Two Wolves Original ACEO by thebluewindmill

This beautiful ACEO from thebluewindmill has a wonderful background story that is shared below. I serve as challenge leader for our team.

In 1995 fourteen wolves were transported from Canada to Yellowstone National Park as part of a wolf reintroduction plan. The reason that the U.S. had to get wolves from outside of the country is because there were no longer enough wolves in the country to accommodate the plan.

Wolves are a keystone predator, meaning that without them nature falls out of balance and other species of animals are then adversely affected, as was the case in Yellowstone. According to official records, 1926 was the last year that wolves were killed in the national park. Due to the absence of wolves, the numbers of elk, as well as other large prey animals multiplied and spiraled out of control, decreasing the new growth of vegetation such as deciduous woody species like upland aspen and riparian cottonwood.

Furthermore, coyotes moved in filling the void that the wolves had left, but they were not equipped to control the large animal prey and also had a negative effect on other species such as the red fox.

In the winter of 1996-1997 the last 17 wolves were released into Yellowstone as part of the recovery plan.

Without our wild comrades, our ecosystem was thrown out of balance; and it took nearly three decades, an estimated cost of “$200,000 to $1 million per wolf”, and scores of dedicated workers to restore this balance.

Defenders of Wildlife reports:
“Today the Yellowstone ecosystem, which includes the park itself, plus parts of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, is home to almost 800 wolves in more than 50 packs.”

A great success story for our wild companions!

Information found at the following websites:
Yellowstone Park Wolf Reintroduction Plan
Wikipedia Article on Wolf Reintroduction
Defenders of Wildlife News Release

Cat Hair Pin by EllaQuaint

This hair pin from EllaQuaint is a lovely way to show your love for kitties! The pin features a cute tabby that fits right in with the companion challenge.

I volunteer at Pet Adoption Fairs, take in foster animals, and participate in the trap, neuter, and release program.

Plush Dachshund by DogBarks

How often as a child I would play with my stuffed animals! They were far more than just toys to me; they were my true friends and companions, just like this dachshund, Rupert Ruff & Raggy, by dogbarks is. My stuffed animals came for rides with me in the car, to the doctor's, the relatives', the playground, and then to bed with me at night. I was sure that they "came alive" while I was asleep and wandered the house getting into all kinds of mischief! I can't imagine a childhood without these wonderful stuffed companions!

My work with animals includes giving both financially and by donating items to my local shelter, as well as donating to Chriss over at the feral kitten rescue in Oregon. I also have several shop items designated for EFA charities, including 10% of this sale.

Ellie Smiles Print by MyPhotoArt

This print by MyPhotoArt features Ellie the smiling dog. Ellie needed a new home and we found each other a year ago. Her shyness and fear has been replaced by exuberance and joy. She smiles all the time! I wish the same freedom for all animals - to know love. It opens the door and allows their true personalities to shine.

I help animals by giving a minimum of 10% of all sales to local animal sanctuaries and no kill shelters. I am also discussing a photo campaign with them where I take studio quality photos of the animals in need of forever homes and try to really capture their personality. I hope this will help them find the loving homes they yearn for.

Hi from the Animals ACEO Print by SharonFosterArt

Hi from the Animals is an ACEO print by SharonFosterArt that features a few of the wonderful animals that can be companions.

Shelters need all the help that they can receive. I donate newspapers, towels, old blankets and sheets to our local animal rescue. This helps save cash for needed items like food and medicine. And I have a big sack of cat toys to take to Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary (that is, if it will ever stop raining)!

Wild Thing Puppy Necklace by cocoNme

Who doesn't love a goofy silly puppy like the one that adorns this necklace by cocoNme? They are furry, four-legged, bundles of joy that make wonderful companions for single persons and are also welcome additions to families. Aside from being warm friends, when you need them, they give you true unconditional love. Pet Therapy Dogs are especially a comfort to patients with cancer and other debilitating diseases and to the elderly.

I've been involved in art since childhood and have been making jewelry since 2004. My golden retrievers, who were both shelter dogs, inspired me to combine my jewelry-making with my love for animals. Since 2005, I've donated a percentage of my sales to the ASPCA, HSUS, Habitat for Humanity, SCGR Rescue, GRCGLA Rescue, and the NCCF (canine cancer - which both my dogs died of). I've also donated some finished jewelry to several animal rescues for fund-raising auctions.

Hamster Mixed Media Stamp Pin by thefrogbag

Sometimes small critters don't get the same acclaim as larger ones when we think of "companion animals", but they can be just as much fun and provide just as much enrichment to our lives. Hence, I have chosen to celebrate the humble hamster with this stamp pin by thefrogbag!

I'm the Facebook Fan Page curator for EFA, and I donate 20% of the sales from my shop to the Tapir Preservation fund. They do amazing work not just for tapirs, but for all the world's rain forests that shelter tapirs! I also live with a total of 8 rescued animals.

Classic Teddy Bear by AubreyMade

We all know that a teddy bear is a great companion for children. Nearly every child has a bear to snuggle up with, and this checkered bear by AubreyMade is a new friend just waiting to find a great forever home!

