MEOW MIX TO DONATE MORE THAN 30,000 LBS. OF CAT FOOD TO NEW YORK’S HOMELESS CATS AND THEIR CARETAKERS
On November 22, 2008, in the visitors’ parking lot at Rikers Island, Queens, the New York City Feral Cat Initiative will distribute approximately 35,000 lbs. of Meow Mix cat food, donated by parent company Del Monte Foods, to volunteer caretakers feeding managed feral cat colonies throughout New York. The generous contribution will help soften the cost of providing food this coming winter to the many thousands of homeless cats living on the city’s streets, and continue a tradition of abundant Meow Mix donations to assist this segment of the humane community over the last several years.
Feral cats originate from lost or abandoned cats forced to live outdoors on their own and have become too wild to be adopted into homes. Using a method known as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), volunteers trap the cats, have them spay/neutered and vaccinated, return them to their original territories, then provide regular food and shelter. TNR has been shown to be the only approach that is successful on a large scale at reducing feral cat numbers over time.
Through donations of Meow Mix and its other pet food brands, Del Monte Foods is a strong supporter of animal rescue and shelter organizations throughout the country.
Transportation for this donation was arranged by FreeHaul, NPC, a non-profit organization moving donated goods to charities across the U.S.
About The New York City Feral Cat Initiative
The New York City Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) is a joint program of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, an umbrella group of over 100 animal welfare organizations dedicated to eliminating pet overpopulation in New York, and Neighborhood Cats, a leading feral cat education and advocacy group. NYCFCI provides training, equipment, hands-on assistance and advice to city residents interested in practicing TNR.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Obama's White House Dog: Let His Kids Choose the "Puppy They Earned"
The day after the election, I must have gotten at least 5 or more 'press releases' from various organizations, from adoption agencies large and small, dog trainers, and dog clubs, specifically "offering" the Obama family help in picking their new presidential pooch. Print articles abounded in almost every single large newspaper. The morning shows filled their time with segments about this and still more news and other organizations are "offering their help" in picking the presidential puppy.
Why? Because President-Elect Obama said this in his acceptance speech on the evening of Nov. 4th in front of all of Chicago and the world to see:
"Sasha and Malia...I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us...to the White House.".
The fact that this would be the top-five topics of the new President-Elect (the first four being the economy, the war, healthcare and energy) is not news to Mistress Chilli Chinchilla, of course. She knew the minute she saw the first one or two announcements way back before Obama even picked Biden for his Vice President, where he told his daughters he'd promised them a puppy after the election, win or lose. Indeed, she wrote a cover story about "Obama's Big Decision" in the current issue of New York Tails, published way back in September. As you can see, the American Kennel Club and Best Friends Society were already tugging at the bone with 'contests' to choose the Obama family dog.
Ah, welcome to the world of life in a fishbowl, little Sasha (actually Natasha) and Malia. You think you had a taste of it when you both were merely a Senator's daughters -- you ain't seen nothing yet.
Thankfully, Obama is already getting the hang of the art of the political non-answer, with a dash of foreshadowing thrown in. When a reporter asked him at his first post-election press conference about the dog (think about this: the economy is in freefall, we're in a war, and the press is asking about the presidential dog-to-be) he said (excerpted from a news article):
The president-elect said his family is looking for a dog that will not trigger his daughter Malia's allergies. Ideally, he said, it would come from an animal rescue shelter, "but obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me."
Read that again, and also keep in mind First-Lady Elect Michelle Obama apparently told an entertainment show that they plan to adopt a dog from a shelter a month or two ago.
With a clever turn of phrase, Obama did several things:
1.) Answer the reporter's question while poking gentle fun of himself.
2.) Said the dog would ideally come from a shelter BUT "obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me." In other words (how I ready it, anyway, as much as they'd love to just take their girls like any normal American family to the local pound and pick out a pooch, they also have to keep in mind the best dog for their younger girl's allergies, ie, a so-called "hypoallergenic" dog. The jury is still out if there is such a dog out there. There are certain breeds who have hair rather than fur and a low shed volume who are supposed to be 'better' for people with allergies.
