San Bernardino Animal Care Receives $7,000 Grant

The Petfinder.com Foundation, working with the Heigl Foundation, has awarded a $7,000 Bordetella grant to the City of San Bernardino Animal Control. The grant will provide enough vaccinations to immunize 2,800 dogs.

Bordetella, commonly known as kennel cough, puts shelter pets at great risk because of its contagious nature. Older dogs and puppies are particularly at risk because of undeveloped or weakened immune systems and the potential for severe complications.

"We are very pleased to work with the Petfinder.com Foundation in our common mission to improve the lives of our pets," said Katherine Heigl. "Petfinder.com Foundation's generous grant to San Bernardino Animal Control is a lifesaver because vaccinations are vital for shelter pets' health."

Katherine Heigl and her mother, Nancy, are passionate about pets and savvy to the difficult challenges faced by municipal animal shelters. Together they founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation to improve the plight of pets through a variety of programs, such as funding spay/neuter surgeries, assisting rescue organizations and transporting shelter animals to reputable destinations where great pets find great homes.

The Petfinder.com Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity, helps homeless pets by saving lives through adoptions, helping shelters prepare for and recover from disaster and working to make sure animal welfare organizations across the country are more sustainable. Its mission is to ensure no adoptable pet is euthanized for lack of a home. Since 2003 the foundation has provided over $20 million in grants to animal welfare organizations and Petfinder.com member shelters and rescue groups.

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The Heigl Ray Of Hope program, a partnership with Rachael Ray, the LA County Animal Care Foundation and the JDHF, is a simple scheme with no application, no paperwork and no lengthy list of requirements, designed to substantially reduce the number of pets being handled by shelters. Residents of Baldwin Park (zip code 91706) and El Monte (zip codes 91731, 91732 and 91733) need only make one phone call to 818-755-6045 to register for an appointment. It really is that simple - please give us a call!

The courses will be run on a regular basis on select Saturdays beginning at 10am and last for approximately one hour. Members of the public who would like their pet to participate in the program simply need to call 323-798-4101 to register. Free spay/neuter surgeries will also be provided for any unaltered dog attending the class through a local participating vet clinic. We also throw in a little goodie bag of treats for the pups and a training guide.

Learn To Be A Best Friend Program At Hollydale Park

So what are you waiting for? Give us a call. Details of the scheduled class dates are listed below. Hope to see you in two weeks time!

Class Schedule

May 19th
June 2nd and June 16th
July 14th and July 28th
August 1st and August 25th
September 22nd
October 6th and October 20th
November 3rd and November 17th
December 1st and December 15th

Please download, share, or print the PDF flyer:

Last but not least, a huge shout out to our wonderful volunteers for their help and support in kicking off the program on Saturday.

CELEBRITY ANIMAL ADVOCATE KATHERINE HEIGL AND ELLEN DEGENERES’ PET FOOD COMPANY, HALO, PURELY FOR PETS® SUPPORT PBS FILM, "SHELTER ME"

TV Premiere Illustrates How People's Lives Are Positively Impacted By Shelter Dogs

Los Angeles, California - Actress and animal advocate Katherine Heigl is hosting the PBS premiere of "Shelter Me," a film that illustrates how people's lives are positively impacted by shelter dogs. The one-hour, emotionally charged television special celebrates the human-animal bond by showcasing three inspirational stories about shelter dogs and the lives they change.

"As a huge animal lover, I was immediately drawn to this project because it advocates for the homeless pets at our local shelters," said Katherine Heigl, co-founder of the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation. "It's important to generate awareness and overcome stigmas about these local facilities as well as promote these amazing animals and how they improve people’s lives."

The project was created by filmmaker Steven Latham who wants to engage the public in helping to find solutions for the 3-4 million dogs and cats that are euthanized every year in the United States. "Shelter Me," is sponsored by Ellen DeGeneres' pet food company, Halo, Purely for Pets®, and together they are committed to the well-being of shelter pets.

"Katherine Heigl and Ellen DeGeneres have been so dedicated to helping shelter pets and I am grateful that they are part of ‘Shelter Me," said Latham. "We need to continue to raise awareness and increase shelter adoptions. I want people to realize that shelter pets are the best pets."

About Shelter Me

Audiences will travel to a women's prison in Southern California, where inmates train shelter dogs to become service animals for people with disabilities. Another story shows the incredible transformation of two U.S. soldiers who begin recovering from PTSD after they are paired up with shelter dogs.

Viewers will also see the journey of two stray dogs, from the day they are picked up on the streets and brought to the shelter until the day they become a beloved family pet. "Shelter Me" takes people inside of city animal shelters to give a true sense of the environment, committed staff and the millions of animals in need of a home.

"Shelter Me" premieres on public television stations in May. Please go to www.shelterme.com for local listings.

"Shelter Me" is produced and directed by Steven Latham of Steven Latham Productions; executive produced by Steven Latham, Lyndon Johnson and Ady Gil; co-produced by Shane Lachtman, Marion Zola and Timothy Karsten; edited by Conrad Stanley, Cