Jenna & Snickers

Jenna & Snickers Promote Humane Education and Responsible Dog Ownership

  • home
  • topics of discussion
    • responsible pet ownership
    • training and behavior
    • nutrition and health
    • humane education
    • rescue
    • book reviews
  • about snickers

Jenna Gates September 9, 2011

Aging Well: 22 Dog Years Since Adoption

Secret’s “Gotcha Day” is coming up soon. On October 1st, she will have been with us for five years. She was six when we adopted her from her rescuer. When she came to live with us, she had a constant look of concern on her face. She always seemed worried. Her demeanor seemed older than six; we felt like we had adopted an “old” dog. Twenty-two dog years have passed since then* and, in some ways, Secret seems younger now than she did then.

Recently, I took a photo of her that reminded me of a photo from the first or second day after we adopted her. I put them side-by-side to compare. Obviously, there are more signs of aging than I realized before I looked at this – her coloring is lighter, her features are softer – but the amazing change that jumped out at me from these was that the worried look is gone. She is a content, healthy, well-loved dog now and it shows!

Secret in 2006 & 2011

It makes me incredibly happy to know I played a part in changing this sweet dog’s life for the better.

*The 1 year = 7 “dog years” formula is only an average. Dogs mature at a slower rate as they age.

Jenna Gates August 23, 2011

Our Dogs, Our Hearts: Ishi and Rae

Rae’s heart dog, Terujishi youjinbukai (which means watchful lion of the sun), is an almost 9 year old male Shiba Inu. His birthday is November 30th, 2002, and he’s been with Rae since July 15th, 2003.

Rae describes her bond with Ishi: "I’ve never had such a difficult dog to work with. And because of it, I love him on a level that I’ve never been able to love another dog. He saved me from myself. He’s taught me how to be a better person, and how to live a better life.

My girl, Trinka, has a lot of qualities that bind us together too; she is as loyal as the day is long. But, I suppose the challenged ones dig a little harder; make a slightly deeper impression. If I’d only had Trinka, I’d have had it easy. I would never have known what was possible, what I was missing, and because of Ishi, I have a better relationship with her, and my husband, and maybe my friends too!"

He started out as Phineas, a family name that wasn’t used for several generations. But as I got to know him, he needed a more fitting name. I still will call him Phin, but he also knows his other name: Ishi.

I was at my local bank. I had my first Shiba girl, Trinkaryu with me. I was stopped by a man who asked if I had a Shiba. I was surprised because most people didn’t know what they were at that time. I said yes. He asked if I wanted another one! Turns out, he was an animal control officer from several towns over. He had a male shiba at the shelter. This young dog had been hanging out a park for several days. It was believed that he was dumped there. The ACO wanted to find someone who knew the breed, if possible, to adopt him- or at least get him into a rescue. So, of course, I drove over there and met the dog. He responded well to me, and got along with my girl, so I put him right into my truck and he came home with us that day.

This poor dog is a classic example of what can happen to a Shiba under the wrong conditions. He was taken from his mother at about four weeks. He was shipped to a pet store halfway across the country at six weeks and put out on the floor before he was eight weeks old. He was adopted by a couple who didn’t spend any time with him, didn’t teach him anything and I do believe they physically hit him. He had no idea how to behave around people. His already wary nature escalated and he became a cautious, nervous and extremely insecure boy.

