Happy New Year,

Ashley Bass
Assistant to Kim Sheridan 

Regardless, there are effective humane methods of research that can replace these torturous methods, including, but not limited to: studies on volunteer human populations, cell and tissue culture studies [in vitro studies], and computer-model testing.

It is overdue that we, as individuals and communities, begin forcing actions we can live with.  We have overlooked too much for too long. The situation, and the lack of compassion on this planet, is simply untenable.  Let us look to the many positive examples and make a change!

1. Don't purchase products from companies that test on animals. It's simple enough -- vote with your dollars! A list of some humane companies can be found here:

www.HumaneSeal.com.
 

This list is not exhaustive, but it is a good place to start. Call or check the websites of the companies you do business with. If you don't like what you find out, let them know it and stop buying their products. There are many wonderful guilt-free choices out there!

2. Don't give money to charities that use donations to fund testing on animals. You may search for some charities that do not support animal testing here:

 www.HumaneSeal.com.

Make a Tofurkey and leave the turkeys alone, please!
If you've never had a Tofurkey, you'll be pleasantly surprise by this vegan, non-GMO treat. 

After Dakota's passing, we had reached out to Patty Summers for a consult.  I knew from Kim's book that she came highly recommended so that's who we used. 

The call was beyond incredible.  Patty taped it and sent it to us after the session. I listened to it several times.  She was accurate with so many things about Dakota. During the reading, I had her ask Dakota a question: "Will you come back to us again through spirit, through another dog?"  Dakota's answer was, "yes!"

He asked if we minded if he came back as the same kind of dog.  Dakota told Patty to make sure we knew that he would not look exactly the same. He wanted us to know that he felt very strongly about coming back as a male.  The vision she saw was of a Siberian Husky with a lot more black than Dakota, especially on his face.  Patty saw a male "dad" dog, a little taller than most Siberians. She mentioned that he was actually "shopping" at that time. Dakota let us know he would come from a family, not a breeder, and that he would be "east" of us.  Patty told us that we might want to call our vet to put it out there that we're looking, but she said that ultimately Dakota would find us.  This was in October of 2011. 

After our session, even though I wasn't sure, or ready to get another dog, I called my vet's office and told them to keep us in mind if they ever heard of anyone having Siberian Husky puppies. We continued to grieve for Dakota, and it was hard getting through the holidays without him. Then one day, at the end of January 2012, on a Saturday morning, my phone rang at 9:00 am. It was my vet. I couldn't imagine why they'd be calling. Five six week old puppies were just rescued from the animal shelter. Their owner was an older man who had a heart attack and was hospitalized in poor condition. The animal shelter had the five puppies, their parents, and their two-year-old sister.

This was a Saturday. By Monday morning, we had our new baby boy, Nikko Dakota Olivieri! Yes, he is a male, and, YES, he has a lot of black coloring!  Nikko looks EXACTLY like his dad, who had to be the image Patty was seeing -- he is black and big and tall, especially for a husky!  When you figure out when we had our session with Patty (mid October), and when Nikko was born (mid December), the timing makes perfect sense. 

So, in the end, it WAS our vet who called us, Nikko WAS east of us, he WAS NOT from a breeder, and he has a lot more black fur than Dakota had.  There are SO MANY things Nikko does that Dakota did -- it is incredible!  I've  stopped mourning the loss of Dakota because my husband and I feel like we have him back again.  When we look into his eyes we just feel Dakota.

September 2nd made one year since Dakota passed, and its hard to believe a year has gone by. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 14 years, and now we're blessed again because we truly feel he's back.

Cancer plagues both humans and companion animals in the 21st century. The numbers are truly staggering. One in three dogs and one in every four cats is expected to die of cancer, and it is increasingly likely that humans who live long enough will also develop some form of cancer.

Prevention must be where we begin fighting this nightmare. Our bodies, and those of our animals, produce many abnormal cells in our lifetimes. This only becomes a problem when these cells are left to multiply in an unregulated way. Our first line of defense is to support the immune system so it can do its job killing off these damaged cells.

An organic, plant-based diet for you and your animal is the best way to do this. Animal flesh and animal products -- such as dairy and eggs -- are carcinogenic. They should be avoided. For more information on how to change an animal's diet safely, please see the "Vegan Pets" resources on the Compassion Circle website, and stay tuned for Part II of this article in next month's newsletter. In a world where the standard companion animal diet, and standard human diet (American anyway), is seriously lacking in the fresh, raw foods that provide the nutrients the body needs to thrive, superfoods and supplementation are a necessary way to achieve optimum health.

Our world is, unfortunately, not conducive to health these days. Our bodies are confronted by countless toxins on a daily basis. These toxins weaken the immune system and directly impact the cell's ability to function as it should. Some of these toxins are assaulting us by way of the food we eat (especially GMOs), the water we drink, the air we breathe, alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, caffeine, cigarette smoke, vaccines, plastics, dental amalgams, household cleaners, personal care and cosmetic products, outgassing from carpets and pressure-treated wood, air fresheners, paints, bug sprays, perfumed candles, radioactive isotopes, the electromagnetic frequencies that surround us, chemtrails, negative thoughts, and much more. We need to distance ourselves and our animals from these things as much as possible and give our bodies the tools they need to detoxify.

Here are some of the things you can do to help your animal thrive: provide only purified water, feed an organic, plant-based diet (see resources below), aid detoxification with a zeolite supplement and/or clays designed for internal use, support their immune system with Green Mush™ (or another antioxidant rich superfood designed for animals), maintain their dental health, consult a holistic vet who can have a real conversation about the dangers of vaccinations and pharmaceutical drugs, and keep them as far away from wireless devices -- internet routers, cellphones, iPads, and the like -- as possible. Most importantly, do not give your animal fluoridated/chlorinated tap water or feed them processed foods that contain things as horrifying as rendered animals and the agents used to euthanize them! It is never too late to begin the above measures, but please do make any dietary changes gradually and under the supervision of your animal's healthcare provider.