Apparently, a lot of us have already nailed down our resolutions for 2012, because one website is reporting survey results for the most popular resolutions for 2012. It also cautions that 78 percent of people who make resolutions fall down on them.

One sure way to increase your odds is to partner with someone in achieving your goals. Our pets help make us better people in so many ways; perhaps they could also help us keep our resolutions.

The top resolution for 2012 is saving money. I think our pets could help here. Your pet does not need dinner at a fancy restaurant or expensive gifts to adore you. It offers inexpensive companionship and entertainment.

Developing a healthier lifestyle is next on the list. Your dog makes the perfect walking or running partner, and your cat is the perfect yoga companion. Promising your dog a nice long walk may actually get you out there.

Getting enough sleep is another one. Cats and dogs are champion role models here, sleeping between 13 and 20 hours a day.

Keeping a journal of awesome moments made the top resolution list, too. Considering the number of best-selling books about pets, they may be able to help us here by providing inspiration for touching and amusing stories.

Reducing stress is next. Pets are noteworthy stress reducers; just being with your animal friend can lower your blood pressure. Their antics bring humor to the day and their ability to live in the moment is surpassed only by Zen masters.

Volunteering to help others also made the resolution list. You and your pet could become a pet therapy team. While most dogs are naturals, there are some cats and even rabbits that make great therapy pets. Another way to help others is to volunteer at one of the local animal shelters; you can help care for the animals or help people find a new pet.

With all the pets here at our shelter, all of us at Nevada Humane Society should have no trouble keeping our resolutions. If you need help, come on down and adopt a pet. We are open for adoptions today and New Year’s Day, especially to help you get your new year off to a great start.

When Sheila arrived at the shelter, she resembled a dirty mop rather than a dog. She was barely able to walk or see, and it looked like it had been a while since she had last known a kind touch or a good meal. Sheila’s matted coat was shaved off; her broken jaw, rotten teeth and eye injury were treated in our clinic. Despite all she has been through, she now is a lively, happy, loving little dog.

Cowgirl was an extremely tiny kitten and so weak when she arrived that she was in danger of dying. In many shelters, neonatal kittens are quickly destroyed, but not here. Cowgirl got a lot of TLC in our clinic. Although it was touch-and-go for a while, she had a strong will to live in that tiny body.

A few days later, Cowgirl went to a foster family; they bottle fed her for weeks and she began putting on the ounces. This week, we received a touching video from Cowgirl’s foster-turned-permanent family. Check it out online at the YouTube Nevada Humane Society channel: “Cowgirl’s Adoption Story.”

Last summer, tourists from New Jersey were driving on Pyramid Highway when they saw a dog that had been hit by a car. Laredo ended up at the Nevada Humane Society with a broken leg and other injuries. After surgery and two months of care later, Laredo was back in shape and the people who found him had not forgotten about him; they arranged to have him flown to their home in New Jersey.

This week we got an update: “Laredo is the cutest! He’s even bilingual; he knows English and German commands. It snowed for the first time and Laredo was afraid of it at first. We couldn’t have picked out a better puppy!”Laredo’s story is so fitting for this season: One moment he is lying on the side of the road severely injured; the next moment the kindness of strangers transforms what could have been a very sad story into the happiest of endings.These miracles for the animals are not just successes — they belong to you. You make these opportunities for a new life possible for homeless pets by donating, adopting or volunteering. The animals would thank you themselves, if they could.

For most people, the holiday season is a time of fun and festivities that is shared with families and friends. For me, I usually reflect on my life and what is meaningful to me—both past and present. I replay past holidays in my mind and heart, stirring up a range of emotions from the delight of joyful moments to the solemn sadness of what no longer is. But one thing that always brings a smile to my face is to remember the four-legged ones who have so touched me at the very root of my soul.

Snowball, Jacque, Pepper, Frosty, Indie, Sommer, Felice, Felix, Edith, Blackie, Smokey, Brandy, Toy, Sammy, Bailor, Lady, Beaumont, Marshall, and Boomer took me from childhood to where I am today. They carried me through relationships and across the United States. They supported me through educational endeavors and career changes. They lifted me up when I was down and kept me company when I was alone.

‘Tis the season and I sit here in reflection once again. But this year, I want to do something extra special for my beloved animal companions. I want to honor them in a way that is fitting for all of the unconditional love and pure joy they have given me for so many precious years. This year at the Nevada Humane Society shelter where I work, white lights will shine pure for those that have passed and colored lights will brighten up the room in honor of my current brood just as they brighten up my life every day.

Nevada Humane Society is entering their fifth season of hosting the special Lights of Love Tribute. It’s a way to acknowledge your four-legged loved ones, past and present, and help homeless pets at the same time. The shelter will be illuminated in their honor and two twenty-foot trees of light will be on display at The Summit and the Siena Hotel Spa Casino.

