Economic crisis in Venezuela leaves pet food shelves empty

The economic crisis in Venezuela isn’t only affecting human supplies of food and medicine, but pet shops also are struggling to keep their shelves stocked.
A combination of falling oil prices and a decaying state-led economic model has the country suffering chronic product shortages, according to a report.
Feed manufacturers have had to slow or halt operations, causing shortages in pet food supply.
Police departments are rationing their food for their police dogs, as are pet owners. Animal shelters have had trouble finding homes for stray dogs and cats, as well.
Purina’s Venezuelan division says it had reduced the variety of pet food products it offers to maximize its scarce raw materials and continue supplying the market. Purina says its local production has returned to full capacity after raw materials shortages forced it to slow output recently.

Charlee Bear to sponsor pet adoption tour

Charlee Bear Dog Products, maker of the original Charlee Bear Dog Treats and grain-free Bear Crunch Dog Treats, will sponsor FIDO Friendly magazine’s 7th annual Get Your Licks on Route 66 month-long pet adoption tour. The cross-country series of events begins September 11 at the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Riverside, California, USA.
Get Your Licks on Route 66 will visit animal shelters in 15 cities to support adoption events and help shed light on the plight of homeless pets. In its first six years, the tour has assisted in placing more than 3,000 animals with adoptive families. This is the third year that Charlee Bear has sponsored the tour.
 “Charlee Bear is proud to support FIDO Friendly on its annual Route 66 tour of shelters to aid in finding forever homes for pets who are in need,” says Ava Olsen, brand manager for Charlee Bear Dog Products. “Just as our simple, wholesome treats help reinforce the bond between dog and human, the tour brings attention to thousands of animals who so desperately need a loving family. Charlee Bear will continue to support shelters doing important, life-saving work.”

Plato Pet Treats gives back with Plato Wags Back program

As part of its mission to provide health and safety for dogs through nutrition, California-based wholesome dog treat maker Plato Pet Treats has launched its first-ever Plato Wags Back program.
With the purchase of a bag of Plato Pet Treats, Plato will provide meaningful financial and product donations to rescues and shelters across the US to help ensure that dogs are treated with love until they find their forever home. Additionally, throughout 2015, Plato Wags Back will directly aid three California rescue-based organizations – Shelter to Soldier, Fresno Bully Rescue and Labsandfriends.org – that either feed and care for homeless dogs or help enhance the lives of veterans who need assistance animals.
Plato Wags Back’s mission is to champion the love and bond between dogs and people by treating every dog with kindness while enabling them to live a safe and healthy life. To make a difference in the lives of homeless dogs, supporters can participate in the program in the following ways:

• With the purchase of Plato Pet Treats, a donation will be made to animal rescues.
• Through Dec. 31, 2015, for every new Like on the Plato Pet Treats Facebook page, $1 will be donated to support veterans post deployment. Follow the page to learn about other ways to help homeless animals.

There are close to 7 million homeless pets in the US, with nearly 2.7 million animals likely to be euthanized this year alone. Compelled by these staggering statistics, Plato Pet Treats formalized Plato Wags Back to encourage Americans to help homeless pets and consider adoption.
“Dogs give us so much love and we want to return that love to dogs who need it most,” said Aaron Merrell, co-founder and co-owner of Plato Pet Treats. “From sponsoring dog runs to adopting our first “Plato” canine to be trained as a service companion for a US veteran, we are ecstatic to provide a voice to homeless animals through Plato Wags Back. Our goal is to continue to grow our program year over year to make a significant impact on the pet homelessness epidemic in our country.”
Plato Wags Back Partner Organizations
Shelter to Soldier: A nonprofit organization that rescues shelter dogs and trains them to be psychiatric service companions for wounded combat veterans. Every 63 minutes, a US veteran commits suicide and every 11 seconds an animal is euthanized; Shelter to Soldier works to aid and partner together two- and four-legged friends. Through the Wags Back program, Plato will fund the complete training of one dog (named Plato) at the San Diego-based training school. In addition, every Shelter to Soldier dog adopted will go home with Plato treats.
Fresno Bully Rescue (FBR): A volunteer-based, nonprofit, no-kill shelter dedicated to rescuing Bully breed dogs in the Central Valley of Calif. Because of foreclosures in the state, an overwhelming amount of dogs are being surrendered and Bully breeds are typically the first to be euthanized if no one adopts or rescues them. Plato Wags Back will support FBR’s spay and neuter program.
 Labsandfriends.org: An organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of Labrador retrievers and their “friends” in the greater Los Angeles area. The group’s goal is to find the right family for every animal they rescue by providing education and compassion. Labsandfriends.org is run completely by volunteers, so all donations go toward helping animals in need. Plato Wags Back will be sponsoring one of the Lab runs located at Best Friends Animal Society's NKLA Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles.

