Nutrition Education Research, USDA[Architect of original Food Pyramid]                                                                                 Author, “What To Eat”

BY MIKE SCHWAGER - PUBLISHED IN FT. LAUDERDALE SUN-SENTINEL, “OUTLOOK SECTION” (Sunday, April 25, 2010)

They are the beloved and comfort of millions. They connect us to what is natural and spontaneous and unconditionally loving in our lives. They take us out of our busyness and complexity, out of our everyday stresses, out of our heads, and bring us into the wonder and joy of each moment.

Dogs are members of more than 43 million households in America, and cats of more than 37.5 million. These feeling, intelligent, loyal creatures give comfort to people of all kinds - to the young, middle-aged and elderly, to families with children, to couples without children, and to those living alone. When they are brought into hospitals caring for children with grave illnesses, or into nursing homes tending to the aged, they become healers who bring smiles to faces. They defend homes as faithful watchers. They save lives, whether on the battlefield, or as brave aides to firefighters.

The fact is, each year we kill 3 million healthy and treatable dogs and cats at our shelters. Here in Broward, the number killed is 10,000 per year. At Miami-Dade Animal Services, it is a horrifying 40,000; and in Palm Beach it averages 18,000.

If we are agree that these animals are precious individuals who have a right to live, then we can also agree that a fundamental paradigm shift must take place at all animal shelters. The new underlying principle must be no-kill.

For those who don’t believe it is possible to transition from kill to no-kill, look at other shelters who’ve done it - in Charlottesville, Va., in Tompkins County, New York and in Reno, Nev. They’ve done it. They show it is possible.

Here are strategies needed for a transition to succeed:

Hire a director who embodies humaneness towards animals in his or her philosophy - someone committed to no-kill. This is the linchpin element in a successful conversion, and in the implementation of the other essential elements that must follow. The director must support a “culture of life.”

Hire staff people who are likewise committed to humaneness, and the no-kill principle. This means a review of the people on staff to determine who would support the new principle, the weeding out of those who don’t, and the recruitment of those who do.

Make comprehensive adoption programs central to the shelter strategy. Some examples:

Ongoing and intensive public relations/marketing programs. The new director should hire a director of PR/Marketing equally committed to the no-kill principle. If budget precludes a hire, enlist the support of a retired PR professional. This individual should enlist a team of other volunteer PR pros. Consultation with chapter leader of the local Public Relations Society of America can help pull a team together, as well as outreach to the heads of local PR agencies.

Outdoor or indoor adoption events. Work with local Petsmarts, Petcos, pet supply stores, community wellness centers, festivals and carnivals to set up booths presenting dogs and cats from shelters, and literature about the shelters. Arrange ongoing creative vehicles, and redesign a shelter’s website to reflect new culture of life, with a new name, e.g., “Friends of Best Friends.” Conduct active search engine optimization campaign for this website. Air public service spots on television and radio, and complement those with animal photos on major websites like Craigslist. Follow-up with speaking appearances by shelter officials at PTAs, churches, synagogues, Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, as well as in-studio appearances on radio/TV. Use those venues to announce off-site adoption events, and incorporate effective signage allowing traffic to shelters.

Help to increase pet retention. The shelter must be perceived by the community as a place to turn to for advice and support on how pet owners can keep their animals at home. Advice can include everything from discipline and house-breaking training programs to neutering programs to food budget savings.

Volunteers. An impassioned, dedicated and large group of volunteers needs to be the lifeblood of the shelter, often complementing too few-in-number paid staff. At Broward’s ACARD, limits have been put on the numbers of volunteers recruited, and volunteers have been discouraged to photograph animals and post on sites like Craigslist, which previously had brought in hundreds of adopters. Recruit volunteers at booths showcasing animals at festivals, carnivals and local pet supermarkets. Heading the Volunteer Corps should be a humane, paid (or retired) director of volunteers. Reports from other shelters indicate that more enthusiastic volunteers will be recruited after it’s known that a transition to no-kill has occurred.

Rescue groups currently account for only a relatively small percentage of animals saved. They need to be encouraged to pull as many animals as possible from a shelter - and not get discouraged from doing so. And that includes not only purebreds but the many greater-in-number and wonderful mixed breeds as well. Rescuers free up cage and kennel space, and reduce costs for feeding, cleaning - and killing. They need our support, not our discouragement.

Feral cat TNR programs. Trap, neuter and release programs have been effected by a number of communities across the country to reduce death rates.

Proactive redemptions. Often overlooked are lost animal reclaims. Sadly, besides having pet owners fill out a lost pet report, very little effort is made in this area. Becoming more proactive has proven to have a significant impact on life-saving and allow shelters to return a large percentage of lost animals to their families. Read animal advocate Nathan Wingrad’s book, Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation.

When you visit an animal shelter, walk up close to a dog or cat, and really look at it, appreciating it for its life and being. You can see and feel that you have simply connected with life, not only its life but your life. Then you can love it as you love yourself.

