Source: PRWeb, Nov 19, 2009
Pet food company donates truckloads of premium pet food to The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank in Portland, Oregon enabling them to distribute high quality dog food and cat food to the animals of anyone in need, helping to keep families together in challenging economic times.
San Luis Obispo, CA (PRWEB) November 19, 2009 — CANIDAE Pet Foods, a manufacturer of all natural dog and cat food, has donated $125,000 USD worth of premium pet food to The Pongo Fund, allowing Larry Chusid, Founder and Executive Director, to open the nation’s largest pet food bank.
The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank opened Sunday, November 8, 2009, operating out of a warehouse in Portland, directly across from the Oregon Convention Center. Over 30 enthusiastic volunteers were on hand to help ensure that everyone with a genuine need would receive a two week supply of premium pet food for each of their dogs or cats. In addition to receiving free pet food, recipients were given nutritional information and tips for safely transitioning their dogs to an all natural, premium diet. All recipients were all invited to return every two weeks to receive more food for their companion animals, so long as they had a need.
“Our first day was exceptional, a perfectly joyful opportunity to help the community,” explained The Pongo Fund Founder Larry Chusid. “We were able to effortlessly guide each person through the facility, providing them with food and nutritional advice, in only a matter of minutes. Providing a respectful and efficient experience will be critical as we expect to help more and more people as news of the pet food bank spreads. Our goal is to be able to provide eight tons of free premium pet food every month.”
In addition to the homeless, many of the people who arrived on opening day had a place to live, but were unemployed and so were unable to feed their companion animals. “Pets mean so much to people, they’d do anything for them. If people can’t afford to feed their pet, they have to give them up. The Pongo Fund fills a unique need… they help keep families together by feeding the pets,” said Lael Concordia, Director of Social Services at William Temple House, another Portland organization that helps individuals and families in crisis.
The Mayor of Portland, Sam Adams, was so impressed with Chusid’s vision and the unprecedented donation from CANIDAE, that he declared Sunday, November 8, 2009 to be “CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Day” in the city.
“A lot of these folks were surprised to find that they needed less CANIDAE than the pet foods from grocery stores they were used to feeding,” said CANIDAE Sales Manager Jon Tingle. “We explained that because CANIDAE doesn’t contain the corn, wheat and fillers that some other brands do, there is a lot more nutrition in each pound. We asked everyone to fill out a Pet Profile so the next time they come we can quickly give them the right amount of food for their dog or cat.”
Chusid spotted one man leaving the pet food bank with only a 4 pound bag of FELIDAE cat food. He was concerned the man did not take enough to last two weeks and caught up with him outside the warehouse. When asked, the man said he only had one very small cat and four pounds was, “all he needed.” When offered an additional bag of Felidae, the man graciously declined. “I don’t want to take more than I need; I want to make sure there’s enough for everyone else.”
Among the volunteers were representatives from all three Healthy Pets Northwest stores including Laura Amiton from the Alberta District store, Julie Cantonwine from the Hawthorne District store, and Mike Carroll and Barb Cantonwine from the Multnomah Village store. They offered their years of expertise in pet nutrition to the needy dog and cat owners and were among those that helped to calculate the right amount of food to last each pet for two weeks.
After opening, an anonymous individual was so impressed with The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank that he called Chusid to donate $3,000 for purchase of even more CANIDAE. “We are thrilled that the community has responded so well. Sometimes it’s simply a bowl of kibble that can keep a family together and save the lives of the animals they love,” said Chusid.
The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank is open the second and fourth Sunday of every month. Details at www.thepongofund.org.
About The Pongo Fund
Founded in 2007 by Larry Chusid, The Pongo Fund has provided over 100,000 quality meals to the dogs and cats of the needy and homeless in and around the Portland, Oregon area, helping to protect these animals from being abandoned or surrendered simply because their families cannot afford to feed them. The Pongo Fund is an all volunteer charity and the only program specifically designed to consistently provide quality dog and cat food to the animals of anyone in need. Their address is PO Box 8244, Portland, Oregon, 97207. The Pongo Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity. www.thepongofund.org
About CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods
Founded out of love for pets and animals, CANIDAE Pet Food, Inc. manufactures and distributes a complete line of healthy meat-based, holistic, all natural dog food, cat food, and gourmet pet treats sold worldwide through independent pet food retailers including over 7,000 locations throughout the United States and Canada. For the most recent information about CANIDAE and its line of healthy pet products, visit http://www.canidae.com/canidae-news-updates.html. About Responsible Pet Ownership In accordance with its philosophy of promoting Responsible Pet Ownership through proper nutrition and care, CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods is the title sponsor of the Responsible Pet Ownership blog which provides helpful tips and advice for caring pet owners. This daily RPO blog exists as a free service to all pet owners, offering articles from a range of professional pet authors on topics such as natural nutrition, training and exercise, veterinarian care, planned breeding, spaying and neutering, and supporting reputable breeders and rescue groups. Pet owners can subscribe to these informative daily articles at http://canidaepetfood.blogspot.com.
