Tag Archives: fundraiser

Downers Grove Hands for Paws Hinsdale Humane Society Donations

Downers Grove Out-U-Go! Pet Care Hands For Paws Holiday Donation Drive

Thank you so much to all of our generous pet parents and staff who made our annual Hands for Paws donation drive a major success. Together, we donated to Hinsdale Humane Society and West Suburban Humane Society:

  • 20 Packages of paper towels, toilet paper, and paper plates
  • 12 Bottles of bleach and liquid detergent
  • 16 Packages of disinfecting wipes
  • 21 Bags of dry food
  • 180 Cans of wet food
  • Bones, toys, treats, garbage bags, towels, batteries, postage stamps, office paper and money!

THANK YOU!!!

naperville-hands-for-paws-holiday-donation-drive-naperville-area-humane-society

Naperville Out-U-Go! Pet Care Hands For Paws Holiday Donation Drive

We are overwhelmed and grateful beyond belief for the participation we received this year for our 4th annual Out-U-Go! “Hands for Paws” Holiday Donation Drive!

We will now have the honor of delivering all of these amazing donations to the very deserving pups and kitties at the Naperville Area Humane Society.

We have the most generous pet parents around and cannot thank you enough for making this a huge success!

OUG! Madison Pet Care Dane County Humane Society Unleashed & Uncorked Pet Fundraiser Event

Unleashed & Uncorked: Dane County Humane Society Pet Fundraiser Event

Out-U-Go! Madison Pet Care joined the Dane County Humane Society in a night filled with wine tasting, art for sale, and live bluegrass music. The Unleashed & Uncorked pet fundraiser event took place on Friday, September 27, 2013, and all proceeds raised (totaling $15,000!!!) went to Dane County Humane Society for its programs and services helping shelter pets in need!

Table Talk: How to Feed your Pet the Natural & Healthy Way

Guest Blogger:  Many of our pet parents are interested in feeding their furry friends a healthy & natural diet so we thought we’d check in with the experts over at Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital for some advice.  Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital is a full service veterinary hospital located in Boulder, CO.

 

If you take some time to think about the trends and changes in the food products you find at your grocery store, you’ll notice that things are very different than they were even 5 years ago.

With more consumers adopting health-conscious and environmentally-conscious eating habits, natural and organic options have sprung up everywhere! Similarly, many companies have introduced ‘healthier’ options such as natural and fortified foods for your pet. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know what foods are right for your pet and what’s just plain hype. Have no fear: in this post, your friends at Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital would like to help shed some light on the tricky subject of pet nutrition. We’ll discuss some things to look for as well as those to avoid and why, so you can be a savvy shopper and the best possible pet parent. Bon appetit!

Things to Look for

  • AAFCO Approved Foods: The motto of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is  “Feed Safety & Consumer Protection – Over a Century of Partnership & Progress”. This organization certifies pet foods that meet at least the minimum requirements for nutritional content. As such, seeking foods that are approved by the AAFCO is a good baseline. It’s also important to note that the AAFCO has not established official definition for the words ‘holistic’ and ‘organic’. So don’t be fooled by fancy language on the side of a bag.
  • Please Pass the Meat! Many people have made the choice to eliminate the consumption of meat from their diets. Some may also choose to feed their pet’s vegetarian fare. As a pet owner who places your companion’s well-being at the top of your list of priorities, it is imperative to note that dogs and cats are carnivores. Biologically, they need real meat and the proteins that come along with it to thrive. On the same note, Fido and Fluffy have not evolved to utilize grains as a source of nutrition. This means that rice, corn, and other carbohydrates are unhelpful at best and downright dangerous at worst. The only reason they are added to most pet foods is because they are less expensive and make the meal chunkier.
  • Watery Food: Though it may sound a little bit strange, the “waterier” your pet’s food the better. Dogs and cat’s alike need a large amount of water in their diets to stay hydrated. For their more wild relatives, a large amount of their daily water comes not just from drinking, but eating as well. This is because the bodies of prey animals are composed of up to 70% water! Compare that to your standard dry kibble and you might see a problem developing. If possible, feed your pet wet food at least a few times per week, but strive to make the mushy stuff a daily part of their diet if possible.

Things to Avoid

  • Enhanced, Fortified, Blah Blah Blah: If you put our ‘Things to Look for’ list into practice, you can forget all of the hype-filled claims that fortified foods come with. Remember that dogs and cats are biologically programmed to derive everything they need for optimal health from a natural diet. Additives can be harmful whether they present a short term danger or cause complications over time. In dog foods you should strictly avoid any brands that contain BHT, BHA, ethoxyquin and propyl gallate, as they are known to be harmful and some are even carcinogens. For both dogs and cats, avoid foods that contain artificial preservatives in favor of those preserved with vitamins E and C.
  • By-products: The first ingredient in your pet’s food should be meat… and we’re talking REAL meat. Remember that your pet is a carnivore by nature and his body is fine-tuned to receive the maximum benefit by processing and using the nutrients from prey animals. Fillers and meat by-products sometimes contains additives that can be harmful to your animal companion. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if the meat isn’t human-grade, you shouldn’t feed it to your pet.
  • Overfeeding: This tip might be a bit different than the others that we’ve discussed so far, but we feel that it is just as important. America’s pets have a weight problem, just like many of our people. The key to a happy and healthy pet is feeding them the right things in the right amounts. Pets don’t have the mechanisms in their minds to turn town a delicious bowl full of food if it’s sitting on the floor in front of them all day. Make sure you feed your pet the proper amount of food for their particular size and breed and you’ll have a much happier camper on your hands.