I brought him home and he bonded very quickly with my girl dog, who was able to show him how to be a dog. They played and ate and slept together from day one. With my husband and I, it took a while longer for him to gain some trust. There were many setbacks, many challenges and it was not an easy road. There were several times when I thought seriously about putting him to sleep. I hit the wall a few times with his aggression issues which are completely fear related. He also used to have seisures that were “fly-biting”, paranoid type episodes. He was on drug treatment for several years, but as he has aged, he has out grown the need for medication, and he is a fantastic dog (with limits).
This dog won me. He had to work at it. He put me through the wringer. I had to completely forget everything I’d ever learned and re-educate myself and re-tune myself to be more instinctive and more kind to his needs. To see the world through his eyes. Nothing that had ever been taught to me about dog training applied to this boy. I had entered the world of positive-reinforcement and the baby-step exposure training of owning a fearful dog. This was foreign training to me. But during this transformation, I was able to recall what I used to think and feel about animal relationships that I’d had as a child. They were so much closer and so much better. I worked very hard to accomplish that with this boy. And slowly, he decided to work with me, and most importantly, trust me. Every accomplishment forward was a BIG deal.

We continue to make small strides forward to this day. We have a definte communication where he’ll tell me if he’s not comfortable and I can help him either deal with that something or get him away from it as quickly as possible. We have been met by many loose dogs, have been attacked many times by them, and altercations with rude people. Once I learned to physically step in front of him, and take over for him, he could then learn to let me lead him. This was one of the biggest steps that we took a few years ago.

Is it easy to live with a fearful dog? Not at all. Especially since he is a potential liability. He has and could still, bite someone. He will never be a normal dog. He will never want to take long walks and be surrounded by many people or dogs. His world is small and he likes it that way. He has learned to be himself in “his” house and he loves “his” (our) bed. He is good when there’s a routine and he expects that routine. He gets upset very easily. He doesn’t like it when the furniture gets rearranged, or if there’s any different activity going on outside. He will never be comfortable around hyper or loud people. He doesn’t cope well with fast moving or overly-energetic personalities. He’s afraid of loud noises, but he’s become better with thunderstorms and cannons, just from continued exposure and the fact that I am there for him, telling him it’ll be alright.

He travels all over the countryside with me. He likes to travel in the car and he’s really a good sport with hotels and the chaos of road trips. We recently got an Airstream travel trailer, that I’m restoring. Once that’s together it will be even easier on him, as he can always sleep in his own bed πŸ™‚

Jenna Gates August 12, 2011

And Suzuki Makes Three

Since our senior Shiba, Brandy, passed away in May 2010, Snickers and Secret have been “a couple Shibas” instead of part of a “pack of Shibas.” I’ve been thinking lately how nice it would be to have three Shiba Inu in the house again. I had puppy fever for awhile and was seriously considering getting on the waiting list for a future Hi-Jinx puppy (if Pat would have me, of course). I had this idea of what the “perfect third” would be for Snick and Seeky. I imagined an energetic playmate for Snickers and a sweet snuggle buddy to keep Secret company when Snick and I are at work, at schools or on trips together. We fostered, but nothing stuck. I got over puppy fever. I decided I can’t afford a third dog right now. Then, suddenly, there was an email in my inbox about a young Shiba mix in a Knoxville, TN, shelter. When I first checked out the shelter’s website and saw how nice it was, I thought she’d be fine there until adopted, but then I looked at their posted statistics (intake/reclaimed/adoptions/euthanasia/etc. I couldn’t stand it. Long story short, a few days later we drove 7 hours to Knoxville, adopted Suzuki, and drove 7 hours home – all in one day!

During the drive up there I had some misgivings about the fact that I was adopting her instead of pulling her for rescue. What if she wasn’t the right dog for us? I decided that saving her was all that mattered and if she wasn’t our perfect third, then I’d contact the shelter to get permission to adopt her out to someone else. None of that mattered when we met her though. Somehow, I knew from the moment she ran into the play area (where I was waiting with Snickers) that she was part of our family. She was so skittish… she wouldn’t come close enough to be petted. She was afraid of us, so Snickers just sat by my leg and waited her out. Eventually, she came close enough for some petting and sniffing. After we went inside again, she was less nervous and let us hold her and pet her. She came into the shelter as a stray, so we know nothing about her past. Somehow though, I just knew.

