Jasper is still sleeping when I wake up. He sleeps a lot these days. He’s sprawled out, taking up half the bed like he always does. I nudge him gently with my foot, but he keeps dozing. That’s okay. He can sleep in. Today is his day.

Today we are celebrating Jasper’s Day. It was my idea. Mom and Dad are staying home from work. I’m staying home from school. Everything we do will be in honour of Jasper - sort of like a birthday. But it isn’t Jasper’s birthday, and I tell myself not to think about what day it really is.

Riley’s family celebrates Jasper’s last day. In the morning, their beloved Golden Retriever gets his very own serving of his favourite breakfast - scrambled eggs with cheese, and bacon. Riley remembers to bring the camera as he and his family take Jasper out for a ride in the van.

The family drives to Jasper’s favourite stream where he used to swim and fetch sticks when he was more agile. Jasper’s sight and hearing are also failing, and his arthritis makes it difficult for him to move about. After the stream, Riley and his parents stop at The Big Scoop for a treat. Riley’s father orders the “usual” for Jasper and himself - butterscotch ripple. Riley’s father tells the ice-cream shop owner about Jasper, and the man comes out to the van to say good-bye to one of his loyal customers. After the ice cream, the family stops at Riley’s Grandma’s house, and she and her dog, Nikki, bid farewell to Jasper. Along the journey, Riley has taken several photographs of Jasper.

The family returns home, but only Riley and his mother get out of the van. It is time to say goodbye. Riley whispers in Jasper’s ear, “You’re the best dog in the whole world.” Jasper licks Riley’s cheek, and then he and Riley’s father depart. Even though Riley knows that the veterinarian will give Jasper a shot and death will be quick and gentle for Jasper, it is terribly difficult to say goodbye to his beloved dog.

Riley’s father returns home with Jasper’s body wrapped in an arrowhead blanket, and the family buries him in the backyard. They gently place Jasper’s old chew toy, a stick, his water dish and a picture of the family in his grave. The family laughs and cries as they remember Jasper and say their final goodbyes.

That night, the house is empty without Jasper. Riley’s chest aches as he tries to fall asleep. Mom and Dad got Jasper before he was even born; Jasper had always been in his life. Tomorrow will be Riley’s first day without Jasper.

Riley looks at the photograph of himself and Jasper on his nightstand and thinks of all the photographs he took today, he gets the idea to make a memory book of Jasper’s life. He will never forget his friend.

Marjorie Blain Parker’s tender and unsentimental treatment of a child’s dealing with the death of a pet resonates with readers of all ages. The gentle and honest story speaks of lessons about love, acceptance, and remembrance. Janet Wilson’s soft and expressive illustrations are rendered in chalk pastels on coloured paper.

Jasper’s Day won the ASPCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award.

Since last summer, our online community has been closely following the story of Harry, a two-year-old Golden Retriever who had been fighting an aggressive sarcoma since Thanksgiving, 2006. It was during this same period that Harry’s two feline friends were battling acute renal failure from adulterated pet food.

Harry and his sister Lucy had been adopted at the same time, and Lucy was his constant companion throughout his too-short life, and his support through his radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Sweet Harry was not only a lover but also a fighter, but in the end, this little boy crossed the Rainbow Bridge this past week - far too soon. We all love his mom’s stories and pictures of Harry and Lucy and the Golden Bone, and our hearts go out to a little dog who is now looking for her buddy.

This YouTube video celebrating Harry’s life was thoughtfully created by one of the members of our community who lost her own best buddy to cancer. Her tribute has a universality that touches all of us who have been fortunate to have had our lives enriched by these precious souls.

Godspeed, Harry. Saint Francis is watching over you.

Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You’ve come to journey’s end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You’re only sleeping

What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
All souls pass

Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don’t say: «We have come now to the end»
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again

And you’ll be here in my arms
Just sleeping

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West

Into The West was performed by Annie Lennox over the ending credits to the third film in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Return Of The King. This song was in part inspired by New Zealand filmmaker Cameron Duncan’s tragic early death from cancer. The song’s first public performance was for Duncan’s funeral. This won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 2003 Academy Awards.

