Petco Foundation, Halo petfood brand to award grants to animal-welfare organizations

The Petco Foundation and Ellen DeGeneres' petfood company Halo, Purely for Pets are launching a new grant campaign for the holidays to benefit nonprofit animal-welfare organizations in the US. 
The Petco Foundation Holiday Wishes Grant Campaign encourages all animal-welfare organizations to apply by submitting their best animal success stories for the chance to win a grant of up to US$100,000. All entries, including stories, photos and videos, must be submitted by November 22.
The grand-prize winner will be announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December. Second- and third-place winners will earn grants of US$50,000 and US$25,000, respectively, and grants from US$5,000 to US$10,000 will go to 10 runner-up organizations.
"Halo and the Petco Foundation are teaming up together. We want to help all of the pet shelters that help animals and do good every year. The Petco Foundation wants to award deserving animal shelters," said talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.
"We're thrilled to partner with Ellen and Halo on this exciting campaign to recognize and support the groups and individuals who work tirelessly all year long to care for and find homes for animals in need," said Petco Foundation executive director, Susanne Kogut. "By sharing some of their stories through this campaign, we hope to raise awareness and increase the number of animals spending this holiday season where they belong - in loving homes with the care and support they deserve."  

Petfood brand owner Dr. Tim Hunt brings vet care to rural Alaska, USA

Dr. Tim Hunt of Dr. Tim's petfood brand is heading to Alaska, USA, in June to bring medical care to pets of impoverished residents of rural villages. 
Hunt will offer pet spays, neuters and vaccinations at "an affordable rate" during the 11-day trip.
"We were able to get a USDA grant plus a little help from the Native Rural Cooperative to start a volunteer vet program," Hunt said. "Many of these communities have no vet care. Rarely does anyone service these interior villages. There's a definite need for vet care in these poor communities. People rely on someone coming through to help. One person used to do this, but no one does any more."
Hunt is hoping to spay and neuter 20 to 30 animals daily. He says many of the families who will bring their pets in have not been able to have the cats and dogs seen by a veterinarian before.
"I think this is going to be an eye-opening experience," Hunt said. "It's a big deal to get into these situations and realize how good we have it here."

Petfood Forum donors raise US$2,000 for CHAMP Assistance Dogs

Petfood Forum's donors raised US$2,000 for CHAMP, an organization that trains service dogs for people with disabilities.

Petfood Forum's successful donor campaign raised a total of US$2,000 on behalf of Canine Helpers Allow More Possibilities (CHAMP).
CHAMP Assistance Dogs Inc. is a nonprofit organization that helps increase the independence of people with disabilities by partnering them – free of charge – with specially trained service dogs. Many have benefited from this service, including the 2013 Petfood Forum opening keynote speaker and paralympian, Kerri Morgan.
As part of this new partnership, Petfood Forum asked its 2013 attendees and exhibitors to donate to CHAMP. The money raised will be used for training and certification of therapy dog teams, funding of the Ability Awareness Program for schools and civic groups and funding of another program that works with dogs from the rescue community.
Petfood Forum thanks the CHAMP program sponsor, Trouw Nutrition, and all donors. For more information about CHAMP, visit the website at www.champdogs.org.

Pedigree Feeding Project provides dog food to shelters

Pedigree brand dog food launched the Pedigree Feeding Project, an initiative that supplies participating shelters with free dog food to help dogs find loving homes.
The Pedigree Feeding Project is beginning in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, and Chicago, Illinois, USA. The company's video, "Forever Home," looks at how the Nashville Humane Association is benefiting from the Pedigree Feeding Project and features dogs who found their "forever home."

Pet food study promotes benefits of dog ownership to families

Nestle Purina Dog Chow brand dog food commissioned a study of pet owners that revealed the many positive perceptions of pet ownership and its effects on families. Along with the survey, Purina Dog Chow brand is partnering with husband-and-wife country music duo, Thompson Square, to share the joys of pet ownership and donate funds to help a nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for veterans.


According to the Family Impact Study, dog owners said their dogs teach them responsibility, are regarded as good listeners and provide unconditional love.
"We partnered with Purina Dog Chow because we are a proud dog family," said Shawna Thompson. "We couldn't think of a better way to join the community of dog owners, knowing how much a dog would bring to our lives in every situation, from being on a cross-country music tour, to simply spending time at home with family." 


