Cyberweave - Mary Montgomery-Clifford

I was reading a book about the history of one of my favorite organizations, the Best Friends animal sanctuary in Angel Canyon in Kanab, Utah, when I came upon two aspects that made this group a perfect focus for this column. First, Best Friends hosted one of the first Internet forums on animals -- the Time Warner Dog and Cats forum on CompuServe .

Second is this statement by Michael Mountain at the end of Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary by Samantha Glen: "At the beginning of a new millennium, in a world that races to embrace new ways of living longer and feeling better in its endlessly elusive quest for human happiness, doing something truly good for the animals would represent a whole new attitude to life. It might mean that we are not only at the start of a new technological era, but of a new spiritual one, too."

A trip to www.bestfriends.org, proved that I had been correct in my assessment. The site is packed with information about the sanctuary, as well as information and resources for animal lovers and activist throughout the world. It also contains an entire section devoted to Animals and Spirituality.

If you're unfamiliar with Best Friends, or would like to know more about it, www.bestfriends.org is a great gateway to discovery. Best Friends is the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned cats and dogs and other animals. It has a "No Kill" policy and is dedicated to bringing about a time when there are no more homeless pets. The animals at Best Friends come from all over the U.S. -- 1,800 of them or more. The site tells about and promotes the adoption of these animals. It includes a virtual tour of the facility and information about intern and visitor programs. It doesn't stop there, however.

At the site, you can learn about animal rights activities worldwide by clicking on the "No More Homeless Pets" section and then on the sub-section "Around the World." The "Around the World" section features information about activities -- like the sanctuaries in Rome that work with the feral cat communities that inhabit ancient ruins or the fact that Bombay, India became the first "No Kill" city in the world on January 26, 1994.

Another sub-section in "No More Homeless Pets" is ''Resources" where you can join the Best Friends Network. Network members pitch in to provide a wide variety of services. Some give hands-on care to animals, including feeding feral cats, transporting animals to the vet, or walking dogs at a local shelter. Others help out at fundraising events, adoption fairs, spay/neuter clinics, or other projects. Still other network members share their professional skills like accounting, legal advice or desktop publishing. You can join the network by filling out the on-line questionnaire.

All this activity is good for the soul, of course. But www.bestfriends.org does not stop there. In fact, there is a whole section devoted directly to spirituality. You can get to it by going to the Home Page and clicking on "Angel Canyon." This takes you to a page entitled "Golden Circle." On this page you learn that the Best Friends sanctuary is located in an area once populated by the ancestral Pueblo people. These people used to gather each year at Angel Canyon to give thanks and seek guidance. Angel Canyon is noted for its atmosphere of peace and healing and is therefore a perfect place for abused and abandoned animals.

On the "Golden Circle" page, you'll find the sub-section called "Animals & Spirituality." Nuggets of wisdom from the "Golden Circle" and "Animals & Spirituality" sub-sections include:

· From In A Nutshell: Be kind to animals; Be kind to trees; Be kind to the earth and everything on it; Be kind to children and one another" and God will be kind to you. And that's a promise."

· From Coming Of Age: No More Homeless Pets is not only about how we relate to dogs and cats. It's about our basic relationship to life. A story is told of a Sufi holy man, Al Shibili, who came before the Almighty in the next world. God forgave all his sins and asked Al Shibili if he knew the reason why. The holy man pointed to his good works, his prayers, and his pilgrimages. And God answered: "Do you remember when you were walking in the streets of Baghdad, and you found a small cat made weak by the cold, creeping from wall to wall? Out of pity, you took it and put it inside your coat. Because of the mercy that you showed that cat, I have had mercy on you."

· From Sacred Places: In return for protecting them and their animals, sacred places give good things back to us. That's why they're often associated with "magical" properties.

· From The Golden Age: Stirrings from a deep collective memory of something that once existed, and could perhaps come again... Every act of kindness is an investment in a new Golden Age.

· From What is a Sacred Place: Angel Canyon is a sacred place... As our eyes are opened by her natural beauty, so our hearts begin to open -- like those who lived here before us, left us their petroglyphs, and, seeing with the heart's eye, sanctified this place.

· From A Doorway to the Spirit: Those are the places where spirit touches me. It.s easiest to get there with animals -- they always offer that doorway.

The site also contains interesting and informative sections on "How to communicate With Animals" and "Animals and the Healing Process." This is a site that should be bookmarked and supported, not only with frequent visits, but with your wallet, as well. Highly recommended!