She was the first earthling in space, and now Laika the Russian street stray is immortalized in bronze, 50 years after her historic, sacrificial flight.

Officials unveiled the monument on April 11 in Moscow on the eve of Cosmonautics Day, which honors the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin. It’s about 6 feet tall and sports the 2-year-old mixed breed atop a rocket. It sits near the military research facility that prepared Laika’s flight.

In 1957, Laika became the first living creature to orbit the Earth, when Soviet scientists launched the small dog into orbit aboard a hastily built Sputnik II space capsule. She perished after only a few hours in orbit when the thermal control systems failed and the capsule overheated. In their haste to win the Space Race, the Russians had never designed for her return to Earth anyway.

Remember Laika as you watch this video tribute by Danish electronic musician, Anders Trentemøller. The haunting vocals are by Ane Trolle.

More on Laika at Red Star Cafe

Anders Trentemøller on MySpace

Ane Trolle on MySpace

Associated Press

Telstar Logistics

Earlier, we blogged about the kindness of American troops stationed in Iraq, who had bonded with animals there and made the effort to bring those animals back to the U.S. We and our readers were particularly touched by the story of Peter Neesley, whose tragic death overseas did not stop him from giving the next-best gift to his family at home - Boris and Mama, two strays that he had befriended in Baghdad, who are now paying his charity forward by being there for the family when Peter cannot.

A Soldier’s Gift

From Baghdad With Love

Operation Baghdad Pups

Meanwhile, there is darker news States-side in Lakewood, WA, where a local woman who rescued dozens of animals that were left behind by deployed soldiers is being told to give them up.

Diana VanDusen began taking in stray and unwanted pets after the animal shelter at Fort Lewis shut down 18 months ago. Most of the animals are old or disabled, and most come from military families from Fort Lewis who have had to move overseas. Some of the soldiers reclaim their pets when they return home, but others do not have such a luxury.

“The rest (of the soldiers) - they had to abandon (their pets), because they didn’t know when they were coming back,” said VanDusen. “One cat I held for two years, and no one came back for it. So I knew it was time to adopt it out. I met lot of soldiers along the way that are devastated they have to leave their pets behind.” VanDusen’s mother said soldiers found out that Diana would take their pets and hold them or adopt them out when they left for Iraq or other posts.

VanDusen keeps some of the animals in her home and the rest in an enclosed space in her backyard. But Animal Control officers told her she’s in violation of city code, which states one residence can only house up to five animals. Officers told VanDusen that she would be fined $500 if she does not reduce the number of animals in her home to five by April 14.

Van Dusen pays for veterinary care and neutering of the animals she rescues, and Animal Control officers acknowledged that all the animals were properly cared for, according to Dave Bugher, assistant city manager.

The city’s mandate leaves the soldiers’ animals with nowhere to go, VanDusen said. Many of the animals in her care are old or demand special care. In describing one of her dogs (now thankfully adopted), VanDusen said “he’s blind. He has a neurological disorder on his back legs. He’s old, he’s 14 years old. Who wants to adopt a dog that could pass away in a few months? Here, they can stay as long as they need; I don’t euthanize.”

According to her records, Van Dusen has adopted out more than 860 dogs and cats over 17 years. She said she’s rescued and taken in pets in Lakewood for five years. She said she cared for and adopted out hundreds of stray cats and dogs from Fort Lewis before its facility closed in 2006.

VanDusen said turning our backs on the soldiers’ pets is simply unacceptable. “We’re supposed to support our troops,” she said. “If they can’t support the troops by supporting the animals of the troops, then I can’t live in a city that doesn’t back our troops. Because these guys are innocent victims of what’s going on over there.”

She said she’s even considered moving. “If I could relocate myself and my animals within that deadline, I would. But you see how the housing market is right now,” she said.

