DREXEL HILL, PA – March 23, 2010 – WellPetUSA Inc., an animal welfare nonprofit that raises funds to offset the medical expenses of rescue groups, today announced that is has awarded six grants under its Meow Bow Wow fund to reimburse animal rescue groups for medical expenses incurred in 2008.
The six grant recipients are:
Friends of Powell Pets - Stanton, KY
Southern Arizona Beagle Rescue – Tucson, AZ (Feline Fido Grant)
Southern Indiana Animal Rescue – New Washington, IN (AirTran Airways Grant)
Healing Hearts Small Animal Rescue – Old Fort, NC (Botanical Animal Grant)
Ozark Haven Rescue – Cabool, MO
Upstate Animal Rescue Foundation of South Carolina – Townville, SC
“The mission of WellPetUSA is to raise awareness to prevent the abuse of animals in the USA. Our Meow Bow Wow fund exists to further this mission by providing much needed financial support to animal rescue groups for their rising medical costs,” said Luis Pedraja, Co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of WellPetUSA.
WellPetUSA was founded by Amber and Luis Pedraja. Originally the organization was created as an animal rescue and over the years evolved into a fundraising organization where it introduced the Meow Bow Wow fund to reimburse the medical expenses of animal rescue groups for vaccinations and spay and neuter programs. In 2008, WellPetUSA’s founder, Amber Pedraja, lost her long time battle with lymphoma cancer.
“Donating to WellPetUSA’s Meow Bow Wow fund is an opportunity for individuals to contribute to the work that dedicated, small rescue organizations do across the nation each day,” Pedraja added. “The awarding of this Meow Bow Wow grants is a testament to Amber’s memory, her long time love of animals and the rescue organizations who tirelessly serve to protect them.”
Over 30 applications were submitted for 2008 grants. In order to qualify, organizations were required to: 1) be a non-profit organization qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, 2) Receive less than $25,000 in annual contributions, 3) have a valid U.S. physical address, 4) Be actively engaged in the rescuing and re-homing of adoptable animals, 5) Be committed to reducing the unwanted animal population by supporting the spaying and neutering of adoptable companion animals. Each grant awarded was for the amount of US$500.
Individuals or corporations that wish to earmark donations to the Meow Bow Wow fund to help fulfill future grants may do so online at www.wellpetusa.org
About WellPetUSA, Inc.
WellPetUSA, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 IRS-recognized non-profit organization. From 1996 through 2000, WellPetUSA held private and public pet adoptions, collected donations and worked with numerous veterinary doctors, volunteers and organizations. In 2000, the founders and volunteers refocused the organization to concentrate in the areas of fundraising and community pet education and welfare creating The Meow Bow Wow Fund and P.E.A.T. The Meow Bow Wow Fund distributes funds to pet rescue groups to help offset medical care costs. The Pet Education, Awareness and Training (P.E.A.T.) program is designed to educate the community and pet owners about pet welfare. In 2008, WellPetUSA’s founder, Amber Pedraja, passed away from cancer. In her memory, a new fund - the Amber’s Pets Fund - was created to reimburse needy rescue groups or families for medical costs of treating a pet with cancer. For additional information, please visit www.wellpetusa.org .
**Note: Some of our grants are named for 2008 corporate sponsors.
WellPetUSA has joined the next evolution in social networking!!!! Many of your are already friends to WellPetUSA’s Cause on Facebook. Now follow our stream of news and updates on Twitter.
In addition to news, we will post deals and promotions from our sponsors and donation sources like iGive, Goodsearch, Macy’s and others.
Please feel free to RT us, or shout out @WellPetUSA to your Twitter buds on #MeowMonday , #WoofWednesday , or #FollowFriday.
After a long year of fundraising, all of us at WellPetUSA are pleased to announce the opening of the application period for rescue organizations to submit for Meow Bow Wow grants.
The application period will open on April 13, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. and close on April 24, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Submissions will be processed on a first come, first served basis.
Due to the generous donations of many individual sponsors and organizations, WellPetUSA will be funding 6 $500 grants this year to qualifying rescue organizations that meet our funding criteria. If you aren’t familiar with it, our Meow Bow Wow Fund reimburses small animal 501(c)3 rescue organizations for medical costs, including vaccinations, spay and neuter procedures, and anesthesia assocated with alteration procedures.
Today more than ever, small animal rescues are hurting from a lack of funding due to the suffering economy. We thank all of our donors for their continued commitment to WellPetUSA, enabling our ability to assist rescue organizations in this time of need.
This announcement is also special for me personally … Next month will be the one year anniversary of the passing of WellPetUSA’s founder, Amber Predraja. Amber started WellPetUSA and the Meow Bow Wow fund with this goal in mind. I am so thankful to have a dedicated team of Board members and Staff members that have worked diligently over the course of the last 12 months to make Amber’s vision a reality.
WellPetUSA will be exhibiting at the Swarthmore Charity Fun Fair on April 19 in Swarthmore, PA. Join us for a fun filled day of parades, entertainment, food, games, and prizes! More updates on WellPetUSA booth activities will be coming …
For more information and to let WellPetUSA know that you will be coming to support us, please register.
Rescue folks are often spreading the spay and neuter message- now your pet can join in! Feline Fido Pet Designs features a “Save Lives Spay & Neuter” collection of collars and leashes that WellPetUSA loves! Now your furbaby can promote responsible pet ownership and look incredibly cute at the time. A must have for anyone involved in rescue or shares their life with an adopted dog or cat! Props to this pet accessory company for supporting the homeless pet cause. Feline Fido creates each leash, collar, harness and key chain by hand and we find all of the products super affordable. See the Spay & Neuter Collection here.
