Animal Center Teams With Your Healthy Pet—

Fur-Raiser, Fur For The Golf Oil Spill

Oil is pouring into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of 200,000 gallons a day, threatening millions of animals, including dolphins, tortoises, pelicans, fish, birds, and wildlife. There is an easy way to help, however, that does not cost a dime — donate your pet’s fur!

 The Animal Center volunteers are asking local pet owners and professional pet groomers to take part in its “Fur-Raiser, Fur For the Gulf” program. They are not seeking monetary donations; they want your pet’s fur.

“It’s spring, the purr-fect time to groom your cat’s winter coat away or give your dog that much needed warmer weather cut,” says Robin Olson of The Animal Center. Instead of discarding the fur, simply place it into a clean paper or plastic bag and bring it to Your Healthy Pet, 224 South Main Street, from May 14 to 28.

Your Healthy Pet owners Mary Kay and Tom Novak and their son Ryan have offered their store as a place where pet owners can drop off their fur donations. They will package and ship the materials. In addition, the Novaks will be giving out treats to every dog and cat owner who drops off a fur donation during the May drive. Each person who donates can also enter to win one of a variety of prizes, including store gift certificates. Says Mr Novak, “We want to do whatever we can to help clean up the Gulf oil spill and we’re thrilled to be part of this Fur-Raiser.”

The donated fur will be shipped to the nonprofit organization Matter of Trust (www.matteroftrust.org) for its “Hair for Oil Spills” program. This program collects hair, fur, and waste wool to create hair mats and hair booms that soak up oil in a natural, safe, and effective manner. The fibers are stuffed into recycled nylons and covered in mesh to make booms or woven into hair mats, which are distributed in the areas where they are needed most by trained volunteers.

To learn more about how to donate your pet’s fur and the Fur-Raiser, Fur For the Gulf, visit www.TheAnimalCenter.org or contact Robin Olson at The Animal Center, 203-733-3668. Human and horse hair donations also accepted.

The Animal Center is an all volunteer, nonprofit animal welfare charity. Its programs include: a foster-based, no-kill rescue and adoption program for homeless and injured cats and kittens; and a feral cat assistance program that provides spay/neuter and vaccination assistance to caregivers of free-roaming, unowned cats in the community. The Animal Center is a 501(c)(3) publicly supported charity, helps approximately 250 cats a year, and relies heavily on the support of the public and generous volunteers. For more information, visit The Animal Center online at www.theanimalcenter.org.

Your Healthy Pet is a family-owned pet food store that provides pets healthy and nutritious diet options based on their individual needs. It carries high-quality food and supplies, an extensive line of toys and treats, some of which are certified organic. It also offers natural alternatives to harmful chemicals for flea and tick control and carries a wide array of other products such as leashes and collars, machine-washable pet beds, car seats, supplements and grooming products. For more information visit http://yourhealthypetct.com