Mars to donate food to kitten rescued at plant

Mars Petcare will donate a one-year supply of Sheba, Iams and Temptations treats to the new adoptive owner of a kitten that was rescued after it hitched a ride under the truck that belongs to an employee of the Mars plant in Hackettstown, New Jersey, USA.
The orange and white tabby kitten reportedly traveled 28 miles inside the engine compartment of a pickup truck from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania to the Mars chocolate plant when the truck’s owner went to work. The three-to-four-month-old kitten survived the ride without injury.
Police and employees of the Hackettstown Department of Public Works and Mars helped free the kitten, who ran a short distance before he was caught.
 If no one claims ownership of the kitten by July 10, it will be put up for adoption. Dozens of interested adopters have called the shelter where the kitten is being held.

70 pets find homes during Woof Gang Bakery adopt-a-thon

Nearly 70 deserving pets were adopted during Woof Gang Bakery’s second adopt-a-thon event held on May 9, 2015. Another 26 pet adoption applications are in progress. The event, held in collaboration with more than 70 local animal rescue groups, was hosted at 42 Woof Gang Bakery stores across six states.
Local animal rescue organizations also received donations from customers and Woof Gang Bakery. Donations included nearly 2,600 pounds of pet food, $9,800 in goods and veterinary services, and $500 in grooming services, including baths and grooms for newly adopted dogs.
Adoptions resulting from the event included a lovable 150-pound English Mastiff and a Labrador Retriever who had been in foster care and in need of a permanent home for more than a year. At Woof Gang Bakery Jacksonville, Florida, USA, funds were raised to provide surgery for a Staffordshire terrier who suffered BB gun injuries. That dog also was adopted that day.
 Throughout the entire year, Woof Gang Bakery strives to help raise awareness for the more than 7 million adoptable dogs and cats across the country. Working with local pet rescue organizations, Woof Gang Bakery aims to assist shelter animals and help them find forever homes.

