My new venture: AdoptAnAnimal.org

For awhile now, I've been wanting to volunteer for something. There are so many causes that need help that it was almost overwhelming for me to decide what I could truly make a difference with, but I think I've found it. I've started a web site/organization called Adopt An Animal (at adoptananimal.org) in order to help homeless animals find loving, responsible homes.

My friend Josh from work is helping me out, my wife's offering public administration know-how, and hopefully soon many more will volunteer their time. So far we have one animal, a female dog, available for adoption. "Avril" was a stray who wandered around our workplace campus and was lucky enough to be taken in and kindly fostered with another of my coworkers, Lindsey (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) I took some video of the dog Lindsey and her husband are fostering, posted it on Adopt An Animal's website, Facebook, and YouTube, and will offer it in a podcast as soon as iTunes approves it (should be any time now.)

Though we definitely want to help strays find homes and foster families place their fostered pets, we also hope to volunteer our services to local animal shelters and rescue organizations and offer help with video and other online media like podcasts, blogs, websites, etc. I think most animal welfare groups are short-staffed, under-budget, don't have the multimedia experience, or all of the above, so Adopt An Animal will help where it's needed.

Also, though we're currently in Indianapolis and will begin by assisting Central-Indiana pets, we'd love to expand as much as possible. So if you'd like to offer your services, no matter where you are, let me know! And if you're fostering a pet or if you're part of an animal welfare organization and would like help with adopting your animals, be sure to visit AdoptAnAnimal.org and let us know, or contact me through this blog.

(2-27-2008 update: Avril's been adopted! Her foster family decided to keep her. One down, millions more to go :) )