The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:31:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 2011 Petting Zoo http://thesarf.org/2011-petting-zoo/2011-petting-zoo/ http://thesarf.org/2011-petting-zoo/2011-petting-zoo/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:22 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=946

This year's SARF Petting Zoo was a great success! We received so many adoption applications that we're still going through them...]]>


Our 2011 Petting Zoo Success!

This year’s SARF Petting Zoo was a great success! We received so many adoption applications that we’re still going through them. Of course the volume of applications unfortunately means that we’re also having to decline more applications than ever before :( .
If you were not awarded the SA you wanted, know that you are in good company. All of our applicants were excellent candidates… We simply can only choose one person per stuffed animal. And if you weren’t selected to adopt your requested SA, never fear: We promise to have new animals up for adoption within the next few weeks. Please keep checking back.
And if you’re still waiting to find out the status of your application, we will be sending out notifications very soon…
Thank you all so much for supporting the cause!

To see the status of your requested SA, check our Successful Placements section.

]]> http://thesarf.org/2011-petting-zoo/2011-petting-zoo/feed/ 0 Stuffed Platypus on ‘The View’ http://thesarf.org/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/ http://thesarf.org/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:24:26 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1127

Guelah, a platypus and longtime permanent resident of The Stuffed Animal Rescue Foundation, was contacted by ABC's morning television show,The View...]]>

Elizabeth Hasselbeck from 'The View' holds photo of Guelah, a stuffed platypus and permanent resident of The SARF

Hasselbeck with Guelah (Photo Credit- Gather.com)

Permanent SARF Resident Platypus (Guelah) Featured on The View

Guelah, a platypus and longtime permanent resident of The Stuffed Animal Rescue Foundation, was contacted by ABC’s morning television show, The View, to give an official comment regarding the controversial photos of Rielle Hunter which appeared in GQ magazine in early 2010. Elizabeth Hasselbeck, one of the show’s hosts, read a snippet from Guelah’s rather lengthy statement on the air:

The matter is complicated. On one hand, we would all be honored to be featured in GQ. However, we’re concerned about the fact that the stuffed animals featured might not actually belong to Ms. Hunter. At a time when there are so many needy stuffed animals out there, we wish more people would consider adopting abandoned animals from local stuffed animal shelters rather than buying them new… I’m available for interviews via e-mail or chat as I don’t actually speak out loud.

Rielle Hunter GQ photo with stuffed animals including Barney, Kermit and Dora the Explorer.

Credit- AP Photo/GQ, Mark Selinger

Though we are extremely grateful for Ms. Hasselbeck’s interest in the opinions of our organization, we do feel that many of Guelah’s more important points were excluded from the segment. Also, it appears that some viewers did not believe the response was actually written by our dear stuffed friend. Some even implied that statement was in fact written by The View’s team of writers. However, we can assure you that Guelah spent several hours formulating his thoughtful response.

 

]]> http://thesarf.org/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/stuffed-platypus-on-the-view/feed/ 0 Justin http://thesarf.org/justin/justin/ http://thesarf.org/justin/justin/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:56:59 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1100 Hi! My name is Justin, but you can call me Justin. Ha!! I'm a lovable dog with a great sense of humor...]]>

Gender: Male
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Specialties: Making cheesy jokes
Temperament: Easy-going
Health Condition: Fluffy
Special Needs: Luv

Adopted in January 2012
Hi! My name is Justin, but you can call me Justin. Ha!! I’m a lovable dog with a great sense of humor. And I like to cuddle! I love playing with other stuffed dogs and live humans, and I can’t wait to find a new family! My mother was a stray stuffed dog, and I’m not sure who my father was… but that’s pretty normal for stuffed animals. I don’t mind! If you like taking walks and joking around, you’ll love hanging out with me! I can’t catch a frisbee, though, because I can’t jump. But I can do other stuff, like watching reality tv with you and watching you eat dinner!

]]> http://thesarf.org/justin/justin/feed/ 0 http://thesarf.org/adoption-application/adoption-application/ http://thesarf.org/adoption-application/adoption-application/#comments Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:15:20 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1078 Procedures To be considered to adopt, you must: Research available Rescued Stuffed Animals (RSAs) and determine which animal you wish to adopt If available, visit a Petting Zoo and meet the animal in question Fill out the adoption application below, paying close attention to the question Please explain why you [...]]]>
Procedures

To be considered to adopt, you must:

  • Research available Rescued Stuffed Animals (RSAs) and determine which animal you wish to adopt
  • If available, visit a Petting Zoo and meet the animal in question
  • Fill out the adoption application below, paying close attention to the question Please explain why you would like to adopt this Rescued Stuffed Animal.
  • If chosen, we will contact you via email to make adoption arrangements. There are NO FEES associated with adopting. All adoptions are FREE of charge.

ADOPTION APPLICATION

BASIC INFORMATION
HOME LIFE
DETAILS
IMPORTANT

Before submitting, please read:

We cannot predict how long your wait will be, but we will contact you as soon as a decision is made. Remember, there are a lot of applicants for each RSA, so we cannot guarantee that you will be awarded custody.

Please keep in mind that RSAs are not always happy, healthy or well-adjusted. If you are considering adopting an RSA, it should be because you are committed to giving a homeless Stuffed Animal a second chance. It takes time and patience to work with SAs and to gain their trust. Some RSAs may have fur conditions or emotional issues to which you’re not accustomed if you have always purchased new Stuffed Animals. If you’re looking for perfection, we suggest you visit a new Stuffed Animal retailer.

