YAP: Things Worth Barking About
FEEDING PETS OF THE HOMELESS™
The National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that between 5 to 10 percent of homeless people have dogs and/or cats. In some areas of the country the rate is as high as 24 percent. Feeding Pets of the Homeless is a nonprofit member organization that believes in the healing power of companion pets and of the human/animal bond, which is very important to life. Feeding Pets of the Homeless provides pet food and veterinarian care to the homeless and less fortunate in local communities. Headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, Feeding Pets of the Homeless coordinates and supports members in 23 states and a member in Canada. The members collect pet food with collection receptacles at their businesses for locals to donate food and then they deliver it to food banks and/or soups kitchens, which have agreed to distribute the food to the homeless and impoverished. Feeding Pets of the Homeless also collects cash donations to distribute grant applications to licensed veterinarians that will supply medical treatment and preventative care for those pets in need, and other nonprofit organizations that meet their objectives. Feeding Pets of the Homeless is asking veterinary clinics/hospitals as well as pet businesses to join the organization. They will provide marketing materials and promote the organization on behalf of their members to the national media. To become a member or sponsor of Feeding Pets of the Homeless today please visit, www.petsofhomeless.org.
OPERATION BLANKETS OF LOVE
When Eileen Smulson saw a sign in a local shelter that said they needed blankets, she took it seriously. In one week she brought in 100 blankets and a new mission in life. In January 2008 Smulson founded Operation Blankets of Love, an organization that provides blankets and towels for the animals in shelters and rescue groups to use while waiting to be adopted. With thoughts of how her own rescue dog Ginger might have felt, Smulson set out to to make a difference. Animals that are given blankets and comforters to rest and snuggle on are more able to relax, feel happy, safe, secure and warm. Dogs that are comfortable in their surroundings can increase their chances of being adopted. Now Operation Blankets of Love has 20 drop off locations in and around Los Angeles and has collected 18,000 old and new blankets, comforters and towels, plus pet related items. The local shelters go through 1000’s of blankets and towels every month and depend on donations. Operation Blankets of Love currently distributes in the Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and Santa Barbara Counties. Smulson is looking forward to spreading the idea and love into other cities. Now you, your business, family and friends can become Friends of Operation Blankets of Love by collecting 100 or more donations. You will receive a Certificate of Appreciation and a listing as a friend on their website. For more information call 818-402-6586 or visit www.operationblanketsoflove.org.
HEMOPET/PET LIFE-LINE
Established in 1986 by W. Jean Dodds, DVM, Hemopet/Pet Life-Line is the largest non-profit animal blood bank in the country. Located in Garden Grove, Calif., Hemopet/Pet Life-Line is a licensed facility that houses a colony of 200 healthy, canine donors of universal blood type DEA 4. They are all rescued Greyhounds deemed unsuitable for the racing industry. Hemopet/Pet Life-Line services over 2,000 veterinary clinics nationwide and in Canada. They have over 5,000 clients who use Hemopet for pet blood diagnostic services. Aside from being a blood bank, their novel greyhound rescue-donor-adoption program, has saved more than 1,000 dogs from the racing industry and found them new homes. They also developed Hemolife, the largest pet diagnostic health laboratory in North America offering individualized diagnoses that consider age, sex, breed type and activity of the animal. Hemopet/Pet Life-Line is embarking on a major capital campaign to build the nation’s first nonprofit alternative medicine rehabilitation center for restoring the health of pets. The Restore Health Center will be a two-acre, environmentally friendly, pet rehabilitation facility designed for short-term alternative, transitional or emergency care of dogs, cats and other small animals. It will offer conventional and alternative therapeutic treatments and also serve as the permanent home for their greyhound adoption program and related community service activities. www.hemopet.org
ZOOTOO.COM SHELTER MAKEOVER II
The social “pet-working” and news site for pet lovers, Zootoo.com, launched their Second Annual Shelter Makeover Contest on September 18, 2008. The grand prize is a shelter makeover valued at up to $1 million in cash, services or in-kind value from promotional partners. Nineteen runner-ups will share awards totaling $195,000. To become a semifinalists in the competition, shelters must ask their supporters to register and earn points by being active on Zootoo.com, contributing reviews of pet products and services, sharing opinions and advice, bringing other pet lovers into the community and more. The 20 shelters that have accumulated the most points by March 13, 2009 will be named semifinalists. Zootoo.com will then visit all 20 shelters during the tour period and narrow them down to ten finalists. The pet lovers across America will be able to review the qualifications of the finalists on Zootoo.com and determine the winner by voting for the shelter they think most deserves the makeover. The contest ends on May 1, 2009. According to Zootoo.com founder Richard Thompson that while twenty shelters got cash awards last year, every shelter that participated was a winner. A survey of the participating shelters said that donations increased by 21 percent, volunteers increased by 28 percent and adoptions were up 30 percent, because of the attention they got from the contest.
For more information visit www.zootoo.com.
