History

I have always been an animal lover. I have not always been an animal advocate.
 
For 25 years my working life was filled with balance sheets and management tasks. I spent many years working as a controller/office manager. That all came to an end in 2003 due to some visions problems.

As I thought about what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to move things into a different direction. I had spent most of my life as an adult in corporate America and I now wanted to do something that I felt was actually making a difference in the world we live in. I decided I wanted to do something that would help the organizations I knew that were trying to help animals raise funds I knew they desperately needed to perform the work they were setting out to do.

I purchased the equipment to be able to make shirts and other items to be used to raise funds for these organizations. I tried several things but nothing was coming together in the way that I wanted it to.
 
During this time period I was struck with personal devastation when one of my beloved companions was poisoned. Angel (the white Brittany at the top center on the logo) was one of the sweetest dogs you would ever want to meet. I couldn’t understand why someone would want to hurt her. It took me a long time to come to the understanding that Angel was not a “target”. She just happened to be the one who took the bait, whatever it was, that was laced with the poison. Through my grief I became determined that I was no longer going to sit on the sidelines. In her memory and honor I was going to become an activist.
 
I started making up shirts with designs that was talking about different animal welfare issues I knew about. I quickly discovered that there was no shortage of themes. I wore these shirts everywhere I went (the bank, the store, on the street) and noticed that I was getting into conversations with people I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to talk to about these issues.

People would read the sentiments on my shirts and talk to me about how they felt about it. They would tell me stories of animals they knew who had experienced the horrors that befall so many of these innocent creatures. I realized that these shirts provided a great opportunity for education and awareness of the public at large in an environment that was non-threatening. It was through this process that the concept of this web site came into existence.
 
Doni’s Dogs will always be a tribute to the love and lessons I have attained through those furry creatures who have shared their lives with me. All of the dogs in the logo have shared my home and owned a piece of my heart. Some are long since gone. Others I hope are with me for a long time yet to come.

For those who are no longer with me, I look forward to the day when we will be together again at the rainbow bridge. For those who share my life still I hope I provide them with a fraction of the love and support they give to me. I will be forever grateful to all of them. This site is done as a testament to the joy they have brought to my life.  These pages are in honor of all of them. Especially Angel. They will always be a part of my heart and soul.
 
I have been accused of being a “walking billboard.” It is a title I gladly embrace. May the world be filled with constant reminders of the injustices inflicted on those without a voice. We will no longer sit idly by.
 
Doni Mason
Founder, Doni’s Dogs