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.

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.

BOGO Bowl helps pets in need with food, cash gifts

When a BOGO Bowl customer buys a bag of BOGO Bowl petfood for their own pet, one bag is automatically gifted to an organization of the customer’s choice, with free shipping.

Petfood company BOGO Bowl helps pets in need by providing shelters, rescues or similar organizations with petfood or other monetary gifts.


When a BOGO Bowl customer buys a bag of BOGO Bowl petfood for their own pet, one bag is automatically gifted to an organization of the customer’s choice, with free shipping.
A new offer for 2015 is BOGO Bucks, a cash gift for the organization if food isn’t what they need. After polling its more than 100 recipient partners on how BOGO Bowl could exceed their expectations and more efficiently help them achieve their missions, it was discovered that some organizations had enough food, but were struggling in other areas: vet bills, volunteers couldn’t afford gas for critical rescue missions, many needed to hire administrative help.
“I believe we’re the first to not only offer the option of gifting one bag for every bag purchased, but if an organization needs cash for administrative, vet or other fees over petfood, we send them a check,” said Sara Henderson, founder of BOGO Bowl.
By using BOGO Bucks, organizations can spend money on anything their organization needs. Once a BOGO Bowl customer buys a bag of food for their own pet, they choose a recipient organization from a list of existing BOGO Bowl partners, or the customer can add a new legitimate organization of their choosing. BOGO Bowl will then contact that organization to determine if they’d like a quarterly petfood match or a quarterly cash gift.
“We do our best to work with every partner individually,” Henderson said.  “We want the program to work for them.  In turn, we ask that they give away our samples at their events, invite their fans and followers to join BOGO Bowl on social media and do everything they can to encourage supporters of their organization to support us.  It’s an easy equation - the more people who purchase BOGO Bowl for their everyday petfood needs, the more organizations and pets in need we can help.”

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. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul to donate petfood to SPCALA

In honor of National Adopt a Shelter Dog month, Chicken Soup for the Soul will join forces with Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) to encourage pet adoptions beginning October 1 through October 12, 2014.

Along with donating 6,000 pounds of Chicken Soup for the Soul petfood to support the shelter’s homeless animal initiatives, Chicken Soup for the Soul is also encouraging adoption by gifting a bag of Chicken Soup for the Soul petfood and a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dog Did What? or Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What? to all new pet parents who adopt a dog or cat from spcaLA during this time frame. “All of us at Chicken Soup for the Soul are passionate about helping shelters and promoting the adoption of cats and dogs,” said Amy Newmark, publisher, editor-in-chief and author of the last 100 Chicken Soup for the Soul books. “We use rescue dogs and cats as models on the packaging for our petfood, and we have been contributing to shelters for years. We wanted to find a way to make an impact in Los Angeles and spcaLA seemed like a perfect partner.”
spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein said, “spcaLA is honored that Chicken Soup for the Soul chose to help the abandoned and abused animals in our shelter with this donation. Because spcaLA is an independent nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of donors to help thousands of animals each year.”

Dr. Tim's Pet Food Company sponsors Michigan animal shelter

Dr. Tim's Pet Food Company is the official food sponsor for the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS) in Marquette, Michigan.

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All residents of UPAWS will eat Dr. Tim's Chase Cat Food and Kinesis Dog Food while at the shelter. UPAWS averages about 1,900 adoptions per year, requiring approximately 1,000 pounds of food per month. Dr. Tim's has been the food sponsor for UPAWS for the last four years and will continue to do so in the future, according to the company.

Starlinger donates 350kg dog food to Vienna animal shelter

Starlinger & Co. Ges.m.b.H. has donated 28 sacks (350kg in total) of dry dog food to the Vienna Society for the Protection of Animals. The sacks known under the trade name PP*STAR were on display as an innovative packaging solution at interpack, held during May 2014 in Dusseldorf.

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Starlinger & Co.
‟Many of the visitors to our exhibit asked us what we were planning to do with the sacks—dog food isn’t exactly cheap," said Stéphane Soudais, head of Starlinger’s Consumer Bags Division. "We had made up our minds not to let it go to waste, and we wanted to see it distributed fairly. So we decided to donate it where it would be needed most. The Vienna SPA provides shelter and rescue to animals in need, and our donation will contribute to that effort." 