Don’t miss their Breast Cancer and Autism Awareness Collars…
It is Holiday Season and just under a month left for WellPetUSA to fund its Meow Bow Wow fund and Amber’s Pets fund.
Today is Cyber Monday, so we are publishing a Holiday Gift Guide for all the ways that you can help donate to WellPetUSA through your online purchases this holiday season! In many cases your donation will cost you nothing! Just by using a vendor that donates to WellPetUSA you are both fullfilling your holiday shopping needs as well as helping a cause that will save pet’s lives!
As you start to shop for holiday presents, we hope that you will consider a number of the wonderful options outlined in this guide. There are hundreds of wonderful gifts and many stores that will donate a portion of your sale to WellPetUSA.
Especially important is WellPetUSA’s own 2009 Holiday Calendar. Your votes selected the top photos to include. These custom calendar detail photos of the most adorable rescued pets ever!!!
Other options include pet products, food, crafts, and shopping through iGive at hundreds of retailers online.
If you don’t find something you like you can also consider a donation to WellPetUSA in someone else’s name or in the name of your rescued animal.
About WellPetUSA: The Meow Bow Wow Fund raises and distributes funds to rescue groups to help offset medical costs like vaccinations and spay/neuter procedures. Amber’s Pets was created as a memorial to our founder, Amber Pedraja, who passed away this year from cancer. This fund raises money for needy rescues or families to put funds toward the treatment of a pet with cancer each year.
Visit the ASPCA website for more Halloween pet safety details. Here are just a few great tips from the site-
No Chocolate: Even if your pet has a sweet tooth, ingesting chocolate (especially baker’s and dark chocolate) can be dangerous for dogs and cats, possibly causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.
No Sweets for the Sweet: Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.
Dangerous Décor: Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
Don’t Play with Fire: Keep your pets away from jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside—knocking the pumpkin over can easily cause a fire. And curious kittens can get burned or singed by candle flames.
Costume Caution: Please don’t put your pet in a costume unless you know that he or she loves it. Costumes can cause skin irritations, obstruct a pet’s vision or impede his breathing.
If your pet accidentally ingests potentially harmful products, immediately consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Live in the Chicagoland area? We’d love to have all animal lovers join us!
SAVE THE DATE WellPet invites you to Yappy Hourto benefit the Meow Bow Wow Fund, which reimburses animal rescues for their vaccinations and spay/neuter costs. The Clubhouse will feature special dog-themed drinks like the Chocolate Lab Martini and the Grateful Greyhound. We’ll have an amazing silent auction to peruse while you sip your cocktail: offering dog and cat accessories, gift certificates, unique and handmade items, jewelry and much more. Appetizer specials, a rescued puppy slide show, and friends- if it sounds fun we hope you can join us and “unwind” for this great cause! We’ll be there all night.
First Friday at The Clubhouse
December 5th (Date change from 11/7)
298 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523
6:00pm-9:00pm
Questions or silent auction donations please contact: katie@wellpetusa.org
DREXEL HILL, PA – September 9, 2008 – WellPetUSA, an animal welfare nonprofit that raises funds to offset the costs of animal rescue groups, announced that is has opened the public voting for its Holiday Calendar photo contest, sponsored by Botanical Animal.
Photos were accepted in August and September from animal rescue groups around the country. Members of the public can now vote online at http://tinyurl.com/holidaycalendarvoting to select their favorite pet.
The top 12 photos will be included in the Holiday Calendar whose sales will benefit the Meow Bow Wow fund. The rescue group with the most votes will also receive a special gift pack of flower essences from Botanical Animal, to help treat trauma that neglected or abused pets often suffer.
“WellPetUSA’s goal with this contest is to highlight the important work that rescue groups due every day to save the lives of these wonderfully adorable pets,” said Heather Read, Chairman and Executive Director of WellPetUSA. “All of the proceeds from sales of our calendar will go to our Meow Bow Wow fund which will reimburse eligible rescues for medical costs associated the rescue and adoption process for pets like the ones you see in our calendar.”
Public voting opened on Monday, September 8, 2008. Voting will close on Friday, October 3, 2008.
About Botanical Animal
Headquartered in Parker Ford, PA, Botanical Animal ® is the distributor of all-natural botanical products for animals. They are best known for their private label of Flower Essences. For additional information please visit www.botanicalanimal.com
About the Meow Bow Wow Fund The Meow Bow Wow Fund reimburses qualifying non-profit rescue organizations for the spaying and/or neutering of adoptable dogs and/or cats and for the vaccination of dogs and/or cats commensurate with requirements for adoption. Reimbursable costs include anesthesia, medication, vaccinations, and veterinary services. In 2008, the maximum amount of a reimbursement award will be $500 per organization. Reimbursements will be made for past medical expenses only and will require proof of services performed.
About WellPetUSA, Inc.
WellPetUSA, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 IRS-recognized non-profit organization. From 1996 through 2000, WellPetUSA held private and public pet adoptions, collected donations and worked with numerous veterinary doctors, volunteers and organizations. In 2000, the founders and volunteers refocused the organization to concentrate in the areas of fundraising and community pet education and welfare creating The Meow Bow Wow Fund and P.E.A.T. The Meow Bow Wow Fund distributes funds to rescue groups and the general public to help offset medical care costs. The Pet Education, Awareness and Training (P.E.A.T.) program is designed to educate the community and pet owners about pet welfare. In 2008, WellPetUSA’s founder, Amber Pedraja, passed away from cancer. In her memory, the Amber’s Pets Fund was created to reimburse a needy rescue group or family for medical costs of treating a pet with cancer. For additional information, please visit www.wellpetusa.org
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