That was a week ago today. I couldn’t be happier with how it’s working out and she’s definitely here to stay forever. The shelter had her listed as an 11 month old Shiba mix, but she’s way younger – 7 or 8 months maybe; I’ll have a better idea how old she is when she grows into her feet and ears. She’s a purebred Shiba for sure. She’s probably a puppy mill Shiba, although, she’s in her awkward stage right now, so my less-practiced eye can’t really judge her quality yet. (not that I really care, but it’s interesting).

Zuki and Snickers play LIKE CRAZY 2 or 3 times a day. It’s the most fun I’ve seen Snickers have since before we moved out of Manhattan. Zuki is SMART! She learned to respect Snickers in less than 48 hours. She stays back, away from the grownup dogs, when I prepare their meals and she waits nicely for her bowl. She learned after ONE smack down that trying to steal a toy from Snickers was A Very Bad Idea. LOL. Amazingly, that’s the ONLY time that Snick has felt the need to pin her down. She and Snick have adjusted their play to each other and they have a great time. I’m really amazed by how easy it has been to integrate her into the pack. Secret and Zuki leave each other alone for the most part. Secret tolerates her better than any fosters we’ve had, so I’m hoping once Zuki matures and calms down, that they’ll be great buddies.

Snick and Zuki shortly after meeting at the shelter
Zuki in Mini Me's lap at the shelter
Snick and Zuki, leaving the shelter

Snick and Zuki, leaving the shelter
We have lots of good toys!
Are we going out?

Zuki loves Nylabones
Three Shibas at the park
Zuki on our walk


snickers August 9, 2011

pleeze help me make my emmie happy

hai peeples, Snickers here!

Snickers & Emmie walking together in Alabama

most of you probably know i haz a new sisfur. her name is zuki. mom will be posting more about her later. right now tho i want to talk to you ’bout my girlfurriend emmie the superdog. mom was planning to take me to kentucky in a few weeks to see emmie when her dad crosses the hike for heroes finish line. she sez we no can go now though cz we haz to take care of zuki instead

Emmie & Snickers hanging out at the hotel in New York City

see what mom duznt know iz that i was planning to ask emmie to marry me while we were in kentucky!!! so now what can i do??? i no can sit up and beg if i no go see her, so i haz to do sumthing speshul for her long distance. the birthday pawty that i threw for her did raise $1,745 and it made her very happy, so i think the way to her heart iz to help her raise more money for hike for heroes

i looked thru mom’s email and did see that she was talking wif emmie’s pawrents, troy & mareike, last night. troy did say they haz 25 days left to raise $25,000. (that iz a LOT of kibble, my furriends!) they want to do that by getting more miles sponsored. do you think if i can get at least 100 miles sponsored for them that she will agree to marry me?? lets try and find out!!

if you want emmie to agree to marry me:

  1. go to http://www.herosponsor.com/
  2. fill out the form to sponsor a mile (you can donate as little as $5.00 but i hopes you will give at least $10 so i can raise another $1,000 or more for emmie’s cause)
  3. you can fill in your name or stay anonymous
  4. THIS VERY IMPAWTENT: where it sez leave a message you haz to say say yes emmie, marry snickers!
  5. then, if you no mind, tell all your furriends as well so we can impress emmmie a whole lot!

thank you for helping me help emmie help her dad help our heroes!

luv,
snickers

Jenna Gates August 8, 2011

Our Dogs, Our Hearts: Buckley and Jen

buckleyBuckley and Jen are the fourth human/canine pair in this series to explore the special bond between people and those few special dogs we call heart dogs. I know Jen as a “Shiba person” so I was a little surprised to find out that her heart dog is a terrier mix, not one of her Shibas!

Jen tells us “I never really understood the term heartdog until I met my Buckley. And I mean MY Buckley. While I love all my dogs, there is definitely a unique, stronger bond with my B.”
Buckley and JenBuckley’s personality is funny. He’s just a fun loving, perpetually happy little guy. He is sort of “sassy” in a way, but I’ve been told that’s a Bichon thing. And he’s stubborn, which is a Beagle thing. Very people-oriented. He’s true to his breed mix. He thinks his Shiba-siblings are rock stars.

