Animal Fair Media wishes Ellen DeGeneres a barking Happy Birthday! And a big thanks to Ellen and her pet food company Halo, Purely for Pets, for being one of our major Bark Business Tour 2013 sponsors benefiting Veterans with PTS. Halo knows that natural nutrition is imperative for service dogs (and all dogs) because it ensures a long, happy life with their parents, and were on board with supporting our Bark Business Benefit Tour! They so generously donated 2,000 pounds of their fantastic dog food to the rescued service dogs!
The following features other celebrities that supported the national Bark Business Tour 2013.
Our star-studded Bark Business Tour to raise money for the K9s For Warriors Program has been a complete success with over $230,000 raised! But even though we had a set goal at the beginning of our life-saving adventure, we realized that there are millions of veterans and dogs that still need our help! We won’t stop spreading the word about this incredible program. With the time, effort, and resources of everyone that we reach, a major difference can be made. Our new goal is to continue the fight to save lives and raise money from an endless amount of supporters that we will make an effort to reach. Take a look at the fabulous celebrities and public figures that have supported us throughout our tour in cities across the America! Find out how you can join these life-saving Heroes and other generous donors to help this important cause.
Every 65 Minutes a Veteran returning from service affected with PTSD commits suicide.
The Department of Veterans Affairs states that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects nearly 30% all soldiers and 184 new cases are diagnosed daily. This is an alarming statistic, but studies prove dogs are very therapeutic, healing, and warriors with PTSD and military-related stresses and injuries greatly benefit.
Despite the VA agreeing with the therapeutic potential of service dogs for PTSD sufferers, the dogs aren’t covered by any insurance plan. Fortunately, there are nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing canine service dogs to Veterans, such as K9s For Warriors!
The Country’s biggest hearts joined Wendy Diamond and the Animal Fair Media team to honor the lives of Veterans that have selflessly protected our nation. Hosted By Best Selling Author and Animal Advocate Wendy Diamond, along with Glee’s Jane Lynch, Raising Hope star Garret Dillahunt, Hallmark’s Home & Family; Mark Steines, NBC’s Chicago Fire cast-members; Taylor Kinney, Joe Minoso and (former U.S. Marine) David Eigenberg, NBC’s Law and Order SVU’s Danny Pino, The GO GO’s, Los Angeles Lakers’ Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson, Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints Sean Payton, Metropolitan Opera Singer Alyson Cambridge, E! Television’s Alicia Quarles, Showtime’s Homeland’s Amy Hargreaves, and Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry. These are just a few celebrities and prominent public figures that support us, and you can too!
Jane Lynch gleefully gushed about supporting the cause, “My dog makes me a better person, she takes care of me as much as I take care of her and I love her so deeply. And I think people become better people when they have pets. I know how important my dog has been to me and I can’t imagine life without an animal, and so that’s why I support these causes.”
Head coach of the New Orleans Saints Sean Payton scored a touchdown when describing The Bark Business event supporting K9s For Warriors at the benefit, “Thanks to Wendy for introducing me and my foundation to this wonderful cause. Our Play It Forward foundation started years ago to help not only Louisiana, not only New Orleans but the Gulf south to help improve the lives of children with families and here was a chance to help veterans. The more we looked at this, it just made sense. Every once in awhile we get to come across a something like this to make a contribution.”
Law and Order’s Danny Pino remarked, “It’s a valuable cause. When you talk about what’s happening around the country with soldiers coming back and sometimes not feeling support. To have an organization that actually is making a difference, I think people are really scratching their heads and trying to figure out how we can help as citizens and this is an organization that is actually taking steps to alleviate the problem. Alleviate the epidemic.”
Another bark out goes to The fabulous Omni and Loews pet-friendly hotels, who are graciously providing the space for the Bark Business Breakfast!
American Express Open partnered with us to empower and support Veteran small business owners!
Guests at the Bark Business tour can buy tickets but also can create their own personal fundraiser to inspire friends, family and coworkers to support a Veteran and service dog. Proceeds raised from each individual city will directly benefit the warrior from that location – giving donors the power to decide exactly where their money goes and ability to support Veterans in their local community!
Thank you Ellen and the Halo Pet Team for your support!
For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!