Love of Animals Never Ceases

By Carol Boker

Editor in Chief of Pet Product News International and Pet Style News

I am always amazed about the lengths people in our industry will go for the good of animals. I just got this note from Susie Atherton, owner of Canine Creek Dog Wash and Boutique and one of our former Retailers of the Year. Despite the fact that she was on vacation, she and her husband found time to get involved with the local humane society and extended this vacation into a “giving” situation. 

"Bill and I just returned from a trip to Vieques, a small island of 10,000 people in the Caribbean. If you're not familiar with it, Vieques is part of the Spanish Virgin islands of Puerto Rico. We went for vacation, but instead found ourselves visiting with their local humane society, which has their hands full dealing with a large quantity of stray dogs and wild horses that freely roam the streets. In fact, Bill and I helped to rescue a downed wild horse that surely would have died had we not come across it on a dirt-road trek to a beach.

Due to their dire situation and limited resources, Bill and I have decided to start donating a percentage of our online sales to the Vieques Humane Society, and sending them supplies whenever possible. They are really in need of medications for heartworm prevention and flea and tick products, due to the tropical conditions. I was impressed that a tiny island community was able to build a privately funded shelter (currently housing about 60 dogs, cats and horses), by primarily marketing their efforts to tourists, and eliciting their help to "export" adoptable pets to USA mainland residents.  This is an organization that deserves to be recognized for excellence under very difficult circumstances." 

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