The Pet Memorial, a global monument to pets and animal rescue charity contributor, recently announced it will be delivering $13,000 worth of food to the Sky Foundation, an animal rescue organization based in Lasi, Romania.1
The donation will provide the Sky Foundation, which permanently houses approximately 400 animals, including dogs, cat, horses, and donkeys, with 14 tons of dog kibble, canned cat food, and hay. “The Sky Foundation is not only a loving home for hundreds of rescued animals, but also spreads their wings over the surrounding villages,” Laura Simpson, founder of The Pet Memorial said in an organizational release.1
The Sky Foundation has given homeless animals refuge, food, and veterinary treatment for 13 years. It has also provided these animals with adoption services. In addition to providing care to animals that live on the streets, the foundation also offers food and veterinary care to animals in the forests and in surrounding villages.1 Last winter, the Sky Foundation and The Pet Memorial collaborated to help dogs in need. “We worked together to deliver meals to dogs who are deeply malnourished and living on chains,” said Simpson.1
“The situation has been extremely difficult lately; I have considered just giving up because I felt like I couldn't handle it anymore,” Mariana Craciun, founder of Sky Foundation said in the release.1 “The aid that comes from volunteers and organizations like The Pet Memorial is invaluable to us. The financial support and love they send our way gives us a sense of hope and determination to keep fighting for these animals.”
The Pet Memorial's donation will help feed the animals at the Sky Foundation in Romania. (Photo courtesy of Harmony Fund)
The Pet Memorial was established to commemorate pets that have “crossed the rainbow bridge” and provide pet owners with a meaningful opportunity to support animals in need worldwide through their love for their deceased animal companions. The memorial helps pet owners cope with loss, allowing them to create a tribute page to memorialize their pet through a donation. In turn, the donations go to the Harmony Fund international animal rescue charity, which started The Pet Memorial project. Moreover, the Pet Memorial website also includes a pet loss resource center to help those who are grieving the loss of their pets find coping mechanisms.1,2
“The Pet Memorial shines a light straight down from heaven and onto animals who need help,” said Simpson.1 “That light harnesses all memories we have with our departed pets, and transforms that energy into substantial, tangible rescue missions across the planet.”
The Harmony Fund has funded a global network of small animal rescue teams for 15 years, resulting in more than $10 million in aid to animal organizations throughout the globe. According to the Harmony Fund, food, shelter, veterinary care, and protection from cruelty is provided to thousands of animals monthly through donations.1
“There is a gap in opportunities for the ‘underdogs' in the world of animal rescue,” Simpson said in the release.1 “There are so many volunteer teams who don't have resources or visibility to get funding. They're so often overlooked despite the wonderful work they're doing. Harmony Fund and The Pet Memorial were created to help these organizations keep their doors open and the lights on.”
The cat and dog homelessness issue
A global report of 20 countries revealed that 1 in 3 pets are homeless, with 203 million cats and 143 million dogs living on the streets.3 Moreover, 12 million dogs and 4 million cats are living in shelters. Common themes observed across the 20 countries included pet surrender (approximately 15% of pet owners were considering relinquishing their pet in the next 12 months), losing pets and not getting reunited with them, a homeless population increase in pets, and pet-friendly housing limitations—nearly 1 in 5 people that were considering surrendering their cat or dog reported pet-friendly housing limitations as the reason.3
“Dog and cat homelessness is a hugely complex issue. This new data will help animal welfare organizations, policymakers, pet professionals, academics and researchers to better understand the scale and factors influencing the issue, which can in turn support the most impactful interventions,” expressed Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International in a Mars report.3
References
- The Pet Memorial trucks in 14 tons of food to Sky Foundation’s hungry animals. News release. Harmony Fund. July 2, 2024. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-pet-memorial-trucks-in-14-tons-of-food-to-sky-foundations-hungry-animals-302187585.html
- About The Pet Memorial. Harmony Fund. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://thepetmemorial.org/about-us/
- 1 in 3 pets are homeless according to a new global report. Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates. January 23, 2024. Accessed July 4, 2024. https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases-statements/pet-homelessness
