Pssssssttt … Hey you. Yeah – you! Come over here.

Princess Daisy telling Bob a secret. (Photo by Bev Hollis.)

There’s this calendar contest going on and I have the inside scoop … OK. OK. Yeah – I get it. Dog. Scoop. Real funny. Pay attention.

Anyway, I have the inside scoop.

Can you please stop giggling and let me tell you something? Take a breath and chill.

OK. You alright now?

Finally.

Look, there’s this terrific calendar contest going on. It’s called Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down and it’s going to have all sorts of photos and stories of very brave dogs with cancer in it, and lots of other neat stuff.  I know all about it because my friend Princess Daisy was on the very first cover. Yes, The Princess Daisy. The One and Only. That’s her in the photo, before she went to the Rainbow Bridge. She’s gossiping with her friend Bob.

So, I know Princess Daisy and she knows all about 2 Million Dogs and where they sent their calendar proceeds last year – the money they made when people like you sent them their photos and stories and votes. The Princess has a very high security clearance here at The Rainbow Bridge, and she told me that she got to read the very letter from The Broad Institute about how they’re using the funds from last year’s calendar contest to study osteosarcoma in several breeds: Leonbergers and Goldens and Great Danes and Great Pyrenees. The very funds people donated to study genes and dogs and cancer. This is very important research that Broad is doing, and they collaborate with other scientists and research organizations from all over the world. So this is a big deal. A really big deal. And all the people who participated in the contest last year had a hand in helping make this research possible by taking part in the calendar contest.

No kidding.

But what I really need to tell you is that time is running out to enter. You have to send your photos and stories to Erich (erich@2milliondogs.org) right away. And then, when voting starts, you have to get all your friends and co-workers and aunts and uncles and cousins and brothers and sister and even total strangers to vote, because the money you and your friends donate will go to research to help dogs, and even people. Yes, people. Dogs and people get the same kinds of cancers. Haven’t you been paying any attention?

The important thing to know is that each year the calendar contest supports research that help dogs and people. But you can’t help if you don’t enter and you don’t vote.

So? What are you waiting for?

Follow this link to find out about the calendar contest and how to enter.

Then send a photo and story of your dog who has or has had cancer to Erich at erich@2milliondogs.org. He’s pretty cool and he’ll write you back when he gets your stuff.

Oh, and Princess Daisy said I’d better include her cover photo from the very first Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down calendar from 2009. Honestly, I think she’s sticking her tongue out at cancer.