Happy New Year everyone! It’s officially a new year and a new decade. Here in Bellingham, WA, the first day of 2020 is a gorgeous and sunny day, a welcome break from all the rain and overcast skies we’ve been having lately! The start of a new year is a great way to reflect on the last year and what might happen next.
2019 Reflections
In case you missed it, WeRateDogs created a video about the dogs of 2019 and it’s an incredibly emotional one in all the best ways. This video is a great reminder that while there were many emotional moments last year, there were some truly amazing ones too, including several times when strangers helped raised thousands of dollars for vet care, pet food, and so much more.
The Dogs of 2019 pic.twitter.com/WzZ06yjNlH
— WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) December 31, 2019
2019 was a big year here in the Pacific Northwest for animals and the environment alike. We sadly lost iconic animals like Rojo the Llama, Rooster, Milo, and Jack from the All Dog Kind pack. And sadly, three Southern Resident Orcas were declared dead. With climate change on the rise and declining salmon populations, these iconic animals (and many others for many other reasons) are having a hard time surviving.
But last year wasn’t all about loss. Two new calves were born to the Southern Resident Orca pods, Lucky in the L Pod and a female calf in the J Pod. This is incredible news, as the Southern Residents haven’t had a calf survive longer than half an hour in 3 years. Plus new drone footage gave a new look into the lives of the Southern Residents (see below for some of the great footage). And millions of people, including many young kids, around the world have repeatedly gone on strike for climate change.
2020 Brings a New Year and New Decade
Animals of the Pacific Northwest has been around for just over two years now and it’s a project that’s grown beyond what I could have ever imagined. And the best part is that there are so many new adventures and things to explore here in the Northwest, like Northwest Trek in Eatonville, WA and the new cat cafe about to open in Bellingham, WA. New posts will continue to explore all sorts of topics involving animals and the environment, including book and movie reviews, training tips, places to visit, and more.
This is also the year I plan to release a few animal-related zines. One will be a cookbook with all sorts of yummy recipes for the dogs, cats, or wildlife in your own life. Another will be about hiking in the Northwest with your pets and all the fun activities/places you could do with them. The goal with these zines will be to go more in-depth about the topics covered here on Animals of the Pacific Northwest in ways that a single post can’t quite cover.
Do you and your pets have any hopes or goals for the new year? Let me know in the comments!