I love the admiration that Buckley has for me but I think it goes deeper than that. He’s shown me the sort of affection you can only get from a dog that truly trusts you. It’s more than tail wags and licks. It’s long sighs of contentment, gazing into my eyes, always finding a way to position himself to be touching me. It’s not quite clingy or velcro-y, but there is definitely a strong connection. I feel it deeply. I always say that I feel it in my bones – me and Buckley were meant to be.

His official gotcha day is January 13 – the day we signed his adoption papers – although we were fostering him before that. His birthday is in October. He was 13 weeks old when his family gave him up to a local rescue. He was acting like a tasmanian devil and they thought he was dangerous to their kids. I was meant to be his foster, but within a week I was completely done for. Our relationship started right away, I think he really wanted to be treated fairly with kind hands instead of constantly correcting hands. He would follow me around, snooze on my feet, snuggle on my chest, always want to lick my face. And he still does. My husband says that I’m his due north – he’s always facing me.

He’s taught me to not be afraid to seek out a deeper connection with all dogs, even temporary ones (fosters). I’m no longer afraid to get my heart broken from inevitable goodbyes because the journey there was worth it.

Jenna Gates August 2, 2011

Starting a Rescue: Six Important Considerations

Four years ago, myself and seven other dedicated Shiba lovers came together in the Skylight Diner in midtown Manhattan and started NYC Shiba Rescue, Inc. (NYCSR). I’ve occasionally considered taking everything I’ve learned since then and writing a manual on how to start a grassroots rescue group. Maybe someday I’ll have time for a project of that size. In the meantime, here is a list of six important items to consider when starting off.

  1. What exactly do you want to accomplish?
    A mission statement not only informs the world of what your organization is all about; it also shines as your guiding light. The world of rescue is complicated and emotional. You will be bombarded with pleas for help – many more than you could ever take on. Your mission statement will make future decisions much easier. It should clearly state WHAT you do, HOW you do it, and WHERE you do it. Write at least your first draft before you bother doing anything else! Remember, once you are a non-profit, you will have to follow your mission statement to the letter, so make sure it is precise but also covers everything you want to do. (For an example, see NYCSR’s Mission Statement.)
  2. Do you have any idea how to do it?
    Don’t laugh! When I founded NYCSR, I had no idea what was involved in rescuing animals and finding good homes for them, much less how to actually do any of it. Lucky for us, I had access to several people with rescue experience who were willing to share their experiences and offer advice along the way. Make a list of all the things you’ll need to do to accomplish your mission – raise money, pull dogs from shelters, understand local and state laws regarding fostering, find foster homes, write contracts, deal with people, deal with potential legal issues like dog bites and ownership disputes, make medical decisions for dogs, etc. Start researching and reading up… you need at least a basic understanding of everything your group will need to do.
  3. Who will help you accomplish your mission?
    If you’re starting a rescue group you must want more than just you running around saving one animal at a time. In addition to experienced rescuers to tap for advice, think about where you will find Board members and volunteers who will get involved and be passionate about your cause. Look at that list you made in #2. Try to gather whatever experts you can into your Board and core group – a vet tech, a trainer, a lawyer, a book keeper or accountant; you probably have "dog friends" from all walks of life and that can be very useful!
  4. Where will you raise the initial funds?
    Raising money for a small charity is hard, even in a good economy, and it’s almost impossible before you have your 501(c)(3) status. In addition to basics like transport costs and vet bills, you’ll need money to cover organizational costs like getting incorporated and filing for non-profit status. Have some starter money lined up before you make any promises you can’t keep. Suggestion: It can be hard when the time and the money are all put in by the same small group of people. Look for a few benefactors who want to see you get started but don’t have time to volunteer themselves.
  5. How will decisions get made as the group grows?
    One of the most important things you can do as you get started is put your policies and procedures into writing. Beyond the basics (adoption contract, foster application, volunteer agreement), put your medical policies into writing, define how you make intake decisions, record your policy on blogging about foster dogs… just about any important decision that comes up in the beginning should be written into your policies and procedures to help make future decisions easier and more consistent.
  6. Eventually, you may want to back away from daily involvement. Make it possible!
    Build your group so that it isn’t too dependent on any one or two people. Trust me, this can be HARD to accomplish, but it is worth it. When the organization becomes self sustaining, you’ll feel like a proud parent. πŸ™‚