VCA Charities, Hill’s mark 1 million meals for pets in need

Marking the serving of one million meals to pets in need, VCA Charities and Hill’s Pet Nutrition celebrated the major milestone in their five-year partnership at the St. Joseph’s Center in Venice, California, USA, where the pet food assistance partnership began in 2010.
The partnership with Hill’s helps support the VCA Pet Food Pantry program, initiated by VCA Charities five years ago to provide pet food to pet parents stricken by the economic downturn. At that time, an increasing number of pets were being taken to animal hospitals for euthanasia or abandoned when their owners could no longer bear the cost of caring for them.
Since that time, the VCA Pet Food Pantry program has expanded to more than 20 locations throughout the United States and Canada, providing free pet food to clients of existing food pantries.
“We started the Pet Food Pantry program to provide healthy, nutritious pet food to families who could not otherwise afford it in the local communities we serve,” said Art Antin, chief operating officer for VCA Animal Hospitals. “By providing these one million free meals, we have helped many families in need hold on to the loving and comforting bond their pets provide.”
St. Joseph Center’s Executive Director Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum said: “The Food Pantry is the primary gateway to St. Joseph Center's efforts to help working poor families achieve and maintain stability as they make their way toward lasting self-sufficiency. With the VCA Pet Food Pantry on-site, our families don’t have the additional burden of worrying how they will be able to feed their companion animals.”
Working with VCA Charities, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the maker of the Science Diet, Prescription Diet and Ideal Balance brands, currently donates premium pet food to more than half of the VCA Pet Food Pantries across the US, and has made a commitment to expand the current partnership by supporting additional pet food pantries with pet food donations over the next few years.
“Our mission at Hill’s is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets,” said Kostas Kontopanos, president of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, North America. “We want to help transform lives, and this partnership with VCA Charities allows us to do that by keeping a pet with its family during a time of need when its unconditional love is most needed.”
In furthering its mission, Hill’s has a long-standing history of helping pets in need through its Food, Shelter & Love program, which has donated more than $280 million worth of Hill’s Science Diet brand foods to more than 1,000 shelters in the U.S.
Hill’s also comes to the aid of communities impacted by disaster. In the past two years, the Hill’s Disaster Relief Network has delivered free pet food to 60 shelters and veterinary clinics across the country in response to 25 major incidents to feed displaced pets.
VCA Charities continues to support programs, organizations, and causes that promote pet healthcare education, proactive veterinary care, proper pet nutrition, and prevention of cruelty to animals. In furthering its mission, VCA Charities partners with the American Red Cross in their Disaster Relief Network, and provides free exams, boarding, and vaccinations for pets displaced or injured during a disaster or emergency.

Pedigree launches Feed the Good global marketing campaign

Pedigree Brand has launched a new global marketing campaign called Feed the Good.
Created by BBDO, Feed the Good is Pedigree’s first global campaign in years and is based on the simple, yet universal insight that dogs bring out the good in people as their innocence helps us reconnect with our own.
"Studies attest how the companionship of animals transforms and improves people's lives," said Leonid Sudakov, chief marketing officer, global petcare, Mars Inc.  "By nourishing the loveable innocence in every dog, Pedigree helps feed the good they bring to the world."
Pedigree will roll out Feed the Good creative, as well as other integrated marketing elements beginning in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand and the US, with additional markets slated for later in 2015 and 2016. The global insight will fuel all of the Feed the Good executions, but the creative content is contextually relevant for the markets where it will be featured.
Above and beyond television, print and online advertisements, the campaign will feature various additional integrated marketing efforts including in-store displays, social media, consumer promotions and public relations. In some markets, like New Zealand, the campaign will be supported with world-class digital solutions developed in collaboration with companies like Google.
A 'Good Fight' in Australia
The first television commercial in the Feed the Good campaign began airing on May 4 in Australia. Titled “Good Fight,” the spot opens on several young adults on a street corner who are poised to fight. Just as it's about to get really heated, one of them notices a loose dog in the middle of a busy street with a despondent owner on the far sidewalk. Suddenly the men forget about their issues and sprint to help protect the dog. The relieved owner joins the two men who saved his dog to thank them – the fight long forgotten.
'First Days Out' in Brazil
Feed the Good launches in Brazil via an online documentary film that follows the real-life journey of two ex-cons – Joey and Matt – who each adopt dogs upon their release from prison. The emotional three-minute video, called “First Days Out” profiles all of the good that comes from these unlikely pairs, including new opportunities, blossoming friendships and mended fences. In addition to the documentary, Pedigree will release a 30-second television commercial called “Dogs World” in Brazil later in 2015.

Himalayan sets up website to help Nepal quake victims

Himalayan Corp., makers of Himalayan Dog Chew, has set up a website to help the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Nepal.
The website collects donations and tracks the company’s CEO, Sujan Shrestha, and the Himalayan team as they provide supplies to those displaced by the earthquake.
“We’ve stopped production in Nepal for two weeks while we pay our workers their regular rate to deliver food, water and masks to the Kathmandu valley,” said Brando Barney, digital marketing and trade show specialist at Himalayan. “Our production facility is still standing, and we won’t have any supply issues.”
The website says all donations go directly to those in need.
“Nepal needs your support more than ever, today,” the website says. “Including providing tents, mask and tickets for victims to go to villages to their families and friends, we, Himalayan Dog Chew family, are trying our best to provide a meal and a bottle of water per person per day in local tent cities in small scale. $2 buys a meal and a bottle of water. Hence, every dollar you donate to help really does count.”