Dog lovers can visit the company's Facebook page and access a new tab called "Dog Families Know," a Facebook community of dog lovers who can share their own stories, photos and videos. From now until July 31, a new topic will be proposed each week that dog families can relate to, and for each unique story, photo or video added to the virtual community board, Purina Dog Chow brand will donate US$1, up to US$25,000, to Patriot Rovers Inc. to help support its mission to "Save Dogs, Help Soldiers and Honor Heroes."  

PetFoodDirect.com launches Rescue Tales Facebook Contest

PetFoodDirect.com launched the Feeding Fido & Friends Rescue Tales Facebook Contest. The nationwide contest invites pet lovers to tell their rescue tales of inspirational pets and the rescues or shelters that helped them beat the odds.

Now through December 18, pet lovers can submit their rescue tales on PetFoodDirect.com’s Facebook page. A team of judges will select 10 finalists with the most moving stories and post them on Facebook in early January 2012. Facebook users may then vote for two weeks to select the winning, most inspirational rescue tale.

The winning rescue or shelter organization will receive US$5,000 in pet food and treats from the contest’s sponsors–Eukanuba, Fancy Feast, Greenies, Halo, Pounce and World’s Best Cat Litter. Each of the nine finalists will receive a US$100 gift certificate from PetFoodDirect.com.
“As a company built on providing food for our four-legged friends, it’s important to us that we do our part in caring for animals in need,” said Brock Weatherup, CEO of PetFoodDirect.com. “We launched this contest to help support the amazing work done by rescue and shelter organizations across the country. They’re giving pets a second chance each and every day.”  

Halo Pet Foundation donates $70,000 to southern US animal welfare organizations

Ellen DeGeneres’ Halo holistic petfood Pet Foundation donated US$70,000 in disaster relief grants to eight animal welfare groups, in response to tornados and flooding in the southern US.
Grant recipients include Noah’s Wish, a nationwide group; Save our Pets Food Bank and SOS Club in Georgia; Arkansans for Animals in Arkansas; Blount County Animal Shelter and Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Alabama; Paws, Claws ‘N More Rescue in Kentucky; and McKamey Animal Center in Tennessee. Funds for the disaster relief grants were raised at the 3rd Annual PETCO Foundation Gala.
“We’re thrilled to support these community leaders providing for the animals and people still in need after these disasters,” said Steve Marton, Halo chief executive and Halo Pet Foundation board member. “We’re very thankful for the support of our friends at the Petco Foundation, their many donors and our own Ellen DeGeneres, who is tireless in lending her voice and support to animals in need.”
In addition, Halo's nonprofit partner, Freekibble.com, donated hundreds of thousands of meals of Halo Spot's Stew to shelters, rescues and food banks in the southern US.
"It is so amazing to be able to help the people and pets in the South that have been struggling after the storms," said Freekibble founder, Mimi Ausland. "It makes me very happy to know that the Halo Pet Foundation is now sending money to these awesome groups … they do incredible work and need all the help they can get!”

Animal rescuers lend aid to pets affected by storms in southern, Midwest US

Animal rescuers from all over the U.S. are lending their efforts to help pets affected by the recent storms in the South and Midwest, according to reports.
Volunteers and organizations are providing supplies, transportation and shelter to dislocated, lost and injured animals. The ASPCA, PetSmart Charities, the Humane Society of the United States, Code 3 and Wayside Waifs have been erecting temporary shelters, distributing supplies and helping to transport animals out of shelters in affected areas. "Our goal is to get displaced animals back to their owners and house those animals until their owners can get on their feet," said Tim Rickey, senior director of the ASPCA's field investigations and response team.
Donations to the efforts can be made through the Humane Society of West Alabama, the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, Birmingham Jefferson County Animal Control or the ASPCA.

FreeKibble, Ellen DeGeneres' Halo petfood donate 5 millionth meal to shelter animals

In April, FreeKibble.com donated its 5 millionth meal of co-owner Ellen DeGeneres' Halo petfood to feed a hungry shelter pet.
To celebrate, FreeKibble founder, Mimi Ausland, will appear with the Humane Society of Central Oregon at a Bend, Oregon, USA, Petco store in conjunction with Petco's National Adoption Weekend, which is also sponsored by Halo. The Humane Society of Central Oregon was the first shelter to be completely fed Halo petfood by Freekibble. The event will be held Saturday, April 9, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Petco located at 3197 North Highway 97 in Bend, Oregon, USA.
Nationwide, animal lovers attending Petco's adoption events for National Adoption Weekend can redeem a Freekibble coupon for US$2 off of any size bag of Halo Spot's Stew dog or cat food. For every coupon redeemed, Halo will donate one meal to Freekibble.com. One new pet parent will also wind the opportunity to donate 10,000 meals to the shelter of his or her choice. 