Mike Schwager lives in Plantation. His animal advocacy site: www.CompassionateAnimalFriendsofBroward.org. E-mail him at mikemaven@comcast.net.

This is the eulogy I wrote for my dear friend Luise Light, who passed away on April 15th.  I was unable attend the funeral in New York.  The remarks were read by her daughter Orrea. She will be sorely missed.

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I have Google to thank for finding Luise Light. It was 2007 and I was searching for a nutritional columnist for my new site, Enrichment.com.  I entered words like “nutritional experts, holisitic nutritional experts” and “stumbled” upon Luise and her book, “What To Eat:  The Ten Things You Really Need to Know to Eat Well and be Healthy!

I say “stumbled” – but now in retrospect, I know that meeting Luise was no accident.  It was as if I had reunited with a dear old friend, someone I had known for eons…and I had the feeling that we were two souls who had rediscovered each other.  Somehow, Spirit, with the help of Google, had let us to each other.

I have never met Luise in person.  That’s incredible to me because our connection was so deep and so satisfying, even if on the phone.  And who can mistake that rich and fullsome “Hello” as she picked up the phone.  Her unmistakable signature.  I think Luise could hardly wait to see who was calling.  For living up in Vermont, and living alone, the phone was her connector to the outside world.  The Internet too of course, but it was as if Luise rejoiced in connecting to people.  I think she celebrated each day in her phone meetings and exchanges with the people who constituted her galaxy of friends and colleagues.

I always felt Luise was full of energy, and enthusiasm, and eagerness to explore the world.  But it was much more than that.  For Luise was an intellectually brilliant person – and she was deeply spiritual in her own unique way.  You see, Luise CARED about the world, and about humanity.  Sometimes, when I’ve thought of Luise, I’ve thought of that statement by Rumi, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”  Because there was some kind of joy in Luise, and I think this joy had an almost kabbalistic quality – and by that I mean Luise’s joy had to do with going about to repair the world, making the world a better place, bringing it aright the way God intended it to be.

Luise cared about what we cavalierly call “Quality of Life”.  But for her there was nothing cavalier about that phrase.  Luise was deeply suspicious and resentful of what happens when entrenched power works for greed, or for anything that demeans the natural and God-given health and quality of life of the individual.  Luise was a true champion of the rights of the individual, a defender of each of our rights to live full and happy lives, and healthy lives.  Consequently, she was a harsh critic of the pharmaceutical industry – an entrenched power that in too many respects, she felt works against our health, overmedicating us and making us sicker, not healthier – all for the sake of more profits – motivated not by a concern for people’s well-being, but by greed.

Luise’s seminal book, What To Eat, shows her as a pioneer in the wellness movement.  As the once director of dietary guidance and nutrition education research at the United States Department of Agriculture – the USDA – Luise was the creator of the famed Food Pyramid.  What many people may not realize is that Luise’s version of the Food Pyramid – the original first draft of the Pyramid – was holistic, and emphasized whole grains and fruits and vegetables.  She was devastated when the USDA turned the tables on her, and reset the contents of the Pyramid by deemphasizing whole grains, and allowing processed flours and sugars and hydrogenated fats to become part of the American diet.  The truth is, is that if Luise Light had been given her way, the great explosion of obesity and diabetes in this country may never have occurred.  That was the potential impact of Luise’s work – and I believe that her pioneering work in striving to navigate a more natural, holistic course for our country laid track for the advent of the holistic food revolution that was about to come.

Dr. Walter Willett, M.D., who was Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said of Luise’s book:  “From her experiences inside the USDA, Dr. Light brings new insights on how powerful agricultural and political forces have created the recipe for our national diet.  Readers who care about their health will find much to learn within these covers.”

What To Eat is still a great book, with great advice about healthy eating, and wonderfully nutritious delicious healthy recipes, all tested by Luise and all standing the test of time.

I recognized Luise Light as a genius early on in our collegial association.  She was clearly a democrat in the small “d” sense of that word – someone who wanted to bring to the light the darker forces at work in political and corporate power mongering – mongering that undermined the health and rights of the individual.  She was a brilliant investigator of the work and movement of these darker forces, and a writer of articles on subjects seeking to expose them.

As her friend, I came to sense that Luise, with all her passion, and brilliance, did not fully recognize the extent of her genius or greatness.  I sometimes felt called to acknowledge her for her great gifts, to remind her of them, and to urge her to continue on her mission – and that the potential for great accomplishments were still ahead of her.  And because she was my friend, I will be eternally grateful to her for standing as an acknowledger and reminder of my own gifts and talents.  We were two souls, each on a mission, who recognized each other, and supported each other by being mirrors of each other’s gifts.

There was something else about Luise – and that is that she was a powerful voice for the Feminine Principle – the principle of Compassion and Kindness that has been sorely lacking in our world for so many centuries.  Without that principle, and its integration into society, everything is lopsided and out of balance.  Wars become rampant.  Holocausts and man’s inhumanity and cruelty to man create great wounding in the world.