Source: TelegraphUK, Nov 19, 2009
A Lithuanian man who threw a dog off a bridge has been hunted down by animal lovers who watched a video of the crime that the man posted online.
Police in the Lithuanian town of Kaunas arrested 22-year-old Svajunas Beniukas on animal cruelty charges after internet users helped police identify him and the bridge from which the small brown dog was thrown.
The video shows a man holding the dog, called Pipiras, Lithuanian for pepper, and laughing as his friend records the event on his mobile phone.
Checking that the coast is clear, he makes a joke about dogs flying and then drops the animal off the bridge.
Crashing onto a farm track below, Pipiras yelps in pain, and lies twitching on the ground.
But despite falling over 20 feet and sustaining multiple fractures and internal injuries, vets said the dog would survive.
“He’s lived with me for four to five years,” Petras Dunskaitis, the dog’s 70-year-old owner told a Lithuanian newspaper. “He didn’t deserve such a fate.”
Originally posted on a Lithuanian website, outrage at the treatment of the dog snowballed as the 40 seconds of footage spread across the globe, even making it to Facebook through the efforts of a 3,000-strong group calling itself the “Lithuanian Dog Support Group”.
Lithuanian police said a key breakthrough was tracing the local website, www.15min.it, where the footage originally appeared. The website’s users identified the man as Beniukas.
Local media reported that Beniukas may have sought revenge on the dog after it was suspected of killing some of his mother’s chickens.
He has been charged wtih animal cruelty and faces up to a year in jail.
Source: PR-USA.net, Nov 20, 2009
PetSmart is extending a voluntary recall on beef hoof products to include a total of 14 products. These items were manufactured by Pet Carousel, Inc. in Sanger, Calif., and include beef hoof chews as well as certain rope toys with hoof or bone components. The date range for purchasing affected products has been expanded to include products purchased from Sept. 1, 2009 to November 6, 2009.
PetSmart announced it was voluntarily recalling two Dentley’s beef hoof products on November 3, 2009, after learning they may have been contaminated with Salmonella during the manufacturing process (Dentley’s Bulk Cattle Hooves and Dentley’s Choobles 10-Pack Beef Hooves). Twelve additional products have since been added to the voluntary recall.
The complete list of recalled products includes the following items:
Description SKU UPC
----------- -----------
DENTLEY'S BULK CATTLE HOOF 1611247 73725703323
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DENTLEY’S CHOOBLES 10-PACK BEEF HOOVES 5019015 73725736055
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CHOO-HOOVES STUFFED WITH CHEESE-BACON 1611993 3465190058
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CHOO-HOOVES STUFFED WITH PEANUT BUTTER 1611994 3465190056
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FLOSSY CHEWS CHOO-HOOVE ROPER TWO-HOOVES 1813131 3465117005
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FLOSSY CHEWS ROPER BONE BUDDY 1815505 3465190002
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FLOSSY CHEWS BEEF BONES WITH ROPE TOY 5080721 3465117055
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FLOSSY CHEWS WHITE BONE ROPE 5147942 3465117065
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KNUCLE STEAKS 2-PACK 5084141 3465190046
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CHOO-HOOVES DOG CHEWS 3-PACK 1611410 3465184103
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3-PACK SMOKED HOOVES 5042279 3465114003
34651140037
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5-LB COW HOOVES 5042275 34651150609
3465115060
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5-LB. SMOKIES - HOOVES 5042277 34651140556
3465114055
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60-PIECES SMOKED HOOVES 5042278 3465112122
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Customers who purchased the recalled products should discontinue use immediately and return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers who have concerns about their health or their pet’s health should consult a medical professional. For additional information about the recall, customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com, www.petsmart.com, www.fda.gov or contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.
Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some individuals, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.
Many dogs do not show clinical signs of Salmonella. However, when they do, they often have diarrhea or other signs of systemic infections.
Source: Associated Press, Nov 19, 2009
A shelter’s decision to euthanize a dog that was thrown from the sixth-story roof of a Brooklyn building has inspired new state legislation.
State Assemblyman Micah Z. Kellner said on Thursday that he introduced a bill requiring shelters to release any animal they plan to kill to a legitimate rescue group that offers to take in the animal.
Animal activists were outraged last week when the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals put down the pit bull mix named Oreo. The ASPCA said it tried to rehabilitate Oreo, but she was too aggressive.