At time of writing, VanDusen now has around 14 cats in her care, down from a total of 31 animals. Finding permanent homes for the remaining pets cannot happen overnight, and although she is working hard and acting in good faith to place the animals - she is taking them to the Puyallup PetSmart today for an adoptathon - she hopes the city will change its mind. Kudos to PetSmart for offering her the chance to do this each and every weekend this month.

It was hardly reasonable for Animal Control to expect that she could meet their demands by April 14 without making some heartbreaking and hard decisions for the animals. Needless to say, these draconian demands are hardly a comforting message to American troops who have had to leave their pets behind.

Media exposure and email campaigns may have prompted a change of heart for the city which, as of April 9, is now considering an extension of the deadline if Ms. VanDusen continues to reduce the number of animals in her care to five.

“If she is showing effort to come into compliance, we will ease on the deadline,” said Jeff Brewster, who works for the city. But the city is sticking to its maximum limit of five animals per household. “These laws we have are intended to respect and protect the privacy and peace of mind of neighbors that live nearby,” said Brewster.

Assistant city manager Bugher also said that Lakewood officials will review zoning regulations to determine if it can be allowed and under what conditions.

“I think that is just heartless,” said Denise White, who just adopted a military dog from VanDusen. ” I just think that she was doing a good service, and I don’t see where there was any harm. I really don’t.”

Burt Bray just got a dachshund named Rusty for free. He says the city should leave Diana alone. “Why can’t she just be grandfathered in?” he said.

“Not many people want 30 animals living next door to them in a city neighborhood,” said Brewster. But VanDusen said none of her neighbors ever complained.

It is this blogger’s opinion that the city needs to ease up on Ms. VanDusen, and give her whatever time she and the community needs to adopt out the remaining “excess” animals. And should it not be feasible to rehome all but five animals, considering their age and condition, surely it would not be a grave inconvenience, with the agreement of her neighbours, to grant her an exception to shelter them until their families return or for their remaining days.

It is a sad statement about our civilization that petty regulations, paperwork, and deadline-twitchy bureaucracy are allowed to get in the way of compassion.

KOMO-TV

Video at King5-TV

KOMO-Radio Update, April 9

Tacoma News-Tribune

What can you do?

Let the City of Lakewood know that you support Ms. VanDusen’s charitable efforts and a decision to work with her in good faith to ensure that all of her charges have a safe haven.

(Substitute the usual @ character for (at) in your email).

Council(at)CityofLakewood.us

info(at)cityoflakewood.us

Earlier we and many others blogged about Rambo, the puppy that got away from his owner in Mississauga on Christmas Day, and was wandering the streets unleashed and unmuzzled in direct violation of the law. Animal Control collared the dog and took him into custody. Rambo’s owner, Gabriela Nowakowska, was charged with owning a prohibited animal and the dog faced the prospect of being put down.

Those of us who wrote to Council received an update today from Councillor Pat Saito:

“Action was taken on April 9, 2008, by Mississauga Council. Although the case is in the courts and we can not interfere in that process, we did pass a motion that will allow his owner, Gabriela to visit him while he is being held in our Animal Shelter. We also passed a resolution that would put in place procedures for future visitations in other similar circumstances should they occur.

Rambo is being well cared for by our staff who are animal lovers and he is getting socialization and exercise. But we know that this is not the same as being able to spend time with his “mom”. Also we are hoping that seeing that her puppy is being well cared for will ease some of the concerns Gabriela has over his well being.

It is not the best solution given the provincial legislation that we are compelled to enforce, but hopefully it is a step in the right direction.”

Councillor Saito ended her email with a reference to Ontario’s draconian breed-specific legislation which still threatens Rambo’s welfare. Authorities say Rambo is a pit bull, a breed that has been prohibited since 2005, and must be put down. Nowakowska is contesting that judgment in court.

Mississauga City Council spent 45 minutes on the issue before voting unanimously to let the dog’s owner visit him at the pound.