Iams hosts two-mile dog run during Flying Pig Marathon

Meredith Leslie, of P&G, runs with Pawl Griffin, Iams VP of Canine Communications, during the Iams Flying Fur dog run in downtown Cincinnati, May 3, 2014. More than 500 dogs and owners ran in the two-mile race as part of races taking place during the Flying Pig Marathon weekend events. Iams Bowls of Love will be donating a bag of petfood for each dog running in the event to the SPCA in Cincinnati. (Tom Uhlman/AP Images for Iams)

Iams partnered with the Flying Pig Marathon to create the first-ever Iams Flying Fur, a two-mile dog run, that took place on May 3, 2014 as part of the three-day Flying Pig Marathon weekend of activities.


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In addition, Iams Bowls of Love, a national program geared towards helping pets in need, committed to donating one large bag of petfood for every dog participating in the run. With a total of 525 dogs at the event, Iams is donating a total of 7.5 tons of petfood to the local SPCA Cincinnati.
Partnering with Flying Pig Marathon to create a new competition was not only fun for dog owners and their pets, but also a great way to bring awareness and give back to shelters in the Cincinnati area, said Iams. Iams Bowls of Love is deeply committed to helping pets in need and partnering with hard-working organizations across the country. 

Three Dog Bakery hosts annual dog food drive

Three Dog Bakery launched its annual "Feed a Dog Food Drive" on May 1 to help local dogs in need. Participating Three Dog Bakery stores across the US, Canada and Hong Kong are holding food drives to help feed dogs in their local communities, and the drive will run the entire month of May.

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“This is a wonderful event that we are proud to support every year,” said Jamie Wiebrecht, director of franchise operations. “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.”
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.

Cargill Animal Nutrition donates petfood to mudslide-stricken Washington

Recent mudslides in Washington state have affected entire families, including their pets, and Cargill Animal Nutrition is one of the entities stepping in to help. The company donated 27 tons of petfood to Darrington, Wash., adding to existing donations from the community and outsiders.

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The full number of pets and livestock killed may never be known, according to incident spokespeople. Authorities also don't have a clear number of how many pets are missing or displaced by the slide. There were at least 37 horses displaced and at least 10 dogs that were missing as of March 31. 

PetBox, BOGO Bowl partner to donate petfood throughout US

PetBox Inc., a monthly subscription service delivering a personalized box of premium toys, treats and accessories to dogs and cats each month, has teamed up with BOGO Bowl, a premium petfood brand that donates a bag of petfood for every bag purchased. Through the new partnership, BOGO Bowl will supply and distribute dog and cat food to shelters and rescues selected via PetBox's weekly social media campaign.

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Each Friday, PetBox sends out a request for nominations and votes via social media to determine which animal shelter or rescue will receive the donation of dog and cat food. Through a variety of online platforms, users nominate and vote on a shelter or rescue using the #PetBoxFridays hashtag. On the following Monday, the donation of petfood is sent directly to the chosen organization. With the new support of BOGO Bowl, shipments of BOGO Bowl's dog and cat food will be sent directly from its Iowa headquarters to the chosen animal shelter or rescue each week. PetBox and BOGO Bowl share the costs of this partnership, with a concerted effort in this altruistic mission.
Through donations of dog and cat food from PetBox and BOGO Bowl, animal rescues and shelters can redirect funds previously spent on petfood towards necessities like medical care, facility improvements, and other vital needs of resident dogs and cats.

Wellness Pet Food launches holiday giving Facebook campaign

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Wellness' "You Click, We Donate" Facebook campaign will benefit two nonprofits that support animal causes.
Through January 16, 2014, Wellness Pet Food is hosting a holiday giving campaign, "You Click, We Donate." The petfood brand's campaign will benefit The Cat House on the Kings Cat Sanctuary & Adoption Center and the Green Chimneys Farm & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, nonprofits that both support animal causes.
To participate, Facebook users can visit the Wellness Pet Food Facebook page and select the, "You Click, We Donate" tab, or access the campaign directly at http://bit.ly/1jmbPKD. New visitors to the Wellness Facebook page will need to "like" the page in order to proceed to the entry page. From there, users can quickly sign up and Wellness will donate US$1.00 on their behalf.
"The Cat House on the Kings relies strictly on donations from the public to carry out its mission," said founder, Lynea Lattanzio. "The money donated will make a difference by allowing us to care for the cats at our facility and offer spay and neuter services to control pet overpopulation in the area."
Wellness Pet Food will announce the total donation amount at the conclusion of the campaign.