I donate to EFA's Challenge of the Month (COTM) and give food to stray kitties.

Carrott Colored Rabbit Fingerless Cuffs by knitbyvalerie

These cozy fingerless gloves from knitbyvalerie feature a modified version of cable-knit rabbits that were found in a vintage pattern. Rabbits are very near and dear to my heart and February is national adopt-a-rabbit month (as decreed by the House Rabbit Society at rabbit.org). February also kicks off the Make Mine Chocolate campaign to keep people from giving live rabbits as gifts for Easter.

I have 6 rescues in my home and I have successfully encouraged friends to adopt from shelters. While I work hard for all homeless animals, my heart belongs to the bunnies!

Loyal Companion Dog Note Cards by terikor

"Loyal Companion" was an easy choice for terikor when it came to choosing an entry for February's Monthly Challenge "Companions Corners". The title of these note cards says it all. The Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) is known for its loyalty to its owner and human companion. Therefore this breed is the perfect loyal companion.

My canine companions are Lexi, Gabi, Zoe and Keli, who through their love have taught me so much. There devotion has inspired me to give back to both my breed and all dogs through my art. Pastel is my favorite medium to convey my love of animals especially dogs. I donate a percentage of proceeds from art sales to various rescues around the United States.

Custom Valentine Collage by PetCollage

Can you feel the love?! This lovely work by PetCollage is a sample custom Valentine's Day collage

I give a percentage of sales to the Red Door Shelter in Chicago. They are the only shelter here that rescues rabbits as well as cats and dogs, and I even saw a duck there once. It is a fantastic place! that is a tribute to the relationship between Lisa, my niece, and her dog Ziggy. She found him wandering the street in Ann Arbor, MI. At the time, they saved each other.

Matching Human and Dog Hat Set by jessicalynneart

This hat set by jessicalynneart shows just how special the relationship between humans and their companion animals can be. Normally the only individuals one sees dressed alike are young twins. The hearts of our animals are much like twins to our own hearts. We are incomplete without them, so we do all that we can to connect with them. These hats keep both you and your pup (or your cat, if your cat likes hats) warm so that you can snuggle up together in the cold weather and enjoy looking like the most adorable aliens around. This set is absolutely one of a kind, as I do not plan on ever making another like it!

I rescued my pug, James Dean, from the Pug Rescue of New England after graduating high school in 2008 and ever since that day I have become increasingly more involved with volunteering for rescues and trying to help people become more aware of the number of animals that need to be adopted. I currently donate at least $1 from every item sold in my shop to the Pug Rescue of New England (PRoNE) or the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). In my spare time, I am a volunteer dog walker for the MSPCA and I also volunteer my time at special events and fundraisers. My favorite way to help animals is by blogging about my own dogs, shelter animals in need, and other pet-related posts so that others can share in my love and respect for animals. I am also the Team EFA challenge blog volunteer who posts all of your lovely entries each month :]

Original Pet Portraits by BrazenDesignStudio

The animal companions with whom we share our lives can mean the world to us. An original, hand painted portrait by BrazenDesignStudio is a beautiful way to celebrate a cherished pet or remember those we have lost.

It's my aspiration as an Artist to help animals with my talent. I donate proceeds from the sale of my artwork to numerous causes such as the BC Interior Horse Rescue Society, the Equine Outreach Horse Rescue, The Gentle Barn, The Okanagan Small Dog Rescue, and The Albertan Bulldog Rescue Society just to name a few!

My Little Joker Print by AlexWijnen

Dogs, especially small lap dogs, make the most perfect animal companions! What better way to share some fun with your furry companion than to play dress-up like this pug in a print by AlexWijnen.

$5 of the sale of every 8x10 print and $7 of every 11x14 print is donated directly to the Oregon Humane Society, a non-profit near and dear to my heart since that’s where we got Tucker, our two-year-old little Golden Retriever. I do a lot of in-kind donation work in the form of graphic design for OHS (creating their quarterly magazine), as well as make annual financial contributions.

In addition to Tucker, our family also includes 9-year-old Pogo, a black lab/newfie mix and, up until last week, 13-year-old Cooper, a collie/shepard mix (sadly, he suffered internal bleeding last Wednesday and we had to let him go...). Our family also includes our kitties Pluisje and Coco.

Love Unspoken Dog and Child Vintage Fabric Collage by QueenBe

This lovely collage by QueenBe represents this months challenge theme by showing how much children love dogs and dogs love children. They are the best companions for each other. The wall hanging is made from all vintage items.

I am currently donating 10% of my monthly shop sales to the ASPCA.

Hello Dog Handmade Card by fairycardmaker

For the Companion's Corner challenge fairycardmaker shows that friends come in all shapes and sizes. This hello greeting card has a white dog greeting a little purple butterfly. The dog is my very own original paper die cut design.

15% of this dog card will go to the Southern Ontario Animal Rescue (SOAR) which is a small local dog rescue in my area. I also teach card making and paper crafting workshops for this charity.