“City-owned pounds should be showing people how to treat dogs by example. It’s not going to be thousands of people. We only have one incarcerated dog right now,” said Councillor Carolyn Parrish, who proposed the motion. Visits are currently prohibited at the city pound.

Council directed city staff to come up with a visitation procedure before its next meeting in two weeks. Meantime, a visit will be arranged for Nowakowska.

Parrish, who has two dogs, has visited Rambo twice and said he is being well cared for.

“That’s not the issue. The issue is that Gabriela, his owner, is fairly frantic. If she were to see how well he’s being cared for it would go a long way to relieve the anxiety she’s living with,” Parrish said. Rambo has already spent more than three months of his short life separated from Gabriela.

“Humans and dogs have very strong bonds. I am very concerned about the dog, but I am more concerned about the human being.”

Councillors heard from Selma Mulvey, of an owners’ group called the Dog Legislation Council of Canada, who presented research on the stressful effects of long-term kennelling. Keeping dogs cooped up without much human contact, particularly beyond six weeks, can have physiological and behavioural side effects, making dogs fearful and aggressive, she said.

“When the owner finally does regain custody of their pet, there can be a lot of work for them to do to rebuild the relationship.”

Parrish said it would be unfair to release into the community a dog that’s more testy and protective.

Councillor George Carlson agreed that allowing visits is “a measure of our humanity.”

“One year of jail for a dog is seven or eight years for us. That’s a long time to be away from your pet.”

Visitation “is the right thing to do,” said Councillor Maja Prentice. “The same thing goes for people that are incarcerated, waiting for their hearing or judgment.”

Gabriela, kudos to you for your courage and persistence. And thank you, Mississauga Council, for your humane action.

Toronto Star, April 10, 2008

Extensive coverage and discussion over at Caveat and at Barking Mad

A female collie mix, so beautiful, all gold and white and dirty; she’s in the last cage on the aisle, curled up quiet, watching everything - but when I get too close she goes completely crazy, biting at the bars, herself, anything in reach, until I back off and away. Her growl’s like ripping metal, jagged, dangerous, and strong . . . Don’t mess with me, that growl says. I may be in a cage but I can still bite.

Rachel is happiest when she’s volunteering at the animal shelter, especially after she meets the feral collie she names Grrl: they’re both angry and alone. When a teacher encourages her to write about the dog, Rachel finds another outlet for her pain and frustration. Writing about Grrl is easy. But teaching Grrl to trust her is a much tougher task. And when Griffin, the new boy in school, devises a plan to bring Grrl home, Rachel finds that the dog isn’t the only one who must learn to trust. Kathe Koja offers a raw and emotional tale about a girl who risks breaking out of her own cage to find the help she needs.

straydog is Kathe Koja’s compelling debut novel. Koja writes for young adults.

Writing straydog, my first book for young people, ushered me into a world I knew already as a reader. Many of the characters I love best in fiction — Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet, J.D. Salinger’s Holden and Franny and Zooey, Francesca Lia Block’s Witch Baby — are people who say what they think, show their bewilderments, struggle with hard ideas, love with all their hearts; exasperating, funny, intense people. Young people.

I’m a strong supporter of animal rights, so I’m especially proud that straydog was honored by both the ASPCA and the Humane Society. I believe that you can learn everything you need to know about a person by watching the way s/he acts with animals and little kids, the powerless ones.

“So what’s up with that collie?”