ASPCA, Rachael Ray to award US$600,000 to shelters for saving homeless pets

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is hosting the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, where a total of US$600,000 in prize grants will be awarded to help shelters save more homeless cats and dogs.
The 49 contestants in 30 states will work to save more animals during the months of June, July and August than they did over the same three-month period in 2012. Last year's competing shelters saved more than 56,000 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 14,376 over the same period in 2011.
ASPCA and Rachael Ray will award a US$100,000 grand prize to the shelter contestant that achieves the greatest increase in pets' lives saved during this three-month period. The contestant that does the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals will win US$25,000. Those organizations that do the best in their divisions will be eligible for between US$10,000 and US$25,000 in additional grants. In total, US$600,000 in grant funding will be awarded for increases in animal lives saved, as well as a photo contest and general participation. 
For more information about the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K. 

Washington, USA, church breaks world record for petfood collected in seven days

Living Hope Church in Vancouver, Washington, USA, recently collected 19,600 pounds of petfood in seven days to break a Guinness world record held for seven years by a South African supermarket. The collection of petfood by the church sets a new world record for "Largest donation of pet food in seven days," according to the World Record Academy.
The church collected the petfood from April 30-May 5. Senior pastor, John Bishop, said nearly two-thirds of the petfood collected was dog food, but hose feed, goldfish flakes and small animal food was also collected. After being weighed, the petfood was donated to a handful of Clark County animal charities, including 4,000 pounds to the Humane Society for Southwest Washington and 769 pounds to Northwest Battle Buddies, which provides service dogs to combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The previous Guiness world record was set at the Pick 'n' Pay Supermarket in Boksburg, South Africa. The 13,011 pounds, 3 ounces of petfood collected from September 1-7, 2006, was donated to the Boksburg Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  

Animal welfare groups aid pets displaced by Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy left many pets homeless after the storm damaged houses and animal shelters in the northeast US. Although the exact number of displaced pets is still unknown, the American Human Association estimated that nearly 15 million dogs were in the storm's path.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States sent teams to New York and New Jersey, USA, to aid in search-and-rescue operations, provide petfood and medical care, and create temporary emergency shelters for pets rescued after the storm.
“I’m in a shelter day by day with these people who have nothing left,” said Niki Dawson, director of disaster services for the Humane Society of the United States. “They don’t know if they can go home. They’re depending on clothes from the Red Cross. To see their faces light up when they are able to pet their cat or walk their dog. That, that, is what makes you understand.”
In New Jersey, Dawson says 30 people are working to rescue pets in three counties. On the barrier islands there, the group is bringing in an average of 60 displaced animals each day. In New York, the situation is not quite as bad thanks to a 2007 task force that was assembled after Hurricane Katrina and Congress' passage of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act. The New York task force aids in creating state and local disaster plans that include pet evacuation procedures. As part of the plan, all of New York City's shelters, city taxis and public transportation systems are required to accept pets.
"It’s not just feel-good legislation,” Dawson says. “If people are not encouraged to bring their pets with them, if they don’t have the comfort and security in knowing that their pets will be cared for, people will not follow evacuation orders. People will put themselves in harm’s way, and put first responders in harm’s way if they have to be rescued,” Dawson said.
Allison Cardona, of the ASPCA’s Field Investigations and Response team, says that her teams have been delivering petfood in regions that have been cut off from power and supplies. Cardona said the efforts will be aided by donations from Petsmart Charities, Iams, Del Monte Foods and P&G Pet Care, which has pledged to donate more than 88 tons of food to help the region’s affected animals.
Social media has also played a role in helping to connect pet owners with lost pets and rebuild after the storm. Facebook groups such as Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets have been created to help find homes for displaced pets and reconnect owners with their dogs. Nearly 30 strangers showed up at Ruthann Vahlstrom-Holbert’s animal shelter, Tails of Love Rescue in East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, after seeing Facebook posts of the damage the storm caused to the shelter. 

Blue Dog Bakery launches Pet Treat Pantry

Blue Dog Bakery has launched the Pet Treat Pantry, a partnership between the Seattle, Washington, USA-based all-natural dog treat company and select food banks in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, North Carolina and New Jersey.
The partnership will provide treats to the dogs of food bank clients. To start the Pet Treat Pantry, Blue Dog Bakery donated 4,572 boxes of Blue Dog Bakery treats to five participating food banks across the country. Through December 2012, for each shopper who purchases a specially marked box of Blue Dog Bakery treats, the company will donate a box to the Pet Treat Pantry, up to 100,000 boxes. Customers can enter the registration code found on the box online and select one of five participating food banks to direct their donation.
Participating Pet Treat Pantry food banks in the USA include:
• Rainier Valley Food Bank – Seattle, Washington
• The Pongo Fund – Portland, Oregon
• Empty Bowl Pet Food Pantry – Phoenix, Arizona
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina – Charlotte, North Carolina
• The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties – Neptune, New Jersey
“Food banks ease the hunger of those in need, but we seldom think about the pets that live with them,” said Sam Osborne, executive director of the Rainer Valley Food Bank in Seattle. “Hunger is an issue that touches the lives of dogs just as much as their owners. Our pets are our families in every sense of the word, and are often one of the most important things getting these individuals through tough times. For a dog, treats say ’I love you’ and to be able to provide healthy treats for our families with pets is something truly special.”

Southern California dog club donates petfood to Japanese animals

Brandi and Stephen Terry of Desperate Paws Dog Club in Newport Beach, California, USA, donated 40,000 tons of petfood to pets affected by the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
In total, the Terrys collected the more than 7 tons of petfood and supplies donated by businesses and organizations in Southern California, USA. All items will be distributed to Japanese rescue groups that partner with World Vets International.
The Terrys decided to launch their pet food drive after watching video footage of animals affected by the deadly earthquake and tsunami.
"It has been a difficult process but World Vets has been on top of it all the way, and we are extremely grateful to their efforts as well as H2O Logistics," said Stephen Terry, co-founder of Desperate Paws. "The latest estimates from World Vets say that more than 20,000 animals in Japan are hurt or sick. Much of the problem now is the radiation and the difficulty of help groups to get to the animals."

Pongo Fund petfood bank celebrates one year, 1M meals

Because sometimes, a simple bowl of kibble is the force that keeps a family together and saves the lives of the animals they love.

On November 14, the Pongo Fund petfood bank celebrated its one-year anniversary and distribute its 1 millionth meal.
The fund's volunteers distribute petfood directly to families with hungry pets throughout Oregon, USA, and southwest Washington, USA.
“The simple reality is that we make a real difference for very little money in the community,” said founder Larry Chusid. “It reportedly costs around US$750 per month to care for an animal that has been left at a shelter. Yet The Pongo Fund can feed and satisfy that same animal for as little as US$10 per month and the pet is able to remain with its family. It’s a win-win-woof for everyone."

National petfood drive accepting donations Nov. 5-14 at Petco

The Petco Foundation and Petco are hosting the National Pet Food Drive November 5-14 to help pet parents in need provide a healthy and plentiful holiday season for their four-legged family members. Specially marked petfood collection bins can be found in Petco stores across the US.
During the food drive, Hill's Science Diet will match, bag-for-bag, every bag of Hill's cat or dog food purchased at a Petco store and donated, up to 25,000 pounds.
Petco and the Petco Foundation launched the National Pet Food Bank program in March, starting with about 250 stores in select markets. Today, all of Petco's more than 1,000 stores have designated petfood bins in place for year-round collection. Each store has partnered with a local food bank or animal welfare group to donate petfood and litter directly to economically stressed pet parents in that store's community. The program has provided more than 110 tons of donated petfood and litter to those in need.