Luise was a voice for the reintegration of the Feminine Principle into our world.  She was working on Magdalene as an archetypal representation of that Principle, and I have no doubt that that book, had it been completed, would have received a great and wonderful reception.

Luise introduced me to a man by the name of Dror Ashuah, who is here with you today.  Dror has written a wonderful book, now in multiple volumes, called Conversation with Angels.  It is a book of healing, written by a gentle soul who has been receiving messages from a higher dimension, beings who love us and care about us.

The wonderful thing about Luise is that she could recognize great souls like Dror, who as a man is also a carrier of the Feminine Principle into the world.  Luise assisted Dror as an editor with some of his material.  She had that special gift of recognizing people who are here to bless the world with messages of love and brotherhood and sisterhood.

In so many ways, Luise Light, was an emissary of the Light, and of Universal Love.

Did she have her struggles?  Yes she did.  One trauma she revealed to me, which I feel I can share with you at this time, is that Luise as a very young woman, as a girl really, while on a student trip overseas, was raped.  The ferocity of this act, and the deep wounding it created, set her on a long and sometimes difficult course of healing.  My own feeling is that this experience, while utterly dreadful, also heightened her awareness of the need for the Feminine Principle I just mentioned, the need for Love and Compassion, to come into the world as it has never come in before.

When she told me she had cancer, several months ago, and that it was a particularly difficult type, I recommended a remedy from China that had put my mother Sonny into remission.  Luise began on this remedy, but unfortunately had an allergic reaction to it.  Never, in the several months since Luise learned of her illness, until the time she arrived at the hospice, until the last moments of her life – never did I hear any fear in her voice.  I think part of her greatness is that as much as she felt a great mission still ahead of her, she seemed to also accept the hand that Destiny had given her.  I believe Luise trusted God at the deepest level.

For weeks, and every other day, I had the great privilege to give to Luise, on the phone, a ten minute Spiritual Healing Mind Treatment.  In that treatment, words would be said to her like:  “You are an individualized creative expression of the Infinite Creative Power of God.  There is One Divine Source, One Spirit of Love and Light pervading the Universe.  You are at One with this great Creative Source of all that is forever giving out of the loving action of Spirit.  You ARE Spirit manifest as Luise Light, a being of Light.”

When words such as this were uttered to Luise, she would often respond with the Hebrew Words, “Baruch Hashem” – “Blessed be God’s name”.

In this, I realized that Luise Light had not forgotten her Jewishness.  That she was a true daughter of Zion, living this life as a Universal Jew – and as one truly dedicated to Tikkun ha-Olam – the Repair, the Restoration of the World.  Our great, sweet Luise was one who was here to help bring Heaven to Earth!

My dear great sweet friend – thank you for having been in my life – thank you for seeing me, and dear God, thank you for having in some small way allowed me to have been a mirror for Luise to recognize her own greatness.  For great she surely was and is.

I also want to say that Luise loved her daughters Sarah and Orrea very much.  She told me so, and that she was very proud of them.  I note that the first people – the “women healers” – she dedicates her book to are her daughters, Sara Light-Waller and Orrea Light.

God Bless you Luise – and may you be blessed by all the angels and archangels on the other side – and embraced in the unconditionally loving embrace of God’s warm Hands.

May your Dreams continue onward, into the Celestial Sphere, and may all you have touched and taught, revere you always and touch the world with your light and love.  Amen.

Mike Schwager

April 18, 2010

Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D. is a psychiatrist with more than fifty years experience researching the healing and transformative potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Joseph Campbell said about Dr. Grof:  “I know of no work that so well incorporates the findings of Freud, Jung and Rank, adding fresh insights, which the methods of those psychotherapists could never have achieved.”

Currently, Dr. Grof is Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in the Department of Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness, and teaches at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, CA

Here is what Dr. Grof described after an experience on LSD:  “What happened next was my consciousness catapulted out of my body.  I lost the research assistant, I lost the clinic, I lost Prague, I lost the planet.  I had the feeling that my consciousness had no boundaries anymore, and I had become the totality of existence….it became clear to me that consciousness is not a product of the neurophysiological processes in the brain, as I had been taught at the university, but something much higher, possibly superordinate to matter.  The idea that consciousness somehow mysteriously emerges from matter didn’t make sense to me anymore.  It was easier to imagine that consciousness could create the experience of the material universe by an infinitely complex orchestration.  I was suddenly in the realm of the Eastern philosophies, where consciousness is a primary attribute of existence and cannot be reduced to anything else.”

It is this statement that fascinates me, and confirms my own speculations and intuition, without ever having experimented with LSD, but validated by various forms of meditation and especially an energetic form called “Body Focusing” taught by Don Kollmar, formerly of New York City, and now of Amsterdam, Holland.

On Enrichment.com, please also read my interview with renowned physicist Dr. Amit Goswami, author of “Creative Evolution” - who says that Evolution is guided by Higher Consciousness (the Consciousness undoubtedly referred to by Dr. Grof).