Social Media Mania

I am social media freak. I love Facebook. I have a Twitter account but don’t really use it. That does not stop me from reading random tweets from people I don’t know. It’s fun.

It’s an inroad into people’s lives that provides a connection.

Social networks have provided a smile in times of sorrow. It has been an avenue for advice in times of need. I turn to it when I need help answering questions about my dogs or finding a great recipe.

I have heard social networks doing some great things, but I had not heard about it saving a life – until now.

Huey Davis doesn’t know what Facebook is or how it works, but he owes his life to the online social network. The 11-month-old pit bull had 10 minutes left on his short life at an animal shelter in Los Angles. His time was up and at 5 p.m., and he was schedule to be euthanized.

That’s when the word went out on Facebook – a final plea for someone to take the pup.

Enter Sean Davis, of Virginia Beach, VA, who decided to check his Facebook page, which he had not done in a while. The dog’s picture popped up and he immediately responded saying he wanted to help.

Within minutes, the Facebook group members were working to stop the scheduled euthanasia and arrange to get the dog to Virginia Beach.

After getting vaccinated and neutered, Huey was bound for the East Coast. Thanks to a Delta airlines program, Huey flew across the United States straight to Norfolk. Members of the Facebook group, which don’t have anything to do with animal rescue, pitched in to help pay the costs, which was about $600 between the vet care and transportation efforts.

It took Huey six days to get to his new home from that fateful night to the day he walk in the house. Today the family is settled in to a routine and has fun playing in their oversized backyard.

After reading that story about Huey, it makes me realize just how powerful social networks can be. I don’t need a degree in psychology to know one post can make a different. A tweet can change a life. A connection can mean the difference of a good job or settling for something else.

It’s always fun to check Facebook and catch up with friends, but now I make sure to keep an eye out for a cry for help, a good story and a way that I might be able to use the social network to help others.
 

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Staci Dennis is a freelance writer and blogger for Nexxt. She uses her job skills and life experience to formulate unique and clever blogs and stories.