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.

Petey’s Promise announced today its first annual “Petey’s Promise Pet Awareness” Commercial Contest sponsored by Wiley X Eyewear®.

The contest is open to all University of North Carolina at Charlotte students, and will consist of one 30-second commercial promoting Petey’s Promise and responsible pet ownership and awareness.

“We are really excited about this opportunity to see what the creative and fresh minds of the UNC Charlotte students produce,” said Liz Mellott, president and founder of Petey’s Promise.

“Initially, we are opening this up to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte students. Hopefully we will encourage other Nationwide colleges to participate and promote the need for pet food banks across the Country in the future.”

The contest will be held on the Petey’s Promise page on the online social media site YouTube.com (www.youtube.com/peteyspromise). Voters of all ages will be encouraged to log onto the page and vote for their favorite submission.

Petey’s Promise will not limit the total number of entries. However, the starting top 50 commercials to be considered for voting will be selected solely by the Petey’s Promise team. Public voting will begin April 5th, 2010, with eliminations announced in the following order until the Grand Prize winner is announced. The top 50 will be posted April 5^th, the top 25 announced April 12^th, top 10 April 19^th, top five April 26^th, and the Grand Prize team will be announced Monday, May 3^rd.

Contest teams may consist of one to four people (not including pets), and entrants should be between 18-24 years of age. Send submissions to peteyspromise@gmail.com from March 8th-26^th via YouSendIt.com. Please, legitimate entries only!

The Grand Prize team will receive two men’s and two women’s pieces of Wiley X custom eyewear, along with other contributions from local vendors, such as Foster’s Grille of Concord, NC. Wiley X Eyewear®, a leading provider of protective eyewear systems, offers a full range of high-performance protective eyewear products which has lead to increased brand recognition and growing use among enthusiasts of a wide variety of demanding outdoor sports and activities, including boating, fishing, motorcycle riding, mountain biking, rock climbing and more. For further information about Wiley X or to view its product line, please log onto www.wileyx.com.

Petey’s Promise, Provisions for Pets in Need, is a 501c3 non-profit that provides pet food and supplies for pet owners in the Greater Carolina area who require assistance to care for their beloved animals, versus having to surrender them to a shelter or foster home. For further information regarding Petey’s Promise or the contest please log onto www.peteyspromise.org or email us at peteyspromise@gmail.com.

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!

Running a non-profit takes a lot of work, and we have to be very careful with our records to appease the government. Our annual board meeting will be held on Thursday, December 17th. This is our once-a-year sit down to discuss where we have been, and what our future holds. At this time I have to present the Board with all of our expenses for 2009, as well as a list of our financial donations and donors.  Also, I must make sure that all receipts are in order and accounted for.

This same list, along with copies of checks and all financial records are turned over to our CPA for tax preparation. All 501c3 organizations are legally bound to disclose there tax records at the request of anyone. So, if you ever have  a question about Petey’s Promise, or another charity, and how they spend their money,  all you have to do is ask. If they don’t provide their records, report them to the Secretary of State and do not donate to them until they provide the requested documents.

There are a lot of good charities out there, but unfortunately,  there are also a lot of “convenience” charities set up as tax shelters. So, be careful this Christmas as you are thinking about which non-profit you might want to help during the season of giving. Whether it be Petey’s Promise, or another cause that is dear to your heart, on behalf of all non-profits, we thank you for a great 2009!

A great feature they also offer is the Shine Guide to Pets. From user posts to articles, this is a great place to learn new tips & tricks and share your own with other readers.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts!

Our thoughts go out to the Mellott family, and all of you that have lost a pet or caring for one with a disease.

Rest in Peace Princess

Sincerely,
Sara, Maddy & the rest of the gang at Petey’s Promise

www.peteyspromise.org

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