WellPetUSA launched a new, yummy campaign this month to benefit Amber’s Pets. We have teamed up with Canine Fundraising Group’s Bow Wow Bucks healthy gourmet dog treats. WellPetUSA will receive 20% of orders placed through it’s Doggie Cafe with Bow Wow Bucks. Our campaign runs until August 31, 2008.
Your donation to the Bow Wow Bucks campaign will help go directly to the medical costs of a needy family or rescue organization! Amber’s Pets was created in 2008 to honor WellPetUSA’s founder, Amber Pedraja. Amber passed away from cancer on May 1, 2008. To honor her memory and legacy of helping animals of all kinds, WellPetUSA created a fund to reimburse a qualifying rescue group or family towards medical costs for a pet afflicted with cancer. This fund will donate up to $2000 to a qualifying rescue or family. Qualification guidelines and submissions information should be released at the end of 2008.
I found out about this today via a lovely Facebook invitation (thanks Jen!). The Experience Project hosts a unique collection of trivia games to help save dogs and cats. They estimate that each year, somewhere between 6 and 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters in the United States and that between 3-4 million are euthanized, or “put down” every year! They created these games to help support the Rocket Dog Rescue and the Urban Cat Project in San Francisco, CA who have rescued animals from death row. The games are fueled by advertisers on the site. Funds go to support the animals each time you answer a question correctly.
Don’t think these are easy trivia questions either! Some of these really test your knowledge and thinking skills. Try them out:
This is a great cause! These rescue groups have saved tons of wonderfully adorable dogs and cats from death row. This is a heart wrenching video of the dogs that are available for adoption and have been saved by Rocket Dog Rescue and are being supported by these games.
Trigger’s owners moved and brought him to the Humane Society shelter, where he is up for adoption. STAR-TELEGRAM/RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ
When a homeowner has to leave his home because of foreclosure, often his pet is left behind. Now services are emerging to help pets navigate the mortgage-crisis fallout.
Moving is the primary reason people give when they drop off pets at the shelter, said Peggy Brown Aguilar, shelter manager at the Humane Society shelter on East Lancaster Boulevard in Fort Worth. She doesn’t know how many of those are foreclosures, but the shelter gets between 150 and 200 animals a day. At least some are brought in because of the rising number of pet owners losing their homes.
“They have been kicked out, and they leave the animals,” Aguilar said.
Why it’s happening
Cheryl Lang, president of Houston-based Integrated Mortgage Solutions, has seen the effects of the foreclosure problem through her contractors, who inspect foreclosures across the country. Integrated Mortgage Solutions inspects and fixes 100,000 homes a month for banks after they are sold back to the bank at a foreclosure auction.
Lang was moved about 10 weeks ago when she saw photos of dogs in Arkansas that were abandoned in a kennel in a home back yard. “That’s when we jumped into action,” she said.
Foreclosures present a peculiar problem for pet rescue because pets are considered property. There may be legal issues with taking a pet from a property, Lang said.
What it means
This spring, the national Humane Society organization based in Washington started giving up to $2,000 per shelter specifically for dealing with foreclosure problems. It is far better for displaced homeowners to give their pets to a shelter where they will have a chance than leave them with the house, Lang said. “Please, please don’t abandon them,” spokeswoman Nancy Peterson said. “Take them to the shelter. That is why we gave the shelters some extra money.”
Tips for pet owners facing foreclosure
Give yourself enough time to move.
Call a pet shelter or apartment-locating service for a list of apartments that allow pets.
Get an agreement from a future landlord that pets are allowed.
Get reference letters to show a future landlord that you are a responsible pet owner.
Tell the veterinarian that pet-care affordability is an issue and only get the minimum vaccinations to keep the pet healthy.
At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized animal food products at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center in Joliet, Ill., yesterday.
The press release from the FDA says:
“During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation…The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.”
Apparently the FDA has received no reports yet of any human or pet illness associated with the contamination. As a precaution, they are advising that, if you have handled products from PETCO in the affected states that you should thoroughly wash your hands with hot water and soap as well as any surfaces that came in contact with the packages.
If you have complaints to file about illness as a result of this situation, the FDA provides information on how to submit them.
For frequent WellPetUSA donors, you know that if you join igive.com you can get great savings from over 700 stores plus donate for free to WellPetUSA. Igive has some great new specials … here they are:
Planning on gardening this summer? Get 15% off at Gardener’s Supply Company (3.2% donation to WellPetUSA) or purchase from Garden Alive (6% donation to WellPetUSA).
Sending gifts or flowers to grads, dads, or friends? 1-800 Flowers has tons of savings from 15-25% (5.2% donation to WellPetUSA)
Getting anew ipod for the beach? ipod nanos are on sale at Best Buy for under $200 until June 21. (1.2% donation to WellPetUSA)
Get discounts on greatsummer reading books to keep you busy at the beach at BookBargains.com (4% donation to WellPetUSA)
Stock up on boating supplies … West Marine has great savings (4% donation to WellPetUSA).
Seeing Hollywood blockbusters this summer? Buy through Fandango (3.2% donation to WellPetUSA)
Still haven’t booked your summer vacation? Use hotels.com, expedia.com or any of other other sites in iGive’s travel directory to get great savings and donate to WellPetUSA.
Just sign up at WellPetUSA’s igive link (www.igive.com/WPUSA) and remember to click through the igive mall to redeem your savings and track your donation to WellPetUSA. Igive even has a handy window to download so you don’t have to remember to come back to igive when you visit your favorite stores on your own!
If you live in Texas, time to get off the couch and walk with your pet! The North Richland Hills People & Pets Walk-a-Thon is this Saturday June 21st and will benefit the North Richland Hills Animal Adoption & Rescue Center. A donation of $18 is required to participate in the 2 mile walk. Read the article in the Star Telegram or call the NRH Animal Adoption & Rescue Center at 817-427-6570
Golden Retriever ‘Murphy’ rests on the floor of the office of his owner, Stephen Dean (rear). ‘Murphy’ comes to work with Dean every day. (Globe Staff Photo / Evan Richman)
(From the Pet Sitters International ‘Take your Dog’ site)
First celebrated in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day was created to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs. This annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in their workplace for this one special day to promote pet adoptions.
On June 20, 2008, businesses, animal shelters and pet-care professionals from around the world will work together to better the lives of shelter dogs everywhere. Thousands of businesses will open their doors to employees’ pets on this day in celebration of the great companions dogs make. Pet Sitters International invites your business to Join us! as we celebrate a decade of working dogs!
We are asking every business–great and small–to become a true friend of the canine community by helping Pet Sitters International promote pet adoptions in a positive and proactive way! Explore our site to learn how you can participate, register your business and spread the word!
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