Three Dog Bakery food drive kicks off

Three Dog Bakery has launched its annual Feed a Dog Food Drive to help local dogs in need. Participating Three Dog Bakery stores across the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong are holding food drives to help feed dogs in their local communities.
Three Dog Bakery was founded out of love and the desire for all dogs to live long, healthy and happy lives. One of the goals of the Three Dog Bakery is to support dogs in need. In keeping with that mission, participating Three Dog Bakery stores around the world have partnered with local animal rescue organizations to feed shelter dogs. The dog food drive kicked off May 1, and will run for the entire month.
“This is a wonderful event that we are proud to support every year,” said Jamie Wiebrecht, executive vice president of franchise operations and client experience. “There are many phenomenal organizations that are dedicated to serving homeless and neglected animals. We are extremely happy that we can play a role in raising awareness about shelter dogs while helping to provide thousands of pounds of food. Our hope is that the Three Dog Bakery food will help these organizations continue to make a difference for animals in their area.”
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million animals in the U.S. go into shelters each year. Consequently, there is always a need for more food. Every dollar raised will feed a shelter dog one meal. The Three Dog Bakery Feed a Dog Food Drive gives the community an easy way to support local dogs in need. All they have to do is make a donation at their local Three Dog Bakery, and the bakery will do the rest.
Since the inception of Three Dog Bakery’s Feed a Dog Food Drive in 2011, more than 50,000 pounds of dog food has been donated to dogs in need. In addition to the contributions collected in the bakeries, Three Dog Bakery Headquarters will donate up to 500 pounds of additional food and treats to the three bakeries with the most donations.

Passion for animals ties Jackson Galaxy to the pet food industry

Improving the lives of companion animals is common goal of celebrity animal trainer and the pet food industry.

The passion to improve the lives of companion animals is what drives many in the pet food industry. That same passion caused Jackson Galaxy to transform from a part-time musician and animal shelter employee to one of the country’s best known cat behaviorists. Galaxy, the host of “My Cat From Hell” on the Animal Planet network and author of several books on cat behavior, was the keynote speaker at Petfood Forum 2015 in Kansas City April 28.
“My passion for passion for animals is what ties me to you,” he told the audience. “We are all people that are not OK with the status quo. I wasn’t ok with cat euthanasia. I am not ok with the average life span of cat being 14 years. I have a 23-year-old cat at home. Part of the reason that cat is still here is the passion of people like you who were not satisfied with feeding them the same thing.”
Galaxy said he now teaches that one of the basic needs of cats is better nutrition, which allows them to live longer. He thanked the pet food industry for the improvements it’s made in cat food over the past 20 years.
He said food is one of the key drivers in keeping a cat happy. “Cats do one thing really well, and that’s hunting,” he said. “If you can let your cat hunt, eat, groom and sleep, they will be very happy.”
Galaxy was working at an animal shelter in Boulder, Colorado, USA, when he first started studying cat behavior. He saw the connection between training and socializing the cats in the shelter and raising the adoption rate. So he studied more on cat behavior. He says he learned dog training clicker reinforcement dog training tricks and adapted them to cats.
“At that point, my passion for animals took over,” he said. “I took over adoption and then became community outreach manager. Was able to convey passion for animals to other people.”
He was teaching basic cat behavior to people adopting cats, and return rates went down. When someone called to give up a cat, he went and talked to them, and could often solve the problem that was leading to the cat being given up for adoption. Within a short time the shelter was euthanizing fewer cats.
Galaxy says his methods are about teaching people how to empathize with the animal. “We don’t get cats, because they aren’t dogs,” he said. “It’s only a little over a 100 years ago we started bringing cats into the house.”
 Today, Galaxy works with shelters and organizations across the country to improve the lives of animals in shelters and reduce euthanasia rates.