]]> http://thesarf.org/adoption-application/adoption-application/feed/ 0 Jack http://thesarf.org/jack/jack/ http://thesarf.org/jack/jack/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:59:52 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1018 I was abandoned by the side of the road and rescued by a friend of The S.A.R.F. He brought me to headquarters, where they welcomed me and would have given me food and water if I were of a species that needed those things...]]>


Gender: Male
Hometown: I can’t remember
Temperament: Meek
Stature: Very small
Special Considerations: Attachment issues

Adopted January 2012
I was abandoned by the side of the road and rescued by a friend of The S.A.R.F. He brought me to headquarters, where they welcomed me and would have given me food and water if I were of a species that needed those things. They’re currently helping me deal with my past. We’re doing a bit of regression therapy so I can regain the traumatic memories I’ve pushed deep into my subconscious. So far, I’ve figured out that I was born around the holidays. I’m hoping to uncover more soon, but I can’t rush these things.

]]> http://thesarf.org/jack/jack/feed/ 0 Arnold http://thesarf.org/arnold-2/arnold-2/ http://thesarf.org/arnold-2/arnold-2/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:56:29 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1015 I ended up at The S.A.R.F. after my owners' divorce. They told me it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel a little responsible, like maybe I came between them...]]>


Gender: Male
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Temperament: Hopeful
Occupation: None
Special Needs: Stability, shell polish, strong nail clippers

Adopted January 2012
I ended up at The S.A.R.F. after my owners’ divorce. They told me it wasn’t my fault, but I can’t help but feel a little responsible, like maybe I came between them. I mean, I did actually sleep in between them every night. And when they split everything up, they couldn’t decide where I would go. They could have just cut me in half- since I don’t have any pain receptors or anything. But instead, they gave me up. It’s okay though. I have made a lot of new friends here, and I’m ready to find a new home.

]]> http://thesarf.org/arnold-2/arnold-2/feed/ 0 June & July http://thesarf.org/june-july/june-july/ http://thesarf.org/june-july/june-july/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:54:57 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1012

Gender: Female / Female Hometown: Somewhere in England / Somewhere in England Profession: Aspiring Novelist / Aspiring Novelist Temperament: Shy / Slightly less shy Special Needs: Being together at all times/Being together at all times

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Gender: Female / Female
Hometown: Somewhere in England / Somewhere in England
Profession: Aspiring Novelist / Aspiring Novelist
Temperament: Shy / Slightly less shy
Special Needs: Being together at all times/Being together at all times

My sister and I identical twins. Our mother was a stuffed gibbon and our father was a stuffed chimp, but we really see ourselves as gibbons, even though we don’t really look like them. We are always together, and we share everything. We never tell each other’s secrets! We like to play with dolls and to make up stories. We want to be writers some day, and we’re already working on a few novels.

]]> http://thesarf.org/june-july/june-july/feed/ 0 Ada http://thesarf.org/ada/ada/ http://thesarf.org/ada/ada/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:27:29 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1008

Gender: Female Hometown: Los Alamos, NM Temperament: Analytical Occupation: Artificial Intelligence Researcher Interests: Adaptive Boosting, Dynamic Decision Networks, Symbolic Time Sequences

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Gender: Female
Hometown: Los Alamos, NM
Temperament: Analytical
Occupation: Artificial Intelligence Researcher
Interests: Adaptive Boosting, Dynamic Decision Networks, Symbolic Time Sequences

Curriculum vitae

Positions

  • Ada joined the faculty of the MIT Department of Computer Science in 1995.
  • Ada is a member of the MIT Artificial Stuffed Animal Intelligence Lab and has served on many MIT faculty committees (2000-2006)

Research Interests

  • Artificial Intelligence, stuffed animal activity recognition, dynamic decision networks and symbolic time sequences in plush subjects

Education

  • Ada received a B.S. in Computer Science Synthetics in 1986 from Purdue University and a Ph.D in Computer Science from MIT in 1991.

Publications

  • Ada’s publications include 4 books (major AI textbooks), and several collections of MIT papers.

Honors and Awards

  • AI Dissertation Award: A Framework for Plush Robot Navigation, 1998
  • NSF Award: Dynamic Decisions in Multi-Robot Interactions with Polyester, 1998
  • DSA-98 Best Paper Award: Conference on Synthetic Fur Systems, A Comparison of Representative Polyester Batting Localization Methods in Stuffed Robots, 2001.

Download PDF version:

]]> http://thesarf.org/ada/ada/feed/ 0 Melanie http://thesarf.org/marty/marty/ http://thesarf.org/marty/marty/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:25:01 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1004 I think it's important to like yourself for who you are. Like, you can't try to be something you're not...]]>


Gender: Male
Hometown: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Temperament: Encouraging
Occupation: Crawl Space Retrieval Specialist
Special Needs: Foods that are yellow

Adopted in January 2012
I think it’s important to like yourself for who you are. Like, you can’t try to be something you’re not. If you’ve been given a gift, you’re kind of obligated to use it. You’re not going to be happy any other way. You have to go with what your heart tells you. Use what you’ve been given. That’s what I think.

]]> http://thesarf.org/marty/marty/feed/ 0 Heraclitus http://thesarf.org/heraclitus/heraclitus/ http://thesarf.org/heraclitus/heraclitus/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:03:11 +0000 The S.A.R.F. http://thesarf.org/?p=1000 Life is its own self-contained dichotomy. Up, down, left, right... It is the opposite that creates the whole. I have been abandoned, but I have also be rescued...]]>


Gender: Male
Hometown: Everywhere & Nowhere
Temperament: Melancholy
Occupation: Observer
Special Needs: Balance

Adopted January 2012
Life is its own self-contained dichotomy. Up, down, left, right… It is the opposite that creates the whole. I have been abandoned, but I have also be rescued. I move forward because I have moved backward- and I only know one because I have known the other. I strive for harmony between wake and sleep- between being cuddly and being isolated.

]]> http://thesarf.org/heraclitus/heraclitus/feed/ 0