But even President Clinton was allergic to poor Socks the cat, who ended up living with his secretary. I know some cat owners who still never forgave him for that as he went on to get other dogs.
Here's my 'presidential pooch prediction' -- in order of how I think it will pan out.
1.) The Obamas will adopt a puppy from a purebred rescue group BEFORE they get to the White House. Once in a while, a breeders' litter produces a puppy that is not exactly 'show quality' and instead is labeled 'housepet quality.' (The American Kennel Club is REALLY hoping for this one.) A number of breeders are involved in purebred rescue (for the very reason of getting rid of the runts of their litters). This scenario allows the kids to pick the kind of puppy they want while at the same time 'rescuing/adopting' a dog. HOWEVER, early reports say the girls may want a 'golden-doodle', one of the new 'designer dogs' the AKC and other purebred clubs don't recognize or particularly like. Even if it isn't a golden-doodle, it's a pretty safe bet the kids already have what type of dog they want in mind. Don't be surprised if one day soon little Sasha or Malia comes out with a little pup on her arm.
2.) A dog will be 'gifted' to them. Kinda like China gifted us with the pandas. Keep in mind Obama promised the girls 'a new puppy'. Most purebred rescue groups are chock-full of older dogs, many with ongoing medical problems. Not the best choice for a family that will presumable be doing a lot of travel, and not the first choice of the puppy-seeking Obama girls.
3.) You can bet your kibble that, at this very moment, a number of the nationally-known rescue groups have dispatched search teams that are furiously looking for a young 'hypo-allergenic' dog for the Obama children to 'adopt.' (Can you imagine what a plug that would be for the adoption agency?) They may even be 'rescuing' a golden-doodle from a puppy mill at this very moment, having it in their shelter and, oh my, look what kind of dog just happened to come in!
4.) Oprah may even get involved in this 'search.' After all, she was an early Obama supporter and recently had a whole show on puppy mills and her vow to adopt her next dog.
5.) In what may be one of the last normal acts Mr. and Mrs. Obama may do as normal parents to their kids, they will let the kids pick out their own dog before they hit the White House. A puppy may soon just 'show up' in the Obama household, somewhat protecting Sasha and Malia from the microscope they are already under. That way it's done before the family officially moves into the White House (Obama said they earned "the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." When asked where it came from, they can say it was a 'gift' from a 'dear friend'. That way they don't have to explain the dog's origin (they couldn't refuse a gift, could they?) It is also done before Obama actually becomes President and moves into the White House, where he doesn't need the distraction of this on top of his already full-plate.
6.) No matter how it pans out, President-Elect Obama will most likely make some kind of statement where he met the most 'wonderful people' and 'wonderful dogs' during his family's search for a new pet, thank everyone for their help, and 'urge all Americans to give a dog a second chance at life' (or some such thing) by adopting.
Poor Obama. Not even in office yet and they're already throwing him to the dogs. I'm surprised he didn't get slammed yet for saying 'a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.' While this may be true, I've seen first-hand people who have adopted absolutely beautiful purebred dogs from local shelters. This never ceases to amaze me. You pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a dog and you give it up to the pound? this. One leader from a local shelter here told me she had a number of purebreds -- some quite young -- surrendered in recent weeks simply because of the economy and the person now had to move back in with Mom and Dad because of a job loss or pay cut. Pet stores may begin to get backlogged with pups normally sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and into the breed rescue groups or back to their breeders of origin (let's hope the former) they'll go. 'Reputable breeders' actually make you sign a contract that you will return a dog you purchase from them TO them if you can no longer care for them during your lifetime.
I guess I'm taking a long way of saying this: let Malia and Sasha be kids for the little time they have left while they're still semi-out of the spotlight. Once they're in the White House, their every move will be watched by Secret Service men assigned particularly to them. Their first day in a new school will be a big event. Anytime they appear anywhere, fail a math test or skin a knee will be national news. They're really going to need a friend they can come home to and tell all of their little girl secrets to. A pet all of their own. A pet they can truly say they saw, fell in love with, and picked out. Just like any other American kid. Don't make their choice of dog a political or social statement.
