Do animal shelter donations count as tithing?
Shewolf has a point. God doesn't need money. The giving of tithes is nothing more than a substitute for the Old Testament Deuterocanonical requirements that one either render to God that which would be His, 1/10th, or sacrifice by giving blood sacrifices of their own unblemished animals. It was an either/or situation. The purpose of tithing is to commit to perform a selfless act. When you give of yourself then you are returning to God a portion of what you have so that God can give you blessings in return. But if you don't, then you have to make sacrifices to God. Some people do not tithe in money, they simply do for others, whether it be animals of various non-human species or the human varieties. The Old Testament canon (Deut. 14:22-29) says you do not have to give money. It can be 10 percent of your land, of your fruits, of whatever it is that comes of your labors. You are supposed to save up 10 percent every year, and each year eat of that which you saved or exchange it for silver (money) and save that to multiply your blessings. At the end of 3 years, then bring 10 percent of that to a place or town for the poor and down-trodden. The list is not exclusive, its merely exemplary. Widows, children, orphans, the poor, and those in need are all included. Nowhere does it exclude life forms of any kind, or forbid helping animals. If anything animals contribute to the planet too, and they enrich peoples' lives through companionship and with cats, mousing. :P Seriously, instead of worrying about form, start thinking substance. You're doing something for beings on this word which are helpless at this point. So helping them is like taking in those who need help.
Is it customary to negotiate price when buying a puppy?
I'm interested in getting a labrador puppy and have been comparing breeders in the area. I have contacted a few and am almost ready to make the decision. However...is it at all customary to negotiate price when buying a puppy from a breeder? I have never owned a pet before and know that it'll be a large financial responsibility in the long run, but I have no idea how the pet world is and I'm really curious as to how the breeder will take it if I give a lower offer than the listing price. I don't want to offend anyone, but if this is what people do (like with cars or houses), then why not ya know? Cuz good lab puppies run in the $1500-$2000 range and that's quite a hefty sum all at one time. I appreciate any help :)
I need help with a breeding kennel name...?
Not trying to sound rude, but save the nasty comments and telling me not to do it. It's a waste of your time, it won't change mine and my husband's decision to do this. We have decided to raise American Pit Bulls. As I said, save the "backyard breeder", "there are so many in shelters" "they're only owned by bad people" stuff. The backyard breeders are ruining the breed and I want to raise quality dogs. No, it won't be a backyard operation or puppy mill. No I'm not doing it to make money. I've been researching for years on all subjects associated with this. That includes the breed, taking care of puppies, screening prospective families, vet care, housing the animals, laws, genetics, training, nutrition, etc. This is not something we decided overnight. We've been talking and considering options for over 2 years now. We aren't doing it to make money, we aren't going to breed bulldogs, we aren't going to breed every female every year. We genuinely love the breed and our dogs are members of the family first and foremost. Please leave out all the precautions, warnings and criticism. I've considered everything and taken it all seriously. The only thing I am needing help with is a kennel name. I am going to tell you a little bit about us and a few ideas and words we have thought of, but I'm stuck. I'm usually very creative but my thinking has hit a wall, so to speak. Our last name is PIERCE The breed we'll be raising, etc is the AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER, APBT They will be performance dogs, bred for working, agility, weight pulling, hunting, etc We aren't going to breed for "color" or specific traits, just conformation, working ability and temperament. My husband and I are both of IRISH descent, and are very proud of it. We'd like to include our heritage somehow in the name or theme. We are proud TEXANS, from Whitney, Texas Our favorite color is GREEN We are working on purchasing 10 or more acres, out in the country. We love the RAIN, THUNDER, LIGHTNING and STORMS These are just a few things that crossed our minds, but we're not sure how to combine the different things. Any help would be appreciated.
Need ideas on how to make waterproof covers(liners) for dog beds to protect inner stuffing when peed on.?
I work at a dog rescue.We purchased dog beds for all of the dogs at our rescue.The problem we are having is we are constantly having to buy new beds because occassionaly a dog will pee on the bed and the inner stuffing then gets soaked with the urine.It is very difficult to then get the urine smell and stain out of the bed stuffing(some are cotton inside and some are cedar)The beds have covers with zippers on them to easily take off and wash but the urine seeps through the cover to the inside. We were thinking of making waterproof covers or liners that would stay on the cushion and then we could just take off and wash the outter covers they came with when needed with no worries about the inner "pillow"getting wet.Any ideas of what material to use and how to do this would be greatly appreciated. We are spending a fortune on dog beds. Thanks