Obviously, this isn’t everything you’ll need to know or do to get started, but hopefully it will help guide you in getting started. Feel free to leave questions or additional suggestions in the comments!

Jenna Gates July 29, 2011

Our Dogs, Our Hearts: Jiro and Nicole

Jiro is an almost-six year old, red Shiba Inu who will be celebrating his fourth Gotcha Day in August.

His person is Nicole. She and I “met” online through our shared interests of Shibas and Shiba rescue. I’m happy that Nicole wanted to share with us about her relationship with Jiro and how he has changed her life for the better.

“Jiro and I found each other at a time when we both needed something. He needed a new home, I needed something to throw myself into and I did and have never looked back.”
There have been a few special dogs in my life. First there was Sparkel, she was a Brittany/Springer Spaniel mix. She was a wonderful dog, but she died at a young age. Had she lived longer she probably would’ve been my heart dog. Then there was Tiny; she was a straight up mutt. That dog worshiped me. My mom would tell her to go wake me up and she would run into my bedroom, jump on my bed and curl up with me and sleep. When I left for college, she would always be so excited when I came home. I knew I couldn’t take her with me when I got my own place because she was too attached to our other dog and I couldn’t take both.

How Jiro came into my life isn’t all that special but I’ll share anyway. When I was a kid I was in love with Huskies, I always wanted one. When I was finally able to have a dog of my own, I was in my last year of college and no longer living with roomates, I knew it was the perfect time. I also knew I wouldn’t be able to have a Husky still. I knew they didn’t do well in apartments and while I had time to devote, I didn’t think I had enough time to properly exercise a Husky knowing what high energy dogs they were. I knew I wanted a spitz type dog, so I starting looking around not knowing what would be a good fit. That’s when my husband (then boyfriend) suggested Shiba Inu because of friend of his (Erin) had 3 of them. The more and more I read and researched the more I realized they were perfect for me. Pretty much everything I was looking for in a dog (smart, loyal but not overly clingy, clean, a spitz, primitive). Then one day we ran into Erin out with Kitsune, and I was sold. Turns out she was looking to rehome Jiro because he and Kitsune weren’t the best of buddies. She found Jiro in the local Animal Shelter by accident when she was there with her boyfriend looking for a dog for him. It was his (JiroÒ€ℒs) last day, despite wearing a collar with tags; the owner wouldn’t come for him. Since she knew about Shibas, she paid to adopt him with the intent of finding him a good home. A year later she still had him; when I expressed interest in Shibas she asked if I wanted Jiro and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jiro stands out because he’s just so extraordinary. I’ve never had a dog quite like him. I feel so much more bonded with him than any other dog I’ve had prior. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.

I have learned a great deal in order to better care for him through research and talking with others. When I first got him, I fed Kibbles ‘n Bits because I thought it was a good food; the dogs in the commercials are always so happy, so it must be good. Now I know better. Thanks to Jiro, I found my niche in the rescue world and in turn have met a great many wonderful people. I am more confident now, thanks to doing homechecks and talking with random people about the Shiba breed and breeding practices in general. I’ve met some friends I now see on a weekly basis.

