It is that time again … The Kannapolis Intimidators Ballpark is going to the dogs! Well, it’s going to one dog, Petey from Petey’s Promise.

The 3rd Annual Petey’s Promise night is finally upon us, and Petey will be throwing out that fun first ball on Tuesday, July 12. Join us for contests, auctions and giveaways, while supporting pets in needs.

Tickets are $6 each or 2 for $10, and will be held in your name at Will Call. Tickets are available on the Petey’s Promise store.

We’re also selling 50/50 Raffle tickets for this event. The drawing will be held after the 7th inning and you do not need to be present to win.

Well, not literally this time.  W.R. Odell Elementary students competed in a writing contest and one entry was about our own Petey’s Promise. Enjoy!

When I got my dog, Petey, I was two years old. I picked him because all the other dogs were German shepards. He was, and still is, by my side. It was tough for my mom and me to grow up with Petey because we were on our own and didn’t have much money for extras like dog food. So, we almost had to let go of Petey and it was scary at that time, but we still have Petey.

When I had a bad day, or got hurt I would start to cry and as soon as Petey heard this, he would come up to me and lick me, and it would make me feel better. When I saw my friends and they said they want a dog it made me grateful to have Petey. Petey makes everybody in the family happy.

His favorite place to be is at my grandmother’s farm. One of his favorite things to do is run around there. Even though everybody in my family likes Petey, the person in my family that he liked the most was my great-grandfather. When he told Petey that’s enough he would still play, lick, and drool.

In 2008 my mom found out that there were no pet food non-profits in Charlotte and because people were losing their job, everybody was having to let go of their pets because they didn’t have enough money to pay for their food. But nobody likes to let go of little cute kittens, puppies, and hamsters.

So, when that happened my mom started a non-profit called Petey’s Promise and www.peteyspromise.org, so nobody has to let go of their pets anymore. But now we have made a difference in most peoples life when they have no money.

Toyota to Donate Vehicle to Local Nonprofit Organizations Based on Public Votes

HARRISBURG, N.C. – May 2, 2011 – Harrisburg-based organization,  Petey’s Promise – Provisions for Pets in Need,  is one of 500 finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public beginning May 9, 2011.

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five non-profit organizations each day for 100 days on Toyota’s Facebook page, facebook.com/toyota. Visitors to the page can vote once a day for the organization that they feel is most deserving of a new Toyota vehicle.  Petey’s Promise will be one of the five organizations highlighted for voting on Thursday, August 11th.

Local residents are encouraged to support Petey’s Promise and their quest for a new Toyota Tundra. If Petey’s Promise receives the most votes and is awarded the vehicle, it will be used to pick-up and deliver large quantities of pet food to be distributed to applicants striving to keep their pets and families together.

About Petey’s Promise – Provisions for Pets in Need
Petey’s Promise is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that seeks to provide temporary food and pet-care items for pet owners who might otherwise be forced to surrender their pets to a shelter. With our help, disadvantaged pet owners are able to keep their animals, as pets are not only considered part of the family; they offer emotional support during trying times.

For more information, or to apply for assistance, visit http://www.peteyspromise.org.

About Toyota.
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction.  Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

Media Contact:
Liz Mellott
Petey’s Promise – President & Founder
(980) 355-4408 – mobile
peteyspromise@gmail.com

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If you weren’t at BlackFinn Charlotte on Friday, February 25th, then you missed one great fundraiser. For $10 you could buy a wristband that would allow you access to the private Petey party, that came complete with great drink specials and food. You also missed some fun raffles as we did a 50/50 drawing and a drawing for a massage donated by Rocky River Therapeutic Massage in Harrisburg, NC.

Speaking of raffles, the highlight of our night was awarding “Tall Paul” the winning 50/50 ticket, as well as getting our pictures made with him and his entire group of friends. You certainly meet a lot of fun, if not interesting, characters in Charlotte.

We do want to thank Courtney Maddox and the entire staff of the BlackFinn for being such great supporters! Please, if you are out for a night of dinner and drinks in downtown Charlotte, head to the BlackFinn as we love to help those who help us!

