Annual Greyhound Fundraiser Nearly Doubles Last Year's Donations
2006年9月26日 - 9:00PM
PRニュース・ワイアー (英語)
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fifth Annual Greyhound
Planet Week fundraiser hosted by PETCO and the PETCO Foundation
ended this week raising nearly $235,000 for Greyhound rescue
organizations nationwide, nearly doubling last year's campaign.
"Not only did the generosity of PETCO customers, vendors and
associates exceed our fundraising expectations, it also expresses
just how much the PETCO family cares about companion animals,
especially Greyhounds," said PETCO Foundation Vice President and
Director Paul Jolly. "The rescue groups who are saving lives every
day will truly benefit from these much-needed funds, improving the
quality of live for thousands of adoptable Greyhounds," Jolly
added. During the weeklong campaign, which began on Sept.17,
PETCO's more than 800 stores nationwide asked their customers,
vendors and associates to round up their purchases to the nearest
dollar, with the proceeds being distributed to the PETCO
Foundation's more than 500 Greyhound rescue organizations in the
communities PETCO shares. "We are extremely grateful to PETCO and
the PETCO Foundation for sponsoring Greyhound Planet Week," said
Louise Coleman, Director of Greyhound Friends, Inc. and President
of The American-European Greyhound Alliance. "The proceeds that we
receive help us with our biggest and most important expense --
veterinary bills. The donations help repair broken bones, perform
spay/neuter surgeries, and administer up-to-date vaccinations, all
of which prepare hundreds of Greyhounds for adoption." Greyhound
adoptions account for nearly 20 percent of all dog adoptions in
PETCO stores. PETCO encourages customers to consider adoption
before the purchase of any companion animal -- even if it's one of
the birds, reptiles, or small animals currently offered in PETCO
stores. "PETCO's sponsorship of Greyhound Planet Week allows an
unequalled opportunity to advance greyhound adoption throughout the
country," said Greyhound Friends for Life Adoption Coordinator
Barbara Judson. "Additionally, the financial assistance generated
by the event is an immense help to participating rescue
organizations who are always struggling to make ends meet.
Greyhound Friends for Life, which has been a participant for three
years, always uses the donated funds to support special-needs
greyhounds that come into our adoption program. We are very
grateful for PETCO's generous support." PETCO is a leading
specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services with
a commitment to quality animal care and education. PETCO's strategy
is to offer its customers a complete assortment of pet-related
products and services at competitive prices, with superior levels
of customer service at convenient locations, by hiring pet lovers
and training them to become counselors to our pet-loving customers.
PETCO operates more than 800 neighborhood stores in 49 states and
the District of Columbia, as well as a leading destination for
on-line pet food and supplies at http://www.petco.com/. The PETCO
Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than
$31 million since its inception in 1999. More than 4,000 non-profit
grassroots animal welfare organizations from around the nation
receive Foundation support. Through the PETCO Foundation, PETCO
endeavors to be a community leader in promoting the welfare of
companion animals and celebrating the human-animal bond. Greyhound
Friends Inc. of Hopkinton, Mass., is a non-profit organization
dedicated to educating the public about the plight of racing
greyhounds and finding loving and responsible homes for them. The
American European Greyhound Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit
corporation dedicated solely to the welfare of greyhounds in the
United States and abroad. Greyhound Friends for Life is a
nonprofit, all-volunteer greyhound adoption and advocacy
organization, dedicated to finding loving and qualified homes for
former racing greyhounds and to educating the public about the
inherent cruelties within the greyhound racing industry.
DATASOURCE: PETCO; PETCO Foundation CONTACT: Rachel McLennan of
PETCO, +1-858-453-7845, ext. 2558, ; or Paul Jolly, Director and
Vice President of PETCO Foundation, +1-626-287-0952 Web site:
http://www.petco.com/
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