Merrick’s helps shelter pets with baseball campaign

As baseball season begins in the US, Merrick’s is kicking off Homeruns for Shelters, a campaign that will support local shelters.
For every home run hit by the home teams during Opening Day games, Merrick’s will make a US$1,000 Merrick food donation to a local animal shelter – that’s one shelter for every homer. Pet parents can nominate their favorite local shelter or rescue on Merrick’s Facebook page and invite others to share and vote for their shelter. The shelters with the most votes will win a special delivery of Merrick food in April.
Here’s how to help your favorite shelter:

• Share #HomerunsForShelters from Merrick’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and encourage your fans to nominate their local shelters or pet rescues.
• Post or tweet to your favorite baseball team about #HomerunsForShelters.
•  Share your best pet rescue and adoption stories and photos with us. Tweet and post pics of your pets sporting their home team caps and T-shirts, too, tagging #HomerunsForShelters. 

Jackson Galaxy: how petfood companies can help needy pets

Jackson Galaxy, star of My Cat From Hell and keynote speaker for Petfood Forum 2015, believes that, in addition to donating petfood and money to organizations that care for and support homeless pets, petfood companies can encourage their employees to volunteer for such groups or foster homeless pets.

“I think what the workers can do on a personal level is what everybody should be doing—which is volunteer, foster,” Galaxy said. “You know, make the job easier on the people [who work at shelters] and the animals. And also, it connects you in a way that doing other things may not. Whatever it is that you can do. If your heart can’t stand going into an animal shelter, I get it. And if that means just opening your wallet and spreading the word, God bless you for doing that.
“That said, if you can, you do exactly what I’m asking everybody to do, which is to take one step over your personal challenge line,” he continued. “I talk about the challenge line a lot with cats on my show, and if you have a challenge line, you take one step over what you might be comfortable with. For instance, if every day, you leave to go for work and you see that same cat under a car down the street, and every day, you put down a little bit of food for that cat, what’s that next step?”
Galaxy, who will present his Petfood Forum keynote on Tuesday, April 28, gave examples such as finding out how to trap, neuter and return the cat to the neighborhood or making neighbors aware of stray cats in the neighborhood so all could decide how to best help the cats. He also stressed the need for fostering homeless pets. “Man, we need foster parents like you wouldn’t believe.”
Later in the morning of April 28, after Galaxy speaks, Petfood Forum participants can enjoy a visit with pets from two Kansas City area humane organizations: Great Plains SPCA and the Kansas City Pet Project, whose innovative work helping homeless pets was lauded by Galaxy. The groups’ visit is sponsored by Trouw Nutrition USA.
For more information or to register for Pefood Forum, visit PetfoodForumEvents.com.

Blue Buffalo launches Shelter Starts to celebrate pet adoption

Blue Buffalo has launched BLUE Shelter Stars, a website celebrating pet adoption and the work of America’s animal shelters.

With so many homeless pets across the country, pet parents are making a difference in the lives of animals that deserve a second chance. The website gives pet parents the opportunity to share the love of their adopted dogs and cats, uploading photos, videos and stories about their own “Shelter Stars.”
In addition to community-generated content, the website will serve as an information hub about animal shelters and rescues, pet adoption and more.
"Over the years, we've helped place over 2.5 million pets in forever homes through our animal welfare initiatives," said David Petrie, vice president, Blue Buffalo Co. "We look forward to continuing our work with animal shelters and celebrate pet parents who choose to adopt."
The website launches in anticipation of the Blue Buffalo-sponsored NBC TV special, “Best in Shelter,” hosted by animal welfare advocate and former NBC correspondent, Jill Rappaport. The show highlights pet adoption centers from around the country and includes appearances from celebrity animal lovers Betty White, Lindsey Vonn and others. One dog from each shelter will be named "Best in Shelter" and win a one-year supply of a food-filled care package from Blue Buffalo.

