PhilaPets.com Newsletter: October 2008

PhilaPets.com releases new Web site!

It's been a few years since we've changed our www.philapets.com Web site so we felt it was due for an overhaul! After a lot of work and many conversations with our clients, we have finally released it to the world. It's chock full of information pet owners want to know about us as well as pictures of charismatic PhilaPets pets!

One part of the site that is especially important is Our Philosophy. Again, it took a lot of discussion and soul-searching to arrive at the simple diagram explaining what we stand for, our core values, but it was time well spent! It encompasses everything we are about and trying to achieve. We'd love to know what you think about it.

Another new portion of the site is our Community Outreach page. You can look here to see what events we're doing and how you can help. Our next event is the Mutt Strut, see further down in this newsletter for more information.

The site also describes our services and rates, our fabulous team, and the amazing press and awards we've recently received.

We have a lot more updates in the works, so please stop by and check it out!

Donate to our PAWS Mutt Strut Team and get $10 PhilaPets Cash!

PhilaPets.com is proud to participate in the 2nd Annual Mutt Strut to benefit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on October 25th at FDR park is South Philly.

Team PhilaPets.com is walking to save Philadelphia's orphaned, abandoned, and homeless animals. It is a great opportunity to get together on lovely autumn day to take a scenic walk with your friends and families, fellow clients, PCSs and the dogs we love. And for those of you whose families do not include a dog, the kitties, bunnies and birds we love will be there in spirit!

Our goal is to raise $5,000 for PAWS. You helped us raised over $3,000 last year for PAWS and we need your help again this year.

To affirm our commitment to this organization, we are giving $10 PhilaPets Cash to all clients who donate $50 or more to the cause! PhilaPets Cash is good towards all PhilaPets services. See the Team PhilaPets.com Web page for more information, to join our team, or to donate!

Thank you for your support.

Philly's Animals in Danger

Friends and fellow animal lovers,

This is a very real, very desperate plea for help for Philadelphia's strays and homeless animals, like Mojo and Sapphire to the left, who are in danger of being handed a death sentence by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH).

What has happened
This September, 2008, the PDPH sent out a new, rewritten RFP for the city's Animal Control contract, effective January 1, 2009, AFTER signing a 1-year contract with PACCA/PAWS 10 days earlier. The new contract states NO lifesaving language. It states: "Services include but are not limited to operating a shelter, picking up all unwanted pets from residents, accepting and humanely disposing of up to 30,000 unwanted pets per year."

The new contract cuts staff in half and limits funds on an already insurmountable job, but all the bidder has to do is "catch and kill."

Background on PACCA/PAWS
Over the past three years, PACCA/PAWS had improved lifesaving at the city's animal shelter by over 600% (inheriting an 11% save rate and improving it to 65%), receiving nationwide recognition from other organizations for its lifesaving activities. The CEO of Best Friends Animal Society had ongoing plans to help Philadelphia with funding and planning towards becoming a No-Kill city. Unfortunately, these plans are now on hold. PACCA/PAWS will not even be bidding on the new contract as written, due to its exclusion of lifesaving language.

What you can do
Please sign the following petition and disseminate it FAR AND WIDE. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/savelivesnow

It DOES NOT matter where in the country the voices of concern are coming from. Anyone who can add volume to our voice and our cause is invited to help.

Another link to learn more information, http://www.phillynokill.com/NoKill/Welcome.html

PhilaPets helps adopt 3 dogs at the Carnivale of the Dogs

Part of our group at Carnivale of the Dogs

On Saturday, September 27th, PhilaPets helped walk around homeless dogs from PAWS through the crowds of attendees at the Carnivale of the Dogs. Three of our dogs got forever homes! We look forward to next year when we can adopt out even more. Read more about the Carnivale of the Dogs.

PhilaPets wins a spot on the Philadelphia 100Ž!

PhilaPets.com has been recognized as one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in the Philadelphia region. "Our success is due in large part to focusing on the quality of pet care and customer service we provide to our current clients. Our tremendous growth is the result of word-of-mouth advertising by happy pet parents and that makes our team very proud" says Deirdre Frey, CEO of PhilaPets.com.

The Philadelphia 100Ž is an annual program conducted by the Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Business Journal and Wharton Small Business Development Center. This year's 20th anniversary event is being held on October 22, 2008 at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center.

For more information about Philadelphia 100Ž, please see http://www.philadelphia100.com.

Pet Care Specialist Spotlight: Megan O'Mara - a Pet Care Specialist by day, a painter by night!

Megan O'Mara is originally from York, Pa and moved to Philadelphia to attend The University of the Arts. She graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts with a concentration in Painting in May 2008. She currently lives in Center City, walking dogs by day and painting by night!

Megan started painting when she was nine years old. As an adolescent, she was always searching for things to draw and found herself chasing after the dog or the cat. She's always found animal portraits much more interesting than people. She thinks animals have so much more personality and character in their expressions. Coming from a household of four dogs, she understands the companionship and importance a pet holds in ones life. She's always felt honored to have the opportunity to provide people with an everlasting moment of the things that matter most to them.

If you're interested in finding out more about Megan's pet portraits, email her at megano@philapets.com.

Pricing depends on the size and medium of the piece. Smaller pieces (8x10, 10x10, etc.) would be approximately $125 for a painting, $100 for a drawing. The prices will increase in small increments for larger pieces. This would make a great holiday gift for an animal lover!

Thanksgiving Services

Yes, it's early October but Thanksgiving will be here before you know it!

Our holiday availability is limited and fills up fast so please book early!

If there is something that you would like to share with the PhilaPets community, tips, events, jokes, or other interesting tidbits, e-mail them to newsletter@philapets.com and we will try to make it a part of our next newsletter.

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This newsletter and past newsletters can be found on our Web site at http://www.philapets.com/newsletters