You can help light up the lives of homeless animals in our community through a $10 contribution per light that celebrates each pet you cherish. This also makes the perfect gift for your animal-loving friends and families who already have everything they need.

So this year, my four-legged friends will shine along with thousands of other pets that have had or still have loving homes during the holidays. How fitting that they will illuminate the shelter where thousands  of others come so that they, too,  can find  homes for the holidays. There is no better tribute!

Events that Help Homeless Pets:

Home for the Holidays Adoption Promotion at Nevada Humane Society through January 2. Adopt a pet and help reach the goal of finding homes for 1,200 pets. Special adoption fees are $40 for most adult dogs, $10 for adult cats, $30 for kittens. Visit nevadahumanesocicty.org for more information.

Lights of Love Tribute at Nevada Humane Society through January 2. A $10 contribution will light a white light for each pet you wish to remember or a colored light for each pet you wish to honor. Lights on display in the NHS shelter and illuminating 20-foot trees at The Summit and Siena Hotel Spa Casino, compliments of Christmas Décor and Reno Lawn & Landscape. All pets, remembered or honored, will be listed in the special Lights of Love Book, and a tribute page will be sent to you or the person of your choice. Great gift idea! For more info, call 775-856-2000 or visit nevadahumanesociety.org.

Home for the Holidays Cupcake Day & Pet Photos with Santa at Nevada Humane Society. December 3 from 11am-5pm. Holiday cheer and a variety of cupcakes for sampling. Call 775-856-2000 for more information.

The Summit Pet Adoption Center hosted by Nevada Humane Society. Starting November 25, open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am – 5pm in The Summit shopping center. Variety of dogs and cats available for adoption.

I have worked for Nevada Humane Society for almost five years and during that time, close to 50,000 homeless pets have come through our shelter doors. I have been involved in every aspect of the process—from admission, to veterinary care, to behavior evaluation, to day-to-day care, to promotion, and ultimately, adoption.

When I see the hundreds of faces in our shelter, I often wonder what it must be like from their perspective. Were they suddenly uprooted from a warm, loving home because their person died or could no longer afford them? Were they found wandering the cold streets of Reno—frightened and lonely? Were they abandoned in their yard by people who suddenly left town, looking for a new life? Were they surrendered with broken bones or illnesses by people who were unemployed and couldn’t afford veterinary care? Were they given up because of a foreclosure that forced their human family to downsize?

No matter what the situation, it must be confusing and stressful for most and downright terrifying for many. Animals’ senses are extremely more sensitive than humans’ and the mere change in new sights, smells, and sounds can be overwhelming.

But what do they feel when they are uprooted from family, home, and life as they know it? How do they cope with going from sleeping on a cozy couch surrounded by their human family to sleeping alone in a kennel or cage? What goes on inside their bodies and minds when Johnny doesn’t take them out for a romp in the yard? Or Sally doesn’t brush them as they curl up on her lap? What do they sense when visitor after visitor passes them by and chooses some other dog or cat to adopt?

We are blessed with wonderful no-kill animal shelters in our community, but shelters should definitely be a last resort. For homeless pets, they are lifesavers, and we all do our best to make their stay as comfortable and comforting as possible as they wait for a new, loving home.

We can never truly know what it is like to experience a shelter from the eyes, ears, noses, and hearts of homeless pets. But on December 17, local celebrities and volunteers will experience spending the night In Their Paws at the Nevada Humane Society shelter. Guests will curl up in dog kennels and cat colonies overnight with the hopes of bringing more awareness and raising funds for shelter animals. They will truly know what it’s like to be In Their Paws—at least for one night and better understand how important it is to find them Homes for the Holidays!

Events that Help Homeless Pets:

Home for the Holidays Adoption Promotion at Nevada Humane Society through January 2. Special adoption fees: $45 for most adult dogs, $10 for adult cats, $30 for kittens. Visit nevadahumanesociety.org  or call 775-856-2000 for more information.

Home for the Holidays Festivities at Nevada Humane Society. December 10 from 11 am-5 pm. Local school choir performances, animal-related book signings, and holiday goodies. Shelter is located at 2825 Longley Lane, Reno.

Older but Wiser Cat Adoptions on December 10 & 11 at PetSmart on S. Virginia. Nevada Humane Society and SPCA of Northern Nevada host a special pet adoption event for mature cats that often get overlooked in shelters. Pets available for adoption from 11am – 4pm.