If they do end up adopting from a local shelter, (in this case, probably their home in Chicago) Mazel Tov. Wish I was that dog. That would send a great message: even the First Family adopts--why not you! (and it fits nicely into Obama's theme of 'hope'.)
But if they end up with a purebred -- preferably from a reputable breeder or breed rescue -- then let that be their choice, too. Few things are more personal than choosing who you will spend your life with. It has to be a right match. Perhaps if they get a purebred they can still send a message about adoption another way. After all, the man is going to be President in a few weeks, and with a new batch of Democrats in Congress, he will be in a prime position to pass national, animal-friendly laws. The nation's homeless animals -- and the hard-working shelter folks who volunteer for their care -- couldn't ask for a better advocate than that.
That said, if you're a homeless "Golden Doodle" puppy whose mother was a Hurricane Katrina survivor -- there may be a job opening just for you.
Why? Because President-Elect Obama said this in his acceptance speech on the evening of Nov. 4th in front of all of Chicago and the world to see:
"Sasha and Malia...I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us...to the White House.".
The fact that this would be the top-five topics of the new President-Elect (the first four being the economy, the war, healthcare and energy) is not news to Mistress Chilli Chinchilla, of course. She knew the minute she saw the first one or two announcements way back before Obama even picked Biden for his Vice President, where he told his daughters he'd promised them a puppy after the election, win or lose. Indeed, she wrote a cover story about "Obama's Big Decision" in the current issue of New York Tails, published way back in September. As you can see, the American Kennel Club and Best Friends Society were already tugging at the bone with 'contests' to choose the Obama family dog.
Ah, welcome to the world of life in a fishbowl, little Sasha (actually Natasha) and Malia. You think you had a taste of it when you both were merely a Senator's daughters -- you ain't seen nothing yet.
Thankfully, Obama is already getting the hang of the art of the political non-answer, with a dash of foreshadowing thrown in. When a reporter asked him at his first post-election press conference about the dog (think about this: the economy is in freefall, we're in a war, and the press is asking about the presidential dog-to-be) he said (excerpted from a news article):
The president-elect said his family is looking for a dog that will not trigger his daughter Malia's allergies. Ideally, he said, it would come from an animal rescue shelter, "but obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me."
Read that again, and also keep in mind First-Lady Elect Michelle Obama apparently told an entertainment show that they plan to adopt a dog from a shelter a month or two ago.
With a clever turn of phrase, Obama did several things:
1.) Answer the reporter's question while poking gentle fun of himself.
2.) Said the dog would ideally come from a shelter BUT "obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me." In other words (how I ready it, anyway, as much as they'd love to just take their girls like any normal American family to the local pound and pick out a pooch, they also have to keep in mind the best dog for their younger girl's allergies, ie, a so-called "hypoallergenic" dog. The jury is still out if there is such a dog out there. There are certain breeds who have hair rather than fur and a low shed volume who are supposed to be 'better' for people with allergies.
But even President Clinton was allergic to poor Socks the cat, who ended up living with his secretary. I know some cat owners who still never forgave him for that as he went on to get other dogs.
Here's my 'presidential pooch prediction' -- in order of how I think it will pan out.
1.) The Obamas will adopt a puppy from a purebred rescue group BEFORE they get to the White House. Once in a while, a breeders' litter produces a puppy that is not exactly 'show quality' and instead is labeled 'housepet quality.' (The American Kennel Club is REALLY hoping for this one.) A number of breeders are involved in purebred rescue (for the very reason of getting rid of the runts of their litters). This scenario allows the kids to pick the kind of puppy they want while at the same time 'rescuing/adopting' a dog. HOWEVER, early reports say the girls may want a 'golden-doodle', one of the new 'designer dogs' the AKC and other purebred clubs don't recognize or particularly like. Even if it isn't a golden-doodle, it's a pretty safe bet the kids already have what type of dog they want in mind. Don't be surprised if one day soon little Sasha or Malia comes out with a little pup on her arm.
