Mama is Sad

Mama says her human companion left today. We are confused. I have been walking around looking for him tonight, but he is not here. Mama keeps having water come out of her eyes and we do not know what to do. We love our mama and we wish we could make her feel better. Milita and I keep following her around and laying by her or in her lap and purring, but mama is still sad. Please send purrayers and purrs to our mama; we want her to be happy!

Carmine

Cats Giving Thanks For Thanksgiving - Furball Fables

Banfield Collects Food for Needy Pets

Banfield Charities Trust is currently holding its sixth annual Season of Suppers food drive in order to collect food for needy pets.

These days many pet owners struggle with feeding themselves and their pets. Some individuals in financially difficult situations include people who are disabled and on fixed incomes, seniors on fixed incomes, and people who are unemployed. Unfortunately, some individuals who are struggling with financial hardship may have to contemplate whether or not to give up their pets. Dianne McGill, who is the director and CEO of Banfield Charities Trust said, “We get calls every day from people on fixed incomes who are worried they won’t be able to take care of their companions or feed them.”

Banfield Charities is working with Banfield Pet Hospitals in order to try and collect $100,000 in monetary donations and 70,000 pounds of pet food this year. All of the food and money collected will go toward feeding needy pets in 2012.

The trust has also partnered with pet food companies Royal Canin and Pedigree Brand. Each of these pet food companies will donate one pound of food for every person who “likes” the Banfield Charities Trust Facebook page for up to 30,000 Facebook users.

If you would like to donate pet food to needy pets this year, you may do so by dropping pet food off at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Most of these hospitals are located within PetSmart retail stores. You can find your nearest Banfield Pet Hospital here. You can also make monetary donations at Banfield Pet Hospitals as well as on-line here. According to Banfield Charities Trust, a $30 donation can feed one pet for a month. You may give pet food or make monetary donations through December 31.

Sources:

Banfield Charities Trust: A Pet Food Drive for Pets in Need

CatChannel: Banfield Collecting Food for Needy Cats and Dogs

Hot Male Models Aim to Increase Pet Adoption

Found Animals, a Los Angeles- based non-profit organization, is releasing a 2012 calendar featuring male models holding cats. The calendar, entitled, "6 Packs / 9 Lives," is available in stores nationwide and was shot by Adam Bouska, celebrity photographer.

Found Animals created the calendar in order to promote animal adoption. All of the male models who were photographed are actual cat owners who adopted their furry friends as well.

A launch party is being held today, Saturday November 19 from 4-6pm at The Abbey in West Hollywood. The event is free and open to the public and will feature the male models from the calendar, shirtless male models who will participate in a catwalk walk-off, a signature gin cocktail called, "Cat on a Hot Gin," and celebrity photographer Adam Bouska.

Not only are the calendars available in stores nationwide, they are also available for purchase on-line here. All proceeds from the calendar sales will go toward low-cost spay and neuter programs in Los Angeles.

Found Animals is a non-profit organization that aims to increase pet adoption and supports animal welfare issues. If you would like more information, you may visit the Found Animals website.

Sources:

Found Animals: It's Raining Men (at The Abbey)

CatChannel: Cats and Bare Chests for a Cause

Help Create Jack's Law

Jack the Cat's Law would force airlines to utilize GPS or other similar tracking devices, such as leg bands, harnesses, or collars on traveling pets placed in the cargo section of airplanes. Failure to do this on the part of the airline should result in large fines.

Every year, pets are lost in cargo holds or baggage areas and are never found again. One pet, Jack the cat, was lost in New York City's JFK airport by American Airlines on August 25, 2011. American Airlines had mishandled Jack's carrier during the check-in process, which resulted in it breaking.

Jack wasn't found until 61 days later when he fell through a ceiling tile in the customs office, located in the same terminal where he had gotten lost. The kitty was severely malnourished and injured, and sadly had to be euthanized due to his condition. on November 6, 2011.

In an article by the New York Times, it was reported that Jack's skin was very thin due to the malnourishment and dehydration, which made him prone to organ dysfunction and severe infections. Before veterinarians recommended euthanasia as the best course for Jack, they had tried intravenous fluids, an operation, a feeding tube, and antibiotics.

