If you know me, you know I have a huge soft spot for animals. Yesterday, I learned of a horrific case of abuse and neglect committed against nearly 40 pit bulls in a home in L.A. discovered a few weeks ago, and I knew immediately that this would be the way I needed to pay it forward today. The details are just so awful, I won’t go into it here, but there are various news stories and photos if you are so inclined to dig deeper.

You see, I spend my work days listening to various talk radio programs on through Sirius XM. Sometimes it’s CNN, but these days I’ve been hooked on the Stars Channel and Radio Andy. Yep – I guess you could call it “trash radio” – but I love it. Much like most people I know, I’m tired of listening to the news, which is basically just endless election coverage, so these channels offer me a nice break. Well, yesterday, during Maria Menouno’s show, Conversations With Maria, she visited this story and had a representative from the organization that has taken in and cared for the surviving dogs – Wags and Walks – on the show. Mid-way through the conversation, Maria was so broken up by the events, that she could barely form words and just fell apart. I was so touched by her emotion, and most of all by the work that Wags and Walks has done to care for these dogs. While it sounds like they are doing so much better, and have bounced back rather quickly after being in such a horrendous environment, the dogs still need a lot of care and also foster homes.

While random acts of kindness are often about people, animals need help and reasons for “smiling” too. Today I chose to make a donation to Wags and Walks towards the care of these precious dogs, because not only is it about their recovery, but it’s also about lending support to the courageous people who have taken on the challenge and put their hearts and souls into the well-being of these dogs, and so many more in need of help. If you are looking for a way to pay it forward today, I encourage you to make a donation – if not to Wags and Walks, than to your local shelter or animal rescue. These innocent animals need to be protected, cared for, and loved.