2.) A dog will be 'gifted' to them. Kinda like China gifted us with the pandas. Keep in mind Obama promised the girls 'a new puppy'. Most purebred rescue groups are chock-full of older dogs, many with ongoing medical problems. Not the best choice for a family that will presumable be doing a lot of travel, and not the first choice of the puppy-seeking Obama girls.
3.) You can bet your kibble that, at this very moment, a number of the nationally-known rescue groups have dispatched search teams that are furiously looking for a young 'hypo-allergenic' dog for the Obama children to 'adopt.' (Can you imagine what a plug that would be for the adoption agency?) They may even be 'rescuing' a golden-doodle from a puppy mill at this very moment, having it in their shelter and, oh my, look what kind of dog just happened to come in!
4.) Oprah may even get involved in this 'search.' After all, she was an early Obama supporter and recently had a whole show on puppy mills and her vow to adopt her next dog.
5.) In what may be one of the last normal acts Mr. and Mrs. Obama may do as normal parents to their kids, they will let the kids pick out their own dog before they hit the White House. A puppy may soon just 'show up' in the Obama household, somewhat protecting Sasha and Malia from the microscope they are already under. That way it's done before the family officially moves into the White House (Obama said they earned "the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." When asked where it came from, they can say it was a 'gift' from a 'dear friend'. That way they don't have to explain the dog's origin (they couldn't refuse a gift, could they?) It is also done before Obama actually becomes President and moves into the White House, where he doesn't need the distraction of this on top of his already full-plate.
6.) No matter how it pans out, President-Elect Obama will most likely make some kind of statement where he met the most 'wonderful people' and 'wonderful dogs' during his family's search for a new pet, thank everyone for their help, and 'urge all Americans to give a dog a second chance at life' (or some such thing) by adopting.
Poor Obama. Not even in office yet and they're already throwing him to the dogs. I'm surprised he didn't get slammed yet for saying 'a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.' While this may be true, I've seen first-hand people who have adopted absolutely beautiful purebred dogs from local shelters. This never ceases to amaze me. You pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a dog and you give it up to the pound? this. One leader from a local shelter here told me she had a number of purebreds -- some quite young -- surrendered in recent weeks simply because of the economy and the person now had to move back in with Mom and Dad because of a job loss or pay cut. Pet stores may begin to get backlogged with pups normally sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and into the breed rescue groups or back to their breeders of origin (let's hope the former) they'll go. 'Reputable breeders' actually make you sign a contract that you will return a dog you purchase from them TO them if you can no longer care for them during your lifetime.
I guess I'm taking a long way of saying this: let Malia and Sasha be kids for the little time they have left while they're still semi-out of the spotlight. Once they're in the White House, their every move will be watched by Secret Service men assigned particularly to them. Their first day in a new school will be a big event. Anytime they appear anywhere, fail a math test or skin a knee will be national news. They're really going to need a friend they can come home to and tell all of their little girl secrets to. A pet all of their own. A pet they can truly say they saw, fell in love with, and picked out. Just like any other American kid. Don't make their choice of dog a political or social statement.
If they do end up adopting from a local shelter, (in this case, probably their home in Chicago) Mazel Tov. Wish I was that dog. That would send a great message: even the First Family adopts--why not you! (and it fits nicely into Obama's theme of 'hope'.)
But if they end up with a purebred -- preferably from a reputable breeder or breed rescue -- then let that be their choice, too. Few things are more personal than choosing who you will spend your life with. It has to be a right match. Perhaps if they get a purebred they can still send a message about adoption another way. After all, the man is going to be President in a few weeks, and with a new batch of Democrats in Congress, he will be in a prime position to pass national, animal-friendly laws. The nation's homeless animals -- and the hard-working shelter folks who volunteer for their care -- couldn't ask for a better advocate than that.
That said, if you're a homeless "Golden Doodle" puppy whose mother was a Hurricane Katrina survivor -- there may be a job opening just for you.
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