Unfortunately, American Airlines was slow to provide a response and search for the kitty. It took the airline 60 hours before they called Ms. Pascoe back to give her an initial update on their rescue efforts. The airline only began to act more responsibly when the story hit the media.

What happened to Jack is absolutely heartbreaking. Please sign this petition so that we can prevent other pets traveling in the cargo section of airplanes from being lost.

Sources:

Create "Jack the Cat's Law"

The New York Times: Jack the Cat, Lost and Then Found at J.F.K., Dies

Help the Indianapolis Humane Society, Make Great Gifts

From November 27 through December 2, you can help the Indianapolis Humane Society and get great holiday gifts at a discount as well. If you bring one of the Humane Society's wish list items to the Color Me Mine in Carmel, you will receive 50% off your studio time on a visit from November 27 through December 2, 2011.

At Color Me Mine, you can pick out a ceramic piece and paint it yourself in the studio. Once you are done painting, the staff will glaze and fire the ceramic for you. When it's done being glazed and fired, you can pick it up to take home. Hand-painted ceramics make great holiday gifts for friends and family.

The items on the Indianapolis Humane Society wish list are: lint rollers, window cleaner and paper towels, stainless steel water and food bowls, disposable latex gloves, bleach or laundry detergent, nylobones, cat and dog treats, cat toys, squeeze cheese, non-clumping cat litter, canned cat food, tall kitchen bags, hand sanitizer, leashes and collars, canned dog food, and copier paper. One or more items on the wish list equals one discount per person.

Studio hours for Color Me Mine are as follows: noon to 5pm Sundays through Tuesdays and noon to 8pm Wednesdays through Saturdays.

You can get more information, by visiting the Carmel Color Me Mine and Indianapolis Humane Society websites.

National Pet Food Drive

Sunday October 30 kicked off the start of the second annual National Pet Food Drive. The food drive lasts through November 13, 2011.

PetCo and the PetCo Foundation encourage everyone to donate a little extra food and litter this year to help dogs and cats in need during the holiday season. Individuals wanting to help can donate to the National Pet Food Drive in one of three ways. First, you can either purchase extra cat or dog food in bags or cans and/or cat litter and drop it in the cat and dog food collection bins at your local PetCo or Unleashed by PetCo store. Alternatively, you can bring any unopened bags or cans of pet food and/or boxes or bins of cat litter from home and drop them in the collection bins at your local PetCo or Unleashed by PetCo store. You can locate your local PetCo store by visiting PetCo’s website and entering your zip code into the store locater at the top of the page.

Hill’s Science Diet has agreed to match each bag of dog or cat food pound for pound up to 100,000 pounds this year as well.

Another way you can help during the pet food drive is by volunteering your time. PetCo Foundation has partnered with VolunteerMatch, a national database of volunteer opportunities. You can go here and sign up to be a cat and dog food drive volunteer. Volunteers are needed from 11a.m. to 2p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays during the food drive (October 5, 6, 12, and 13).

Finally, if you want to contribute to the pet food drive, but cannot volunteer your time or make it to your local PetCo store by November 11, you can make a virtual donation that the PetCo Foundation will give directly to a food bank that needs it. You can make a donation of $10, 25, 35, 50, 100, or 250 here.

If you cannot contribute to the National Pet Food Drive this holiday season, don’t worry, there is plenty of time to donate pet food and/or cat litter throughout the rest of the year. Each PetCo and Unleashed by PetCo store contains collection bins year-round, so you can help needy pets any time of the year. Each store partners with a local animal welfare group or food bank to ensure the collected donations go straight to cat and dog owners who need it in that store’s community.

Paul Jolly, a vice president at PetCo and executive director of the PetCo Foundation stated, “Last year’s drive provided more than 90 tons - almost 200,000 pounds - of pet food for families in need, an incredible gift leading into the holiday season and such an easy way for people to help keep pets well-nourished and with the families who love them in tough economic times. We hope to double that this year, so we’re asking the communities we serve to give a little extra and help us raise awareness for this important year-round program.”

The Pet Food Bank launched in March, 2010. Since then, PetCo and the PetCo Foundation have been able to collect and distribute nearly one million pounds of cat and dog food and cat litter to pet families in need.

If you would like to learn more about the PetCo Foundation, you may visit the organization’s website here.

Sources:

PetCo: National Food Drive　

CatChannel: National Dog and Cat Food Drive Starts This Weekend