PETCO Foundation Provides Dog Food for Cumberland County

As many of you are aware, A.A.R.F. works very closely with many low adoption rate shelters in this region.  Our primary shelter focus in 2011 has been The Cumberland County Animal Shelter, and reducing the euthanasia at this shelter.  We are working hard to put pre-adoption spay/neuter policies in place, transport dogs and puppies from this shelter to other shelters and rescues who are able to save these animals, while raising funds to purchase vaccines, wormers and other supplies that the shelter desperately needs.  With the closing of the Humane Society in Cumberland County last year, who handled all of the city stray animals, the county shelter is taking in more and more animals – and are running out of space a lot quicker than before.  In addition to the increased intake, A.A.R.F. is working to save more adoptable animals at this shelter than in the past, and working closely with the staff to identify these animals.  All of this adds up to a tremendous amount of dogs to feed, and no food to feed them.

Director Jennifer Farley spoke with Kelly Darty, General Manager of PETCO store 1637 in Cookeville about this situation recently.  A.A.R.F. has been the primary adoption partner for this store for the last four years and has developed a great relationship with the management there.  Kelly requested immediate assistance from Paul Jolley with the PETCO FOUNDATION so that no dogs would go hungry at this shelter while we implement these new procedures.  The request was approved, and the foundation donated well over 2000lbs of food to assist us in our mission.  Currently, Cumberland County Animal Shelter is using approximately 1600lbs of food per month to feed their dogs. 

We want to thank The PETCO FOUNDATION for their kindness and generosity.  It would have taken us WELL over a month or two to raise enough funds to purchase this amount of food to keep this program going.  Now we can use the money raised to assist with next month’s food needs, as well as vaccines and necessary veterinary supplies to keep the animals healthy, happy and ADOPTABLE! 

For anyone who would like to assist us in our mission of assisting the Cumberland County homeless animals, and reducing the euthanasia rate at this shelter, we will gladly accept your monetary and supply donations.  You may contact Jennifer at 931-260-8018 or email to [email protected].  You may submit donations through our website via paypal.  In the notes section, be sure to note that you would like for your donation to assist Cumberland County Shelter.  You may also send checks to Cumberland County Animal Shelter Assistance C/O A.A.R.F. P.O. Box 4074  Cookeville, TN  38502.  Your donations are tax deductible!

A.A.R.F. Director Jennifer Farley and Cumberland County Animal Shelter Director Andrea Gaskins get ready to unload the first of many deliveries of dog food donated to A.A.R.F. by the PETCO Foundation to assist the Cumberland County Animal Shelter Dogs.