Lights of Love Tribute at Nevada Humane Society through January 2. A $10 contribution will light a white light for each pet you wish to remember or a colored light for each pet you wish to honor. Lights on display in the NHS shelter and illuminating 20-foot trees at The Summit and Siena Hotel Spa Casino, compliments of Christmas Décor and Reno Lawn & Landscape. Great gift idea! For more info, call 775-856-2000 or visit nevadahumanesociety.org.

The Summit and Franktown Corners Pet Adoption Centers are open Saturdays and Sundays from 11am – 5pm. The Summit center is also open Fridays for the same hours—both through December 31. Variety of dogs and cats available for adoption.

When I see the hundreds of faces in our shelter, I often wonder what it must be like from their perspective. Were they suddenly uprooted from a warm, loving home because their person died or could no longer afford them? Were they found wandering the cold streets of Reno, frightened and lonely? Were they abandoned in their yard by people who suddenly left town, looking for a new life? Were they surrendered with broken bones or illnesses by people who were unemployed and couldn’t afford veterinary care? Were they given up because of a foreclosure that forced their human family to downsize?

No matter what the situation, it must be confusing and stressful for most and downright terrifying for many. Animals’ senses are extremely more sensitive than humans’, and the mere change in new sights, smells and sounds can be overwhelming.

But what do they feel when they are uprooted from family, home and life as they know it? How do they cope with going from sleeping on a cozy couch surrounded by their human family to sleeping alone in a kennel or cage?

What goes on inside their bodies and minds when Johnny doesn’t take them out for a romp in the yard? Or Sally doesn’t brush them as they curl up on her lap? What do they sense when visitor after visitor passes them by and chooses some other dog or cat to adopt?

We are blessed with wonderful no-kill animal shelters in our community, but shelters should definitely be a last resort. For homeless pets, they are lifesavers, and we all do our best to make their stay as comfortable and comforting as possible as they wait for a new, loving home.

We can never truly know what it is like to experience a shelter from the eyes, ears, noses and hearts of homeless pets. But on Saturday, local celebrities and volunteers will experience spending the night “In Their Paws” at the Nevada Humane Society shelter.

Guests will curl up in dog kennels and cat colonies overnight with the hope of bringing more awareness and raising funds for shelter animals. They will truly know what it’s like to be In Their Paws — at least for one night and better understand how important it is to find them homes for the holidays!

It is true cause for celebration because the animal is getting that new home it has dreamed of, and the person is getting a new best buddy. It does not get much better than that.

We also love to hear from people about their adoption experience.

This is one of my favorites:

“We walked through the kennels, my husband wanting all the dogs, me totally overwhelmed. Suddenly, we spotted Congo. It was as if he was saying, ‘It’s OK, I’m gentle. Let me help you not be afraid.’ At home, he was every bit as gentle as he promised, even with our five cats. I don’t feel like we rescued him as much as he rescued me.”

The gift you give a pet when you adopt is obvious, but we often find the pet gives back to us, too, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Stacy wrote: “Gypsum was smiling as if to say ‘I’m the one you’ve been looking for!’ He’s tested my patience, like any 2-year-old, but I wouldn’t trade him for all the money in the world. I’ve learned that things can’t be perfect all the time. For me, it was a learning experience, but a good one. He is my best friend, my protector and my snuggle bug.”

Deb and her husband came to our shelter to find a talkative, older cat and selected Speckles: “This bossy little old lady runs a tight ship! She tells me when she wants food, lap-time and when to go to bed. If I’ve moved her little pillow that she lays her head on, she complains. Speckles has blossomed with us, and she’s been great for us, too.”

Melissa’s short and sweet note said; “My husband and I came to your shelter and found our life — Elvis. I had just lost my grandfather and really needed a friend. This adorable guy helped me through my time of need and made our family complete!”

It is not every day that we get to be a hero by saving a life and give ourselves a gift at the same time, but when you adopt a pet, that truly is the deal.

Northern Nevada continues to blaze new trails in our care and concern for homeless pets. Today, Washoe County is among the safest places in the nation in which to be a homeless pet; more animals get a second chance at the life they deserve than any other community its size. And it’s all because of the large number of animal-loving residents.

Last year, 9,668 pets were adopted from the NHS shelter alone, mostly by local families. With thousands of volunteers, giving a variety of services and foster homes that provide foster care to orphaned kittens and puppies, the love of pets is made abundantly evident.

Our low-cost spay/neuter programs provide services to economically challenged county residents.

They include voucher programs for cats made possible by the Hawkins Foundation and for dogs by the Lifestyle Homes Foundation. Our free Animal Help Desk is available to people across the state, though most callers are local. The help desk assists in all manners of animal-related issues from pet behavior problems to advice for finding lost pets to coping with lifestyle changes. Last year, 20,000 people used this free service to learn what they could do to help animals.