Melissa’s at her desk, an old-fashioned school teacher’s desk, dented metal drawers and heaping piles of junk: fund-raising appeals, cruelty investigation forms, food orders, a busted leash tagged DON’T BUY THIS KIND!!! At the center of the heap is the brand-new computer, the one new thing in the place, a donation from some distributor. Now Melissa scrabbles like Shiva through the mess, hunting for “The pen,” she says to herself, “where is the pen ?” and then to me “What collie?” She gives me the major Melissa-stare, her wide blue eyes like What! do! you! want! Her hair’s really, really short and blonde, she gels it so it sticks up like porcupine quills. “You mean the one Jake brought in?”
“Yeah. Grrl.” It was what I called her, writing last night in my paper; it fit, it’s just right but “The feral one, you named her?” and she rolls her eyes. “Rachel, before you start, stop, all right? She’s been all her life on the streets, you know what they’re like when they’re –”

“I know, I know.” You can almost never socialize the feral ones, they’re almost always euthanized .I’ve seen dozens of dogs, and fallen in love with half of them, and cried my heart out when they died; that’s how it is here. But this one is different, somehow. There’s something about her, something in her eyes, I can’t stop thinking about her: as if I know what she’s like, know her from the inside out. And I have a plan for her, or at least the plan for a plan so “I just want to try,” I say to Melissa, “just get to know her a little. And it won’t interfere with my work schedule, I’ll still do all my regular stuff –” 

“I don’t have time — there you are! — to argue with you now,” she says, snatching up her pen. “Go away. Go talk to the dogs,” which I do, sweep and swab and water and feed, all the while sneaking little looks at Grrl in her cage lying on a blue blanket, one of the old torn-up blankets from the rescue van. Her eyes are half-closed, cloudy; the cage card says she’s got a fever from the leg infection. When I reach to put the card back she growls at me, that ripping, ugly sound: Don’t mess with me , that growl says. I may be in a cage but I can still bite.

So I start talking like I always do, to all the dogs — hey you guys, how’s it going — but once in awhile I say “Grrl”, looking into her eyes, making sure she knows it’s meant for her. “Grrl, Grrl,” almost like her growl but warm and crooning, the name and the idea came to me like a gift last night as I sat looking over the essay, two gifts at once because I’m going to write about that dog, I thought, about Grrl and from “A Dog’s Life” I changed the title to “straydog,” all one word, like a dog would think of herself.

And once I’d done that the words just, just flew, it was like I couldn’t write fast enough. It was like I knew her, knew how she would think and feel and fear, knew it all from the inside out and when I finally stopped writing — not done, only just started but my hand was hot and aching, and my eyes were as dry as little rubber balls — I felt so good, so full , I don’t know how else to explain it; like I’d eaten at a banquet, like I was a banquet. — Oh, that’s not it either, how can words say exactly what you want sometimes and sometimes nothing at all?

Winner of the Humane Society’s KIND Book Award
Winner of the ASPCA’s Henry Bergh Award
A BOOK SENSE 76 Top Ten Summer Teen Reads pick
A selection of the Junior Library Guild
A selection of the Children’s Literature Choice List for 2003

Kathe Koja website

At a Zen Buddhist temple in southern Japan, even the dog prays.

Mimicking his master, priest Joei Yoshikuni, a 1 1/2-year-old black-and-white Chihuahua named Conan joins in the daily prayers at Naha’s Shuri Kannondo temple, sitting up on his hind legs and putting his front paws together before the altar.

It took him only a few days to learn the motions, and now he is the talk of the town.

“Word has spread, and we are getting a lot more tourists,” Yoshikuni said Monday.

Yoshikuni said Conan generally goes through his prayer routine at the temple in the capital of Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture without prompting before his morning and evening meals.

“I think he saw me doing it all the time and got the idea to do it, too,” Yoshikuni said.

The priest is now trying to teach him how to meditate.

Well, sort of.

“Basically, I am just trying to get him to sit still while I meditate.”

We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.
~~ Irving Townsend

The anniversary of the 2007 pet food recall is a particularly bittersweet time of remembrance for the thousands who lost their companions to contaminated food, corporate greed and inept oversight. The pet food industry is a sham, dressing up the shabby left-overs from human consumption as nourishment for animals. Its regulation is a gutless farce. Compound this with the cost-cutting efforts of income funds masquerading as pet food purveyors, and the unregulated corruption that allows plastic to pretend to be protein, and you have a recipe for disaster. Our pets were, sadly, the canaries in this coal mine.

