BURLINGTON, ON--(Marketwired - September 11, 2017) -
What: Toronto Humane Society is about to receive nearly 375,000 pet food meals -- the largest pet food donation the animal welfare organization has received in a single day. On Sept. 14, two semi-tractor trailers full of pet food from PetSmart's Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program will roll up to the River Street shelter's loading dock on Old Brewery Lane.
Toronto Humane Society staff and volunteers will be joined by PetSmart associates, representatives from PetSmart Charities of Canada, the program's delivery partner coordinating the food distribution to animal welfare agencies across Canada, as well as canine-loving Toronto Maple Leafs alumni, Curtis Joseph, to help unload nearly 80,000 pounds of donated pet food.
How does the Toronto Humane Society plan to use that much food? It's estimated that the City of Toronto is home to at least 1.7 million pets. Consider that almost 25 percent of Torontonians live at or below the poverty line and you'll find that more than 400,000 pets in this city could be living in households where families may struggle to put food on their tables and in their pets' bowls.
That's why Toronto Humane Society operates a pet food bank out of their River Street location providing free pet food to those looking for help feeding their furry family members. Toronto Humane Society also hands out pet food to pet parents in need at the St. James Town Community Centre on the second Thursday of every month. Together PetSmart, PetSmart Charities of Canada and the Toronto Humane Society are helping to ensure no pet goes hungry in the City of Toronto.
If you are a pet parent in need of assistance feeding your pet, please visit the Toronto Humane Society during normal operating hours or visit the St. James Town Community Centre on the second Thursday of every month from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
About the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal Program: For every bag of dog or cat food purchased in-store or online at www.PetSmart.ca through Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to a pet in need. The leading pet retailer plans to donate more than 3.6 million meals in Canada alone by the summer of 2018. PetSmart engaged nonprofit partner PetSmart Charities of Canada to help deliver the pet food to four animal welfare agencies across Canada, including Toronto Humane Society.
When: Thursday, Sept. 14, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Toronto Humane Society, 11 River Street, Toronto, ON M5A 4C2
Please proceed to the loading dock located on Old Brewery Lane
Photo Opportunities:
- 100 pallets of pet food being unloaded by forklift from the trucks to Toronto Humane Society loading dock
- Representatives from Toronto Humane Society, PetSmart & PetSmart Charities of Canada helping to unload donated pet food and bring it, assembly line style, into the Toronto Humane Society's storage area.
- Former Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltender Curtis Joseph helping to unload the truck
- Adoptable pets from the Toronto Humane Society will also sample the donated pet food. Many of the pets at the event will be up for adoption during PetSmart Charities of Canada's National Adoption Weekend, Sept. 15- 17
- Photos of the Toronto Humane Society's Pet Food Bank of volunteers scooping donated pet food into portioned food bank bags
- Toronto Humane Society pet food bank clients receiving the bags of donated dog and cat food
Interviews Available With:
- Barbara Steinhoff, Executive Director, Toronto Humane Society
- Phil Nichols, Director of Operations, Toronto Humane Society
- Curtis Joseph, Toronto Maple Leafs Alumnus (10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)
- John DeFranco, President PetSmart Canada & Board Chair, PetSmart Charities of Canada explaining the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program and its impact on pets in need
For more information on the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, please visit www.PetSmart.ca/giveameal
About Toronto Humane Society
Since 1887, the Toronto Humane Society has saved thousands of animals each year. Their mission is to promote the humane care and protection of all animals and to prevent cruelty and suffering. www.torontohumanesociety.com
About PetSmart Charities of Canada:
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
About PetSmart®
In Canada, PetSmart is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ more than 3,600 associates and operate 128 pet stores across Canada, with seven in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel™ dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profit PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 200 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 240,000 pets since 1999. The company's portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.ca, Pet360.com, petMD.com and the askPETMD app. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in Canada. In March 2017, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program – for every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 3.6 million meals in Canada in 2017.*
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
*Ends 12/31/17. 5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities of Canada to feed dogs and cats in need. See details at petsmart.ca/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold. The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount.
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/9/11/11G145276/Images/ap_wire_MS3_1618_f-2242b653a7ec95469efb1693211e3974.jpg
Contact Information:
Contact:
Golin for PetSmart Canada
Miriam Fitting
mfitting@golin.com
647-263-5327