Nevada’s Department of Agriculture recently published the results of an annual survey that tallied various statistics from animal shelters across the state. NHS’s numbers stood out, performing

36 percent of all the reported spay/neuter surgeries and 33 percent of all the reported pet adoptions in the state of Nevada.

This really made an impact on me as part of the Nevada Humane Society management team. We always knew we were making a huge difference in our own community, but had no idea how big of a role we played in the statewide picture. It also made me realize that if some of the same lifesaving strategies that work here could be applied in other communities, together we would create a true safety net for the entire state of Nevada.

Animals have acute senses that allow them to experience things we miss. For example, humans have 5 million scent receptors while Dachs-hunds have 125 million. Bloodhounds top all other dogs with 300 million scent receptors. Many creatures, including horses, cats and snakes, have a special auxiliary olfactory organ that gives them an even richer scent experience.

When it comes to hearing, most animals can hear high-pitched sounds that are completely inaudible to us. Most nocturnal mammals can see in what humans would consider to be darkness. Whiskers give animals yet another way to detect subtle changes in the environment.

With these impressive senses, some scientists wonder if animals can predict natural disasters, and there is some evidence that they can.

A report following the deadly 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami told of an elephant suddenly trumpeting, breaking free of a tether and fleeing to high ground. Officials at Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park reported very few animal deaths from this disaster although the park is home to hundreds of elephants, leopards and monkeys. They believe these animals were able to sense the danger long before humans did.

Some scientists think animals might have an early warning ability because they hear infrasounds produced by earthquakes, volcanoes and storms that are inaudible to humans. Others think animals are able to sense subtle vibrations or other changes to the environment. Geophysicist Dr. Ikeya has found that some animals and fish react to minor changes in electromagnetic fields.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s take on this: “Even though there have been documented cases of unusual animal behavior prior to earthquakes, a reproducible connection between a specific behavior and the occurrence of an earthquake has not been made.”

Even if animals cannot predict natural disasters, those of us who share our lives with pets and enjoy observing animals in nature are blessed by their rich senses and fascinating behaviors.

I have always lived my life in a very full mode–whether it’s working incredibly long hours or engaging in dozens of social activities. Either way, my days have always been very full and I have rushed from one activity to the next and collapsed in exhaustion. This way of life becomes habit and makes it extremely difficult to pause and enjoy the present moment.

But life is the present. So often we let the present slip away, allowing time to rush past us without even noticing. I often find myself saying things like “I can’t believe that summer is already here” or “I can’t believe that summer is already gone” or “I can’t believe that the year is almost over.”

One of my favorite pastimes is to watch my three Labrador retrievers interact with each and the world around them. They are not worrying about the future or fretting over the past. They truly live in the moment.

If they see something, they chase it. If they smell something, they sniff around to find it. If they hear something, they freeze so they can better tune in. If they do or don’t like something, they immediately show it. They go to sleep when they are tired and they wake when there is something happening. They eat like they have never eaten before and with not a care about whether they will ever eat again.

Most people would agree that it isn’t easy for us humans to fully live in the moment. Maybe it’s not even possible. But many people, including professionals, believe that life is lived the fullest when we can better focus on the now. So if you feel life is passing you by and you don’t know how to slow down, just spend a day observing your pets. They give new meaning to the mantra “stop and smell the roses” and will

Watching Bolt get around is like a lesson in Zen practice. As one of my coworkers, Kari Riley said: “Falling down is a chance to relax a bit, maybe take a bath. Colliding with an obstacle, he gives it a quick glance and then is off toward his original goal.”

When Bold gets running, he’s pretty stable, but when moving more slowly, he uses the wall or the legs of a human friend for stability. He leans against your leg as you would walk, traveling along with you.

Bolt was born with cerebellar hypoplasia which gives him his jerky, uncoordinated movements. The disease does not get better or worse with age and most affected cats and dogs learn to compensate and have a normal lifespan. They just need a little more protection than the average pet.

We put out an appeal for a foster home for Bolt and a young woman named Donelle came in to meet him. Now, Bolt shares her home with Bentley, a miniature pinscher.

“He is having fun with Bentley; they both love each other. He sleeps next to me every night. I love having him,” she said.

We see many special-needs dogs too. Little Zoey, a tiny shivering poodle, arrived with a badly broken leg that had to be amputated. She would require special care to protect her from injuring any of her other delicate little legs. Even jumping down off a chair could put her at risk. I took her on TV seeking someone who could give her the care she needed. The next day a couple showed up to meet her and shy Zoey loved them at once. She was immediately calm and content in their presence — clearly, a match made in heaven.

Special needs pets require extra time, care and attention; they are not for everyone. But for the people who take these pets in, the rewards are rich. For one thing, you could get your own little live-in Zen master.