Almo Nature donates petfood to UK animal charities

Almo Nature donated petfood to five UK animal charities as part of the company's “Love Food” campaign.
The company’s second food donation meant that a total of nine charities shared 18,668 free meals, helping them to care for abused or abandoned pets. Throughout the campaign, the company is donating 10% of its entire sales for each product line to help feed animals in UK shelters.

Petco Foundation to honor Ellen Degeneres for commitment to animals

The Petco Foundation will host its third annual fundraising gala in April, honoring Ellen DeGeneres for her lifelong commitment to animals as co-owner of Halo, Purely for Pets.
Each year, the Petco Foundation gala recognizes one or more people who share the foundation's mission to improve the quality of life for animals and the people who love them. This year, DeGeneres will receive the Foundation's inaugural HOPE Award, which celebrates the spirit of hope through a life dedicated to promoting the human-animal bond. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Halo Pet Foundation. 
"We are fortunate to have a great many active supporters, and it's always an honor for us to celebrate the great work being done by our friends and partners to help animals in need," said Paul Jolly, executive director of the Petco Foundation. "We've been big fans of Ellen and her dedication to animal welfare, both in her personal life and through her work with Halo, for many years. We're thrilled to recognize her at this year's gala, and to provide financial support to the Halo Pet Foundation."
Gala attendees will learn how DeGeneres has been an advocate for animals throughout her life, how the Halo Pet Foundation helps pets in need and promotes responsible pet ownership, and how the Petco Foundation works to support more than 7,000 other local animal welfare groups across the country. The gala will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, at the San Diego, California, USA, Marriott Marquis & Marina. It will feature a black tie-optional cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, entertainment, opportunity drawing and silent auction.
"I wish we lived in a world where caring for animals wasn't so rare that it deserved an award," DeGeneres said. "All I do is treat animals with the respect and dignity they deserve. I hope someday soon, everyone does the same. Petco and the Petco Foundation have made great efforts to protect animals and I commend them for going above and beyond the call of duty."

The Nutro Co. donates 1 million cat meals to the Petco Foundation

In February, the Nutro Co. donated more than one million meals of its Natural Choice cat food to the Petco Foundation's petfood bank program via collection bins in Petco stores nationwide.
"It's important to the Nutro Co. to give back and support a healthy lifestyle for all pets, which starts with a well-balanced diet," said Kent Cunningham, vice president of marketing.
The Petco Foundation established a nationwide network of petfood banks by placing collection bins in Petco stores for customers to drop off food or cat litter donations. Each Petco store then partners with an existing human food bank or animal welfare group's petfood bank to give the petfood donations directly to economically-stressed pet owners in the community. Since its launch in February 2010, the Petco Foundation has collected 500,000 pounds of food and added 400 new charitable partners, according to Petco.

Nature's Logic donates over US$50,000 in petfood to animal non-profits

Nature’s Logic announced the company donated more than US$50,000 worth of free petfood to non-profit organizations dedicated to the health and welfare of animals in the past three years.
“We believe that all pets deserve the best, including those not yet lucky enough to be in a forever home with a loving family,” said Scott Freeman, owner of Nature’s Logic. “The recipients tell us we are making a significant contribution to their communities, by helping them feed high quality diets to pets in need, something their tight budgets seldom allow.”

IFAW, PetFlow.com partner to provide for animals in need

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has partnered with PetFlow.com to help support IFAW's global efforts: for every new customer to sign up with PetFlow and create a food delivery schedule, PetFlow will donate US$40 to IFAW.
"A US$40 donation can go a long way towards assisting one of IFAW's many efforts across the globe," said Fred O'Regan, president and CEO. "It could vaccinate 20 street dogs in Bali to prevent rabies or provide enough formula to feed an orphan elephant in India for an entire week. This money could also provide a uniform, work boots and backpack for a ranger protecting elephants and other wildlife." As an extra incentive, PetFlow is offering free shipping for any order over US$59.

Almo Nature Love Food campaign provides 12,000 meals to UK animal shelters

Almo Nature's new Love Food campaign has resulted in the donation of 12,272 daily meals to animal charities around the United Kingdom.
The Love Food campaign was launched in December 2010 and will run until March 2011. During this period Almo Nature is donating 10% of its sales for each product line to help feed animals in shelters throughout the UK. "We are delighted at the success of the Love Food campaign," said Lorenzo Capellino, European director of Almo Nature. So far, the company has donated 10,160 daily meals for cats and 2,112 daily meals for dogs.

