Maybe you are asking: "What do labradoodle puppies and human trafficking have to do with each other?"
Certainly it seems obvious that these ideas are polar opposites!
Certainly it seems obvious that these ideas are polar opposites!
Probably the choice I made to sit on the ground was a mistake. The moment I got there I realized I wasn't prepared for the exuberant, curious energy of those ten lively puppies who obviously wanted to douse the newcomer (me) with an abundance of attention. There is no holding off ten puppies, they are a force with which to be reckoned!
One was sitting on my shoe, chewing with baby puppy teeth, on the laces. Another licked my knee, two more ran under my legs in a puppy version of "London Bridge." I held one close under my chin, smelling that puppy smell and feeling his warm, wriggly little body. He tried his best to lick me as I held him up, all love, affection, curiosity. The others who weren't getting any attention were yapping. A few of them decided that making a tunnel behind my back against the wall was interesting.
There was so much life, energy, exuberance and sweetness wrapped in the moment, I could hardly absorb it. Laughter bubbled up as a deep delight wrapped itself around me. So many feelings - happiness, a generous measure of contentment, amusement....maybe even, could I dare describe this experience as joy!
Feelings and thoughts tumbled over each other inside my head, like the puppies as they played and tugged at my shoes and their litter mates' ears, legs and tails, as they fell over each other and laid there, pondering another foray into mischief.
This is a really good thing, I realized. Sitting down wasn't a mistake, it was a wonderful choice to be mauled, gently, by oodles of curiosity, energy, affection, exuberance, enthusiasm, and complete innocence. These precious puppies had no idea that the world could be bad, scary or painful. What if the whole world could be changed by the love of a puppy, I wondered? Somehow I wanted to find a way to take that good energy, and direct it toward overcoming the painful reality of human trafficking. This is how puppies and trafficking are connected for Cielo Australian Labradoodles.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
Fortunately, we were given a great gift in our mentor breeders, Brasken Labradoodles. Brandon and Kristen have been like-minded and supportive of our vision. They shared knowledge, experience and resources with our program, teaching all the nuances of responsible dog-breeding. As a result of their support, Cielo Australian Labradoodles exists.
We give as much as we can from our puppy sales to organizations that fight to end human trafficking and slavery in our world. Below is a list of some of the organizations we know are making a difference. We support these groups. Feel free to check out their websites, or ask for more information.
One was sitting on my shoe, chewing with baby puppy teeth, on the laces. Another licked my knee, two more ran under my legs in a puppy version of "London Bridge." I held one close under my chin, smelling that puppy smell and feeling his warm, wriggly little body. He tried his best to lick me as I held him up, all love, affection, curiosity. The others who weren't getting any attention were yapping. A few of them decided that making a tunnel behind my back against the wall was interesting.
There was so much life, energy, exuberance and sweetness wrapped in the moment, I could hardly absorb it. Laughter bubbled up as a deep delight wrapped itself around me. So many feelings - happiness, a generous measure of contentment, amusement....maybe even, could I dare describe this experience as joy!
Feelings and thoughts tumbled over each other inside my head, like the puppies as they played and tugged at my shoes and their litter mates' ears, legs and tails, as they fell over each other and laid there, pondering another foray into mischief.
This is a really good thing, I realized. Sitting down wasn't a mistake, it was a wonderful choice to be mauled, gently, by oodles of curiosity, energy, affection, exuberance, enthusiasm, and complete innocence. These precious puppies had no idea that the world could be bad, scary or painful. What if the whole world could be changed by the love of a puppy, I wondered? Somehow I wanted to find a way to take that good energy, and direct it toward overcoming the painful reality of human trafficking. This is how puppies and trafficking are connected for Cielo Australian Labradoodles.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
Fortunately, we were given a great gift in our mentor breeders, Brasken Labradoodles. Brandon and Kristen have been like-minded and supportive of our vision. They shared knowledge, experience and resources with our program, teaching all the nuances of responsible dog-breeding. As a result of their support, Cielo Australian Labradoodles exists.
We give as much as we can from our puppy sales to organizations that fight to end human trafficking and slavery in our world. Below is a list of some of the organizations we know are making a difference. We support these groups. Feel free to check out their websites, or ask for more information.
Shared Hope International - Linda Smith sharedhope.org
International Justice Mission http://www.ijm.org
Melissa Farley Prostitutionresearch.com
Samaritan's Purse www.samaritanspurse.org
Hope Refuge http://www.hoperefuge.org
IAmATreasure.com - Harmony Grillo http://www.iamatreasure.com
The Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT) http://www.sbact.org
National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-888-373-7888. this is a toll-free hotline, available to answer calls 24 hours/day/7 days a week. If you suspect this type of crime, call for confidential help and information.
1-888-373-7888. this is a toll-free hotline, available to answer calls 24 hours/day/7 days a week. If you suspect this type of crime, call for confidential help and information.