Nature’s Variety, Best Friends Animal Society team up

Three to four million healthy and adoptable pets are killed in America's animal shelters each year because they haven’t yet found a home. To help increase awareness of and save the pets available for adoption, Nature's Variety, makers of the Instinct brand and newly named Official Pet Food Partner of Best Friends Animal Society, is launching Long Live Pets.

Adopters of shelter and rescue pets across the nation are being invited to submit photos of their pets to be the potential stars of what will be a groundbreaking, crowd-sourced film that showcases the happiness of adopted dogs in their new lives. The short film, which will premiere on national TV this spring on the Nat Geo WILD network, will also help promote the mission of Best Friends to end the killing of animals in America's shelters.
"Our company purpose – something we live every day – is 'empowering people to transform the lives of pets,'" said Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature's Variety. "Best Friends Animal Society is a natural partner in this mission because they have been transforming – and saving – the lives of pets for more than 30 years."
According to Best Friends, an estimated 9,000 adoptable pets are killed in America's shelters each day. In recognition of Best Friends' goal of reducing this number to zero, the campaign strives to receive at least 9,000 photo submissions.
To participate in the campaign, consumers can go directly to LongLivePets.com or submit their photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #LongLivePets.

Wellness Natural, WellPet donate US$1.7 million in petfood

Wellness Natural Pet Food and the WellPet Foundation have made a US$1.7 million in-kind donation of Wellness petfood to PetSmart Charities for distribution to five shelters in Arizona and Indiana serving pets in need. The Wellness petfood donation represents the largest-ever volume donation received by PetSmart Charities, and the single-largest donation by the WellPet Foundation, and will help thousands of dogs and cats in need.

The shelters, all adoption partners of PetSmart Charities, include Heartland Small Animal Rescue in South Bend, Indiana, and, in Arizona, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Pima County Animal Care in Tucson, Maricopa County Animal Care in Phoenix and Pinal County Animal Care in Casa Grande.
"Thousands of homeless pets will benefit because of our partnership with WellPet," said Jan Wilkins, executive director, PetSmart Charities. "WellPet's generous US$1.7 million Wellness petfood donation will make it possible for many of our animal welfare partners to not only feed homeless pets, but use the money they would have spent on food to make life better in other ways, too, for the pets in their care."
Wellness and the WellPet Foundation have a long history of helping animals in communities across the country. "Helping pets in need is part of the Wellness 'All Ways Well' brand promise, which includes extending the nutritional benefits of Wellness natural petfood to all pets," said Chanda Leary Coutu, senior communications manager for WellPet. "We're sincerely honored to have the opportunity to join PetSmart Charities in supporting the well-being of dogs and cats at these shelters.

Blue Buffalo reaches 1 million pet adoptions in campaign

In participation with the Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption campaign, the Monmouth County, New Jersey-based SPCA introduced the Ferrier Family to its newest member—a cat named Watermark. Blue Buffalo announced that Watermark's adoption officially marked one million pets adopted in the company's holiday adoption drive.

In celebration of the Home 4 the Holidays campaign reaching its goal of 1 million pets adopted, Blue Buffalo is hosting an event to honor the adopting family and the shelter. The Ferrier family will receive a one-year supply of Blue Buffalo product for their new cat and the Monmouth County SPCA will be gifted with 2,500 pounds of food. Event attendees will hear remarks from the family and the Monmouth County SPCA, and receive a tour of the adoption facility.
"We couldn't be more proud of the work that the Monmouth County SPCA is doing in the region to provide a safe haven for homeless, abused and abandoned pets," said David Petrie, vice president at Blue Buffalo. "The Ferriers' adoption of Watermark is a testament to the tremendous efforts being made at the shelter to prepare animals for adoption."
Blue Buffalo partnered with the Helen Woodward Animal Center for the Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays campaign, founded in 1999. Each year, the three-month adoption drive aims to save the lives of orphan pets and raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption during the holiday season. Blue Buffalo and the Helen Woodward Animal Center's partnership created a coalition of more than 4,000 international pet adoption agencies, facilities and rescue groups. The campaign has saved more than 10 million pets since its inception.