At the end of a long, dark year, as the healing sun begins to melt away the ice from our hearts, here is some music from heaven for the small, much loved victims of the recall and those who love them. It is Samuel Barber’s hauntingly beautiful Adagio for Strings. This music is truly touched by God.

Adagio for Strings is a work for string orchestra, and it is Barber’s most popular piece. It originated as the second movement in his String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11, composed in 1936.

The recording of the 1938 world premiere, with Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Orchestra, was selected in 2005 for permanent preservation in the National Recording Registry at the United States Library of Congress.

The piece was played at the funerals of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and JFK. It was also performed in 2001 at a ceremony at the World Trade Center to commemorate the thousands lost there in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The composer also arranged the piece in 1967 for eight-part choir, as a setting of the Agnus Dei (”Lamb of God”).

The YouTube video features a stunning rendition by the BBC Orchestra, accompanied by images from 9/11 — appropriate because of the thousands of innocent animals who died or who are surviving with medical intervention and the dedication of those who love them.

Adagio for Strings mp3 download

Itchmo: In Memory Of

Pet Food Recall

A Dog’s Breakfast

Images: Pebbles the Yorkie, and from the Flickr Photo Gallery: Yeti (malamute) and Ashleigh (cat)

Defending champion Lance Mackey won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 37-year-old throat cancer survivor from Fairbanks and 11 dogs crossed the finish line under Nome’s burled arch at 2:45 a.m. ADT Wednesday.

He yelled “Yeah, baby!” as he drove his team down Nome’s Front Street. Fans mobbed him along the last stretch.

For much of the 1,100-mile race Mackey tussled for the lead with four-time winner Jeff King of Denali Park, who was about an hour behind Mackey. He also struggled with dogs stricken with diarrhea and slowed by unseasonably warm weather that marked much of the trail.

Wednesday’s win was a repeat of the historical feat pulled off by Mackey in 2007 when he became the first musher to win back-to-back runs in the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race and the Iditarod in the same year.

The top 30 finishers will get a piece of the $875,000 purse. The winner gets $69,000 and a $45,000 truck.

In its 36th running, the Iditarod commemorates a run by sled dogs in 1925 to deliver lifesaving diphtheria serum to Nome.

Fox News

Mackey’s 2007 Iditarod Win

Mackey’s Comeback Kennel

Iditarod Official Website

Hot on the heels of last year’s recall of tainted pet food (it isn’t over yet, folks), Mars Inc. bumped up its television and magazine advertising for Pedigree® dog food. In parallel, they expanded their Indiana plant, to pump out more grain- and additive-filled kibble for the grocery store marketplace.

Not only have we been bombarded with television and magazine images of shiny golden retrievers scarfing the equivalent of Mickey Dee’s, but Mars Inc. is now pushing a shelter program – the Pedigree Adoption Drive TM campaign – to demonstrate its good corporate citizenship. Now with every bag of corn filler you buy, Mars, Inc. will donate $1.00 to help little Oliver the terrier and dogs like him find a loving, forever home.

Pedigree® helps make sure that man’s best friend stays fit, healthy and happy. There’s a Pedigree meal for every size and shape of dog.

From the Canadian website:

As the makers of Pedigree®, everything we do is inspired by our love of dogs. We’re here to help them live a happy and healthy life, no matter what their circumstances are. That’s why we are committed to donating $150,000 and are aspiring to raise much more through our Pedigree Adoption Drive TM campaign. This money will be donated to our partner animal shelters across Canada in the effort to raise awareness of the plight of shelter dogs and help them find loving homes.

A part of each purchase from any Pedigree® Brand product (to a maximum of $150,000) goes to help shelter dogs.

