It was a really emotional night on CAT CHAT® — a breed rescuer got a surprise $1,000 donation of food (i.e., Dinner Party and treats) from HALO — which I had no idea about! On an impulse I had asked Mary to call into the show. She runs a German Wire-haired Pointer rescue in Olathe Kansas (www.GWPRescue.com) and we had become pen pals.  I wanted her to explain what breed rescuers do and what happens to breeding dogs in puppy mills — she had written me about the emaciated, past-starvation dogs that have come in from puppy mills and abuse situations and how she needs to restore their health with good nutrition. I had gotten in touch with the Vice President, Marketing Communications of HALO Purely for Pets (one of my website sponsors and the company that makes the kibble my dogs eat) and asked if there was any discount for rescues and shelters to get HALO. Lo and behold there is!! (all you have to do is call 800-426-4256 and they will give a 35% discount to shelters and rescues). So I invited him on the show so he and Mary could meet on the air. She and I were both amazed because after the three of us had been talking for a little while David from Halo suddenly said that HALO was going to donate $1,000 worth of Liv-a-Little freeze-dried salmon treats and Dinner Party to Mary’s rescue!  She wrote in afterward:

Tracie and David,

Oh my goodness I am still shaking!

I cannot find words to express my appreciation and what a tremendous gift you have given our organization. I told my group I was speechless, (which was hard for them to believe) I was so touched I could hardly speak. Tracie, it was such an honor to be on your show.  David is right that you were the passionate force caring for the animals that put us together! Such a true Blessing! And we are forever grateful to both of you!

Our dogs come from extreme circumstances, and as I said seven out of ten come into our care in horrific condition. We will be looking at the same type of situation with the puppy mill dogs we are expecting from South Dakota as we did with the puppy mill babies in Missouri three months ago. We are so excited to have this opportunity to give our puppies/dogs a good diet, and build up their suppressed immune systems.

I will get the food ordered tomorrow… we certainly cannot tell you how this will help us in the coming days. There are no words to express what we are going into. When we went to the puppy mill bust in Missouri in May, I hyperventilated at the sight and smell which made me physically ill. The mothers and babies were locked in a complete darkness in a grain silo where they kept them. Some were so thin their systems could not ingest or digest food. But having the HALO donation will be one less stress for us to deal with, and we will distribute the food between foster homes.

This means so much…

Thank you, Thank you!!!!

You are too kind — I am only a bridge connecting people — and privileged to be one. My gift is having been there to witness The Moment of connection.  Mary you and your group are the ones doing the real heavy lifting — we are just cheering from the sidelines. Day in and day out you climb into the trenches and take in dogs who have been taken to the brink of ruin and you reincarnate them, in a literal and spiritual sense.

How thrilling for me to be associated with a company that shares my admiration of your dedication and my desire to support you in any way possible. You have earned it, believe me, and it’s an honor to help you.