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PETCO Foundation Public Service Canine Healthcare Fund Finds
Success
PETCO Foundation Public Service Canine Healthcare Fund Finds
Success
The Foundation has helped working dogs receive necessary
veterinary treatment.
SAN DIEGO, June 18 - PRNewswire -- In January 2004, the PETCO
Foundation and the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
(SDF) partnered to create the Public Service Canine Healthcare
Fund -- a grant-making program to support the healthcare needs
of current and retired certified search, arson, detection
(includes search and rescue, water, wilderness, cadaver, avalanche,
bomb, dugs), and patrol dogs.
To date, some twenty-five canines been funded from the program.
One grateful recipient is Barney, a Weimaraner, who is the
partner of Kathleen Berard. Together they are a wilderness
search and rescue team servicing the San Antonio, Texas area.
During a search and rescue exercise, Barney was bitten by
a rattlesnake. This was the beginning of a long ordeal of
anti-venom treatments in addition to hydrotherapy sessions
three times a day. The damage was extensive but they are now
at the tail end of a long recovery and the prognosis looks
good.
The fund is designed to assist working dogs, in service or
retired, in cases where the handler is unable to meet the
full cost of their medical care. All too often, these canines
are in service to fire and police departments with stringent
budgets. Unexpected medical costs place a particular burden
upon them. The Public Service Canine Healthcare Fund provides
the resources to alleviate the situation and preserve good
dogs in service to the communities that need them.
Another example of the importance of this fund was a 2 yr
old Chocolate Lab named Bear, who developed a blockage in
his small intestine and needed surgery costing the state thousands
of dollars. Gerald Engle, the handler, is affiliated with
the Buffalo Special Police in New York. Bear is an explosive
detection K9. Although his department wanted to assist, they
were unable to do so because of budgetary restraints. "Within
a week everything was taken care of. I was amazed," said Gerald.
"This is exactly how we envisioned this fund working, and
we are grateful to have a partner like the Search Dog Foundation,"
said PETCO Foundation Director Paul Jolly. "These noble animals
give of themselves for us, it is only right that we return
the favor when they are in need." Wilma Melville, Founder
and Executive Director of SDF stated, "We remain appreciative
of the PETCO Foundation and the visionary efforts it has taken
to ensure that every canine in service is able to remain healthy
and have a productive life".
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is a nonprofit
organization whose mission is to prepare rescue dogs and partner
them with firefighters to become the most highly trained canine
search teams in the nation. The Foundation is responsible
for training over 40% of all of the nation's Advanced FEMA
canine search teams and 80% of California's. Many of these
dogs were once abandoned in shelters and now are helping to
save lives -- in other words, from rescued to rescuer. Website:
http://www.SearchDogsUSA.org
or call 1-888-4K9-HERO
PETCO
PETCO (Nasdaq: PETC) is a leading specialty retailer of premium
pet food, supplies and services with a commitment to quality
animal care and education. PETCO operates more than 670 neighborhood
stores in 45 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 as raised more than $17 million since
inception in 1999. More than 2,000 non-profit grassroots animal
welfare organizations from around the nation have received
support from the Foundation.
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