Pedigree Foundation awards US$226,000 in innovation grants

The Pedigree Foundation has awarded a total of US$226,000 in Innovation Grants to 10 organizations, who will use the money to help fund programs that provide care for homeless dogs. 
The grants are awarded to organizations that help improve adoption rates and the welfare of animals through the use of new and innovative ideas. The recipients are:  
• Central Missouri Humane Society of Columbia, Missouri (US$25,000)
• Charleston Animal Society of North Charleston, South Carolina (US$15,000)
• Dubuque Regional Humane Society of Dubuque, Iowa (US$25,000)
• Houston Humane Society of Houston, Texas (US$25,000)
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles, California (US$25,000)
• Leon County Humane Society of Tallahassee, Florida (US$25,000)
• Muttville Senior Dog Rescue of San Francisco, California (US$12,000)
• North Shore Animal League of Port Washington, New York (US$25,000)
• Washington Animal Rescue League of Washington, DC (US$25,000)
• West Suburban Humane Society of Downers Grove, Illinois (US$24,000)

Online service, Petflow, offers low petfood shipping costs to consumers

Petflow recently launched as an alternative way for consumers to purchase petfood online with scheduled delivery times and low shipping fees. 
This New York, USA-based service allows users to choose the petfood and delivery time they want, charging US$5 for delivery on all orders. PetFlow will donate US$40 to the International Fund for Animal Welfare on behalf of anyone who signs up for the delivery service through IFAW's link on the home page.
"A US$40 donation can go a long way toward assisting one of IFAW’s many efforts across the globe,” said Fred O’Regan, president and chief executive at IFAW. “It could vaccinate 20 street dogs in Bali to prevent rabies or it would provide enough formula to feed an orphan elephant in India for an entire week. This money could also provide a uniform, work boots and backpack for a ranger protecting elephants and other wildlife. Thanks to PetFlow.com, each and every donation can help change an animal’s life.”

Petfood pantries help needy families provide for and keep pets

In today's poor economy, many pet owners who can no longer afford to provide for their pets are forced to find them new homes, which is why petfood pantries around the country are becoming popular new ways to assist needy families in feeding and keeping their furry friends.
Randi Helpinstill, recently featured in the Daytona Beach News Journal, founded the Peninsula Pet Pantry with neighbor Geralyn Nelson, after her search to adopt a kitten overwhelmed her with the large number of pets displaced due to the financial hardships of their owners.
"We could not imagine the heartbreak of people having to abandon their pets due to bad economic times, and the shelters were full, the rescues had waiting lists," said Helpinstill.
Pantries like Helpinstill's and the Pikes Peak Pet Pantry of Colorado, USA, which helped her get started, are popping up in high-demand across the country. The mission of these petfood pantries is to provide temporary assistance with petfood and supplies to owners who still want to keep their pets, but currently cannot afford to care for them. Most of these pantries rely on year-round donations from others to provide petfoods and supplies. Donations to Peninsula Pet Pantry can be made by visiting the pantry's website.

Aller Petfood to donate cat food to Estonia animal shelters

Aller Petfood will donate 4,000 kg of cat food to charities in Estonia for the Christmas holiday.
Caramira, Aller's partner in Estonia, and the Estonian Animal Care Society will work with Aller to distribute the food between animal shelters and volunteer organizations that help cats in Estonia.
“For us, petfood is not just a business, it is about improving the lives of cats and dogs. Not all cats and dogs are lucky enough to have a loving owner who feeds them well, so we have chosen to support homeless cats in Estonia,” said Henriette Bylling, Aller Petfood managing director.

Nature's Variety begins Facebook campaign to donate to North American shelters

Nature’s Variety began a Facebook photo initiative to donate boxes of Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits to shelters throughout North America, now through December 31.
For every photo posted to the Nature’s Variety Facebook page of pets enjoying Instinct Biscuits or other Nature’s Variety treats, the company will donate a box of its Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits to four shelters across North America, as well as a randomly chosen shelter submitted by Nature's Variety's Facebook friends. Nature's Variety will evenly allocate its donations to the following shelters: Red Door Animal Shelter in Chicago, USA; Smiling Dog Farms in Wharton, Texas, USA; The Toronto Humane Society in Toronto, Canada; and Pet Food Bank in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
“This initiative helps bring our Facebook friends closer to our brand and to what Nature’s Variety is all about,” said Jill Gainer, Nature’s Variety Instinct brand director. “Not every pet has a loving family during the holidays, so in our own way, we can share a bit of holiday cheer with a small indulgence that they will really love.”