Global Pet Foods collecting donations for animal shelters

Canada-based Global Pet Foods, Natural Balance and Wilson will be collecting donations at Global Pet Foods locations from Jan. 31 through Feb. 14, 2015 as part of the annual "Show Your Heart" campaign. All proceeds will be donated to local pet shelters and groups. Global Pet Foods will match the first dollar of every in-store donation, and donations can also be made online at www.globalpetfoods.com.

“Small donations add up and make a big difference to smaller community-based groups who can use the funds to cover expenses for veterinary care, buy food or just keep the lights on,” said Jim Walker, president of Global Pet Foods. 

Jackson Galaxy launches foundation for shelter animals

Cat behaviorist and Petfood Forum 2015 keynote speaker Jackson Galaxy has launched The Jackson Galaxy Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit created to better the lives of shelter animals. While Galaxy works primarily with cats, he said his foundation will benefit all shelter pets.

“My work with the Humane Society made me aware of the harsh realities of pet overpopulation,” said Galaxy. “I believe that no animal should die waiting for a home, so the ultimate goal of our organization is to help save the 4 million animals that die in shelters each year.” The Jackson Galaxy Foundation plans to accomplish this mission by working closely with animal shelters, enhancing shelter design and construction while educating staff and adopters on animal behavior—improvements Galaxy said will lead to higher adoption rates. Additionally, the organization will award shelters with monetary and food grants for immediate support.
The foundation’s first major effort comes just in time for the holidays, with the help of Wellness Natural Pet Food. The Massachusetts-based company is providing natural dog and cat food, valued at over US$20,000, for the foundation to grant to shelters with a critical need. Wellness will also provide a monetary donation to further assist the charity in meeting its objectives. “We believe in the Jackson Galaxy Foundation’s mission to improve the lives of shelter pets, and we’re happy to provide food and monetary support to this worthy cause,” said Chanda Leary-Coutu, senior manager of marketing communications for Wellness Natural Pet Food.
Galaxy will deliver the opening keynote at Petfood Forum 2015 on April 28. He will talk about the inspirations for his career, lessons he’s learned from working with cats and their owners and why his primary goal is to help save the 4 million animals that die in shelters each year, working through his Team Cat Mojo campaign and the foundation.

For every can of Merrick petfood purchased at Petco in Dec., one meal will be donated to a rescue animal

Petco and Merrick have partnered to give back to pet shelters during the holiday season. For each Merrick can of petfood purchased at Petco in November or December 2014, a meal will be donated to a rescue animal.
The companies will donate meals up to US$1 million of cans purchased to selected shelters:

• Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals
• PAWS Chicago
• Best Friends Animal Society
Special displays are up in Petco stores throughout the US so pet parents can learn about the promotion and pick up a can to help make a difference in a shelter animal's life. 

Caru Pet Foods donates petfood to Chicago animal rescues

Caru Pet Foods has donated 5,700 pounds of the company's Natural Stews petfood to six Chicagoland rescues and animal care facilities: Tender Loving Care, Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society, K9 4 Keeps, Chicago Canine Rescue, Pet Project Rescue and One Tail At A Time. In turn, One Tail At A Time allocated a portion of their Caru Natural Stews to the local Animal Care & Control, and Project Rescue Chicago shared with Animal Welfare League's Chicago intake facility and Be Fido's Friend.

In July, Caru donated 600 pounds of stews to It's A Pittie Rescue as a part of Daily Kibble's rescue initiative. With more than 6,000 pounds of product, worth more than US$40,000 in retail value, donated to date in its first year of business, "Caru is really living up to it's name, which means 'to love' in Welsh," said Caru CEO and Co-Founder Adrian Pettyan. The company said it looks forward to supporting other rescues and shelters in the future.