Jiro very much embodies what a the Shiba spirit should be. He is bold and confident in every move he makes. I always joke that he’s strutting his stuff every time we walk outside. He’s friendly-ish with strangers when we’re out and about, usually very gentle and calm. Never jumping or overly excited. But if a stranger comes into our house he is sure to tell them off and lay down the rules upon their arrival. He’s fine with them after a few minutes. He is very much the hunter and protector, he’s always alert to the surroundings and enjoys hunting down bugs in the house and creatures we may encounter on walks (he chases as much as his leash will let him). He’s a mama’s boy, always has to be near me or touching me. He mopes and sulks when I’m not home and will even sleep outside the bathroom door when I’m showering. I have been known to fall asleep using him as a pillow or curled up next to him. He often curls up in my lap in the evenings when I’m watching tv. In short we’re pretty attached to each other.

Jenna Gates July 24, 2011

Cocktail Pawty #3 Wrap Up

Snick the Dog at the Canine Cocktail Pawty

Snickers at the Canine Cocktail Pawty in NYC

Snick and I had a great time organizing and attending the Canine Cocktail Pawty to benefit Hike for Heroes in NYC on June 14. I’m happy to report that we made a $1,745 donation to Wish Upon A Hero to benefit military families in financial crisis. Additionally, instead of spending a large portion of ticket sales and donations on an event space (some of the animal friendly event spaces in NYC are several thousand dollars for an evening), we made a $500 donation to another worthy charity – Animal Haven Shelter – for the use of their SoHo event space.

We’re pleased to have helped raise money for military families and homeless animals AND had a good time celebrating Emmie the Superdog’s birthday! πŸ™‚

Jenna Gates June 13, 2011

Why We Are Going to Pawty on Friday

Snick and I are leaving for NYC tomorrow morning.

The Canine Cocktail Pawty to benefit Hike for Our Heroes has gone from random idea to reality in a matter of six weeks. It’s been a lot of work on a hectic timeline, but it’s really coming together and I’m excited! Now that the event is less than a week away – and I’m not quite so frantic with the planning – I’d like to share a little more about WHY this party is happening.

First off, as you all know, I’m a huge advocate of responsible dog ownership. Snickers and I are Delta Society Pet Partners (which means he is a registered therapy dog) and we spend the majority of our therapy visit time with children, teaching them empathy for animals by exposing them to what fantastic companions animals can be. I have a strong belief that human/animal interaction makes the world a better place. The benefits of the bond that companion animals can share with us is simply amazing to me. This event is a doggie birthday party for “Emmie the Superdog,” a Shiba Inu who has walked over 2,500 miles by her human’s side as he walks across America (and back). Emmie is a wonderful example of the companionship and support that dogs provide to humans every day. I want to celebrate that!

Secondly, Emmie’s human, Troy Yocum, has undertaken a huge personal project to raise funds and awareness for military families in financial crisis. He started his Hike for Our Heroes a little over a year ago and, since then, he has changed the lives of about 40 families in need. I have a deep respect for the people who are willing to join the military knowing there is a chance they’ll have to go into combat and potentially die. I grew up proud of the fact that my father had been an Army officer between college and career. When I married my (now ex-) husband, he was a young enlisted man. We spent the first couple years of our marriage living apart, because we couldn’t afford for me to quit my job and live on base with him. The military life can be very difficult and it is certainly even more of a hardship during times like our current economic recession. Troy is making sacrifices to make a difference for people who need it. I want to show him that he is appreciated!

I’ve managed to organize this event, long distance and in a short timespan, entirely because I’ve had the help of some amazing friends who also believe in Troy’s mission. I’m grateful for the assistance and support that has been shown by every volunteer and for every purchased ticket and each donation that has been made so far. I’m excited that we’ll have a chance to celebrate the human/animal bond by “pawtying” on Emmie’s birthday and that we can show Troy and his family how much we appreciate their selfless dedication to helping people. The one goal that isn’t satisfied yet though is the desire to raise some real money for Troy to use in his mission. So far, Emmie’s party is paid for (whew!), we have one $500 sponsorship check to give Troy at the event, and we plan to auction off three original paintings as well. That’s a success and I’m certainly happy about it. I’d love to do so much more though.