From the US website:

Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations every year — and only half of them ever find a home. That’s why we created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) philanthropic organization dedicated to helping dogs in need to find loving homes.Donations to the foundation directly benefit shelters and rescue organizations nationwide. We appreciate your tax-deductible donation and for helping us raise more than $1 million in 2008. Dogs Rule.®

Meanwhile, in related news…

South Carolina residents have chipped in to donate hundreds of bags of pet food to the Anderson County animal shelter. Mars, Inc., maker of Pedigree® pet food, told the shelter it was ending gifts of pet food to their shelter. Almost 300 animals were in danger of going hungry in a matter of days.

That was the situation the Anderson County Animal Shelter faced last week when the manager learned the shelter’s primary food supplier, would no longer be able to donate.

The shelter is looking for another corporate food sponsor, a process which could take months according to the manager. But Tuesday, the community reached out, hauling in bag after bag and filling the shelter’s lobby. The shelter was running low on pet food and asked the community for help. Numerous people brought in bags of pet food, and some even braved bad weather to bring in their donations.

The shelter needs kitten, cat, puppy and dog food. Workers say they’re entering the busy spring season, where they often feed more than 400 animals each day.

Mars, Inc. was the shelter’s main primary food supplier.

The shelter manager said she is uncertain why Mars, Inc. decided to stop donating pet food, and unless the shelter can find another corporate sponsor, the shelter would need to rely on the community for help. She was also told that the decision to cut back on the food donation program was company wide and other shelters were affected.

Details at WSPA

In breaking news, the PR whizzes at Mars have done an about-turn for now.

Officials with Mars Petcare U.S., which produces Pedigree pet food and has been the shelter’s main food supplier for five years, are going to continue donating food to the Anderson County shelter, said the spokeswoman for the company, Bertille Glass.

The decision was made after Mars Petcare officials, based in Brentwood, Tenn., noticed an article that was in Tuesday’s Anderson Independent-Mail, Ms. Glass said.

“There was a miscommunication and we will provide them with food donations during this transition period,” Ms. Glass said.

Currently, Mars Petcare officials are looking into the company’s nation-wide pet food donation program to see if any changes to be made, Ms. Glass said.

Anderson Independent

What can you do?

1. Get a Letter to the Editor going, and vote with your wallet to smarten these people up. Tell Mars to quit the corporate hypocrisy. Ask them where the truth in advertising went with the Pedigree shelter ads, and when these shelters can expect to receive their share. At time of writing, the Pedigree website had a big “under construction” blank on the page reserved for its list of deserving shelters. They really do need to answer for leaving vulnerable shelters in a bind.

Write to Mars

2. Let other pet food manufacturers know that you’d be happy if they would pitch in, and take less than six months to do so.

3. Feed your dog better, for Pete’s sake.

Although living on Mickey Dee’s might be better than nothing for a few weeks if you happen to be doing time in a shelter, avoid the packaged garbage in the average grocery aisle.

USA Today just reported a massive pet food scare in Asia in 2004 - a precursor to the 2007 disaster:

“The outbreak of contamination in pet foods that killed hundreds and perhaps thousands of cats and dogs last year in the USA wasn’t the first such incident, veterinary pathologists have determined.”

“An outbreak in 2004 that also involved pet foods contaminated with industrial chemicals sickened more than 6,000 dogs and a smaller number of cats across Asia.”

“Kidney failure in the animals was linked to Pedigree dog foods and Whiskas cat foods manufactured in Thailand by Mars Inc. Thousands of pets died, according to Asian media reports at the time.”

USA Today

Sadly, Pedigree® didn’t make the cut in Greenpeace’s guide on how to avoid genetically-engineered ingredients. Read about it here and download the guide.

Exactly what are you pouring into the poor dog’s dish every day?

Pedigree® Complete Nutrition Adult Large/Small Crunchy Bites:

Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt, potassium chloride, caramel color, wheat flour, wheat gluten, vegetable oil, vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate [source of vitamin C], vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement), trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide)

Dog Food Project - Pedigree

Identifying Better Products

A Dog’s Breakfast - What’s Really In Dog Food