Before Oreo was euthanized, at least one upstate sanctuary had offered to take her in. The ASPCA said sanctuary was not appropriate in her case.
ASPCA attorney Debora Bresch says the agency is reviewing how the bill fits with existing law.
Source: Associated Press, Nov 12, 2009
A mother of seven is accused of running a house of horrors for pets at her suburban Long Island home, forcing her children to help torture them and burying at least 20 dogs in her backyard — animals neighbors now fear were beloved pets that mysteriously disappeared over the years.
Sharon McDonough pleaded not guilty last week to six counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty on suspicion of abusing five dogs and a cat found crammed into cages, covered in feces and urine, their coats matted with filth. A judge has taken away custody of the 43-year-old woman’s six young daughters.
McDonough’s neighbors began fearing their missing pets met a worse fate than the abused animals after her son led officials to a backyard filled with the shallow graves of 20 dogs.
Douglas McDonough, 21, who turned his mother in to authorities on Nov. 5, called the home “a concentration camp for the animals” in comments to reporters after the arrest.
“She would have the oldest kids hold down the dog while we duct-taped his mouth and she would hit him,” he said, adding that he and his sisters were all forced to take part in the abuse.
On Tuesday, a judge removed the six girls — ages 18 months to 13 years — from the custody of McDonough, who is widowed. Her court-appointed attorney, James D’Angelo, called the animal cruelty counts a “low-level offense.”
“She’s not charged with killing animals and is entitled to a presumption of innocence,” he said. No one answered the door at McDonough’s home this week.
Dozens of people have called the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals since the case broke, fearing their missing pets had been victimized, Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross said.
“My daughter is still crying every day over her lost Chihuahua,” said neighbor Sharyn Padula of the family’s dog Bally, who disappeared just over a year ago. Two cats, Annabelle and Sylvester, also went missing.
After the dog disappeared, the family “posted pictures everywhere, Craigslist, and went doorbell to doorbell asking people if they’d seen him,” said Padula, who lives a few houses from McDonough. “I really hope they don’t find my pets there.”
McDonough’s two-story red brick house sits on a middle-class block of closely placed, well-kept homes buffered by manicured lawns and festooned with holiday decorations — except for McDonough’s, an unkempt structure with peeling paint, surrounded by fallen, matted leaves.
Since the dog carcasses were found, vandals have spray-painted “killer” on the garage and “guilty” on McDonough’s mailbox. Rotten eggs were splattered on the house and on an SUV parked outside. A New York tabloid has dubbed her the “Cruella De Vil of Long Island.”
Gross was summoned to the home after Douglas McDonough contacted Rescue Ink, a group of bikers who stage animal rescues in the New York metropolitan area for a television program of the same name on the National Geographic Channel. Efforts to reach the group, created several years ago by a former NYPD detective and ex-security guards and bouncers, were unsuccessful. Its messaging system was full and an e-mail seeking comment went unanswered.
Authorities found the animals — a shepherd mix, a beagle mix, an Italian greyhound, a cocker spaniel mix, a pug and a tabby cat — in wretched cages in the house. A “sickening” smell in the back yard nearly overcame animal control officers and firefighters, Gross said.
“This is one case I’m sure I will never forget out of the thousands and thousands I have seen,” said Gross, a 25-year veteran of abuse investigations. “It’s probably one of the most horrific cases of animal cruelty.”
After Douglas McDonough told investigators about the animals buried in his family’s backyard, SPCA authorities returned to the house with a search warrant and began digging. In all, 20 dogs were found in varying states of decomposition, suggesting they had died over a period of years.
Gross said necropsies were being conducted and veterinarians would search the bodies for implanted microchips that might help identify them. That could be the only way to determine whether any of the dead dogs had been stolen.
Upgraded larceny or grand larceny charges might be filed by the police if it can be proved any of the animals were stolen, Gross said.
It wasn’t clear why McDonough’s son waited until last week to alert authorities, and contact information for him could not be found.
A note from the Suffolk Division of Public Health was taped to McDonough’s front door Monday, saying the agency wanted to know about “bags of human feces in the backyard and garage.” A health department spokeswoman did not return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Two of McDonough’s daughters have been placed with their older brother, two with neighbors and two in foster care. Suffolk County social services officials would not comment on the status of the child welfare case and whether charges were possible.
McDonough, whose husband, Darren, was killed in a car accident last year, faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count of misdemeanor animal cruelty if convicted. If authorities upgrade the abuse charges to a felony, she could be sentenced to up to two years in prison on each count if convicted.
Padula said she hopes the necropsies do not turn up her Chihuahua or other pets.
“I’d rather think that they’re wandering around still,” she said. “I don’t even want to imagine.”