If you were unable to join us at the BlackFinn, we certainly have several more fundraisers for you to participate in, or you can simply log onto www.peteyspromise.org to donate. Remember, 100% of all donations are utilized solely for Petey’s Promise.

You can still access the system using the following methods:

1. From the 04.18.10 section of the News Archives
2. From the footer of most pages on the Petey’s Promise website
3. By visiting the link at http://peteyspromise.clickbook.net

The user experience on ClickBook is much friendlier and easier than it was on GenBook, but please let us know if you have any questions or problems by emailing us at peteyspromise@gmail.com.

While in fact my computer did die this summer, our pups, dogs, cats and kittens are all alive and well.  I think the death of another computer or two might be beneficial in stopping some of the misinformation that has lately flown around via the internet and other Facebook pages.  Please be assured that we have not had any seriously ill pets since last spring, we do not adopt out dying animals,  and we actually were blessed with a relatively healthy summer. It’s been our best year for adoptions.

Sadly, there seems to be an excessive amount of rumors about valid rescue organizations, ourselves included, that could be stopped if the perpetrators simply picked up a phone and asked questions before hitting the send or forward keys. An example is the recent story of the Humane Society’s pregnant dogs who were reportedly on death row, and calls came in from all over the nation in response.  No apologies can retract poor judgment in circulating falsehoods. Those dogs were not headed to a gas chamber and we have not been shut down or contacted by the state.

Thank you for your support and your confidence in us.

Patsy Beeker, Program Director

Cabarrus CARES/Kitty City

2.) Failure to Spay or Neuter a New Cat – The overwhelming cat population problem society faces is reason alone to spay and neuter. Add the medical problems averted by S/N and there is no reason not to do so.

3.) Neglecting Needed Veterinary Treatment – Although cats may quickly recover from minor illnesses, they can just as quickly pass away if an emergency isn’t recognized.

4.) False Economy in Cat Food Choices – Money saved by buying cheap food will be spent hundreds of times over on veterinary care.

5.) Declawing without all the Facts- Some veterinarians consider declawing a “routine” surgery, while cat advocates consider it cruel, inhumane and unnecessary. Learn the facts so that you can make an informed decision.

6.) Allowing a Cat to Roam Free Outdoors -  While cats enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, cats who live totally indoors can be very happy and healthy. However, the outdoors offers dangers. Fortunately, there are a number of compromises that will give your cat the best of both worlds while keeping them happy and safe.

7.) Neglecting Litter Box Maintenance – Carefully maintaining your cat’s litter box will almost guarantee you that you will not be faced with litter box avoidance problems.

8.) Considering a Cat Property – You can no more “own” a cat than you can own another a human being. If you haven’t figured out the distinction, your new cal will let you know in quick order.

9.) Not allowing a Cat to be a Cat – A cat is not a child, and a cat is not a dog. Cat’s unique ways make them the endearing creatures they are. Our job is to accommodate those needs in acceptable ways.

REDUCE animal products in your diet by eating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

SAVE money (and animals!) by using an egg substitute. Once 16-ounce box of egg replacer costs about $6 and equals about 100 eggs.

ADOPT a “Meat-Free Sunday” or another tradition to incorporate humane eating at your dinner table.

KNOW your egg carton lables. Caged, cage-free, free-range, organic?

For more info check out http://www.humanesociety.org/egglabels!

We all know that February can be quite an eventful month, from Valentines Day to the beginning of the NASCAR season. With Valentine’s Day just passing it would be a great opportunity to do something loving for other pets that may not have been so fortunate on this special day. Donating to Petey’s Promise is a great way to “show some love.”

The 2010-year is moving quickly and we are working hard to plan some great events. We have had such success in the past year that our expectations remain high. Our team is currently in the works of planning another fundraiser to be held at the Kannapolis Intimidators game. More information will be provided soon.

Hopefully this month we will be holding a contest open to all UNCC students for the chance to create Petey’s Promise’s first commercial! For all you tech savvy students, get ready because this is your chance! An event will be sent out this week through Facebook with more details.

Stay tuned for more updates!

-Jen