In honor of Troy, his wife Mareike, their dogs Emmie and Harley, all the people who have helped them along the way on their mission, everyone who has helped me with Emmie’s birthday party, and all of the military families out there in need because someone they love is, or has been, deployed during these trying economic times, I hope that, if you can afford to do so, you will consider making a donation at www.caninecocktailpawty.org to add to what we will present to Troy at the event. It would truly mean a lot to me for so many reasons!

Jenna Gates May 27, 2011

More Legs, More Money? Fundraising for People vs Animals.

I never, NEVER would have expected this, but it would seem that fund raising for humans is WAY HARDER than fund raising for dogs.

WHAT? How can that be?

I really think it’s true, unfortunately. Cases in point:

  1. NYCSR currently has a foster dog who needed major surgery. We raised over $6,000 in two weeks, just with email and social marketing. She’s had her surgery and she’s recuperating.
  2. In 2007, I threw the first Canine Cocktail Pawty, had a great time and raised a couple thousand dollars for Animal Haven Shelter. I planned and promoted it in less than two months. 80+ tickets sold like hotcakes.
  3. In 2009, Snickers raised $1,000 for NYCSR for his birthday in barely a month, simply using FirstGiving, Twitter and facebook.

A month or two ago, my dad, Snickers and I met up with Troy Yocum of Hike for Our Heroes, his wife Mareike and their two dogs Emmie and Harley when they were walking in Alabama. Troy is a great guy. Listening to him talk about why he’s hiking, the trials and tribulations during the walk and what he’s accomplished so far really made me want to help them reach their goals and help as many families in need as possible.

I was helping a little by hooking them up with some contacts in NYC and then one day I realized Emmie’s birthday will be while they are in NYC. Taking advantage of that and throwing another Canine Cocktail Pawty seemed like a GREAT idea. Knowing that (1) it’s a unique and fun event which had been successful in the past, (2) NYC dog people love to take their dogs with them when they go out and (3) so many people would want to support such a worthy cause, I assumed it was a slam dunk to be a success. Who doesn’t want to support military families AND have a good time in the process?

Well, apparently, not many people really do. πŸ™ Tickets have been on sale now for 6 days and we’ve only sold 7 tickets. There are only a dozen people RSVP’d “yes” on the facebook event and some of them haven’t actually bought tickets.

Getting sponsorships has been MUCH harder than I expected as well. I’ve had a half dozen volunteers working to call and email companies, looking for monetary and supply donations and it’s been like pulling teeth. We have one Bronze Sponsor and some decorations so far and that’s it.

So, I have a dilemma. I know a lot of you guys are involved in charity and fund raising as well. so give me opinions on what to do. If ticket sales don’t hit 75 people, I have to cancel the event and refund the tickets, donations and sponsorships (cz it’s not like I can actually pay for it out of my pocket if the sales don’t cover expenses). Sales close in 15 days. Should I just cut my losses and cancel now? The downside for canceling is knowing that it MIGHT have been a huge success if I’d given it a little more time. The upside is that I don’t have to apologize to as many people and refund as many things if I do it now as opposed to later.

I have this awesome press release and no big sponsor to list as hosting the event.

Oh, and my friend Kelly Vivar is painting awesome paintings to auction off at the event! I suppose Snick could auction them off online if we cancel the event, but still… it sucks!

My gut tells me to hold out, but I can’t afford to cover expenses if it doesn’t work out.

The thing that I REALLY can’t understand is WHY PEOPLE AREN’T BUYING TICKETS. If the tickets would just sell, everything would be fine.

OK, hit me. What would you do?!?!?

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Copyright © 2004 -2022 · Jenna Gates