We hope that you’ve found these tips to be helpful and informative. Some pet parents may decide that trying to navigate the complex world of pet food brands is too risky and preparing a home-cooked diet is the way to go. If you would like to explore the home-feeding option, schedule an appointment with one of the skilled veterinarians at Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital – just call 303-494-7877.

– The Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital Staff

www.bouldersnaturalanimal.com

 

 

Barks, Bites, and …..Porta Pottys?

Out-U-Go! Tallahassee joined the Animal Shelter Foundation (ASF) in the All Saints Hop Yard on September 2nd for “Barks and Bites” to benefit animals in need.  This was our first event and it gave us a chance to introduce Out-U-Go! to Tallahassee in a way that helped bring attention to ASF who works tirelessly for animals in our community.

We introduced the OUG Manifesto and explained OUG’s unique ability to be completely flexible for Tallahassee pet parents. We had the pleasure of having Greta (our first and totally fantastic pet sitter!) and her love-bug Honeyboo (OUG Tally’s first Chiweenie!) join us for the fun!

Grace serving as our "Welcoming Committee"...

Honeyboo!!

Tallahassee’s Top Dogs were joined by Kevin-Top Dog husband extraordinaire-with Grace the Dalmatian…the only dog we have, who could make it through the event without making tremendously bad choices. Three of our loyal supporters…Marcus, Renee and the lovely Miss Fiona-dog, hung out with the Out-U-Go! gang.

Miss Fiona!

We fielded dozens of questions including one about an exceptionally needy hamster! The hamster’s person was concerned that we would really not be set up or trained for extremely needy animals…

We explained our unique capabilities with OUG’s own Dog Walk University training under our belts and the Tallahassee Top Dog’s predilection for attracting less than mainstream animals.

In fact, the Tallahassee Top Dogs are practically a needy animal Special Ops unit!

Our own pets require an interesting skill set and exemplify the OUG motto for our pet parents, No Problem! Here’s the run down:

Bailey, our 7lb Calico with cat-patterned baldness, irritable bowels, and a skin condition requiring antihistamine ear cream that requires jujitsu moves to protect any skin you are particularly fond of.

Bruce, our big boned rat terrier- with an unidentified plant allergy  causing his bottom half to turn an odd shade of pink while scratching himself uncontrollably, requires daily oatmeal baths that need to air dry while lap sitting on his fluffy towel so he can catch up with the Kardashians.

Poor little Bruce... 😉

And then there is Delta…..a loveable lab mix rescue who refuses to eat anything that is not served in a pizza box and has only one hip ….requiring physical therapy, treadmill time (complete with her own custom doggie ankle weight), massages and bubbling in a hot tub to work the kinks out.

So a needy hamster that requires being worn in a hoodie for at least 13 hours a day……..NO PROBLEM!

After assuring the hamster pet parent we were uniquely qualified to care for her little love, we received the best question of the night…..Was Out-U-Go! the Porta Potty Company?

As we were situated right next to the Porta Pottys…and our name has OUT and GO in it…we really should have expected this……and really folks….couldn’t a pug who went on a Snausages binge be considered a portable potty unit?

Stay tuned for the exciting play by play coverage from Out-U-Go! Tally’s first Play Date in the Park on October 15th!

Peace-Love-and Belly Rubs!!

~  Out-U-Go! Tallahassee Gang

Doga Day for Charity is coming up fast on August 6th!!!

Out-U-Go! and Boulder’s Natural Animal hospital are teaming up again on an awesome event for charity!  Doga, otherwise known as Yoga for Doggies, will be featured.  On August 6th from 1pm – 4pm, we’ll all be hosting the Doga Day for Charity, a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.  For just $5 you and your pooch get:

  • A Doga lesson with Yoga instructor, Steph Schwartz, of the Bali Yoga Retreat
  • A massage for your dog by certified canine massage therapist, Lisa Simmerman, of Stella Earth
  • Fresh-baked dog treats from Paws Barkery
  • Grilled hot dogs, sodas, water, chips, and treats for the humans

What a deal, right?!  

This will be a great time for pups and people regardless of doga or yoga abilities and experience 🙂

When:  Saturday, August 6th from 1 PM to 4 PM

Where:  Outside of Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital at 685 S Broadway in the Table Mesa Shopping Center

Who:  Co-hosted by Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital (www.bouldersnaturalanimal.com) and Out-U-Go! Boulder (www.OUTUGO.com)

What:  A cooky, crazy canine event to raise funds for the Humane Society of Boulder Valley

A Local Shout-Out: Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital

I’ve recently gotten in touch with several veterinary clinics in and around the Denver area and we wanted to give a special shout-out to Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital.

Now there are a TON of great vets out there but as we all know, a sick pup or kitty can often be a bit of a strain on the wallet. Unfortunately, for some people out there, a vet visit just might not be in the cards for financial reasons and that’s where Harrison Memorial steps in. Their goal is to “provide quality, comprehensive, and compassionate […] care for the economically disadvantaged.” They want to make sure that all of our furry friends out there at least have the option to receive care. The clinic is also a huge advocate of spaying and neutering in order to lower animal over-population in our country.

In a few weeks, Harrison Memorial will be holding their annual fundraiser gala Mutts and Models! This year’s theme is “Breakfast at Sniffany’s!” What could be more fun than a Canine and Celebrity Fashion Show?! Pups and models alike will be strutting their stuff up there all to benefit underprivileged pets. The fun begins at 7:30pm on Saturday, May 21st, 2011. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit: http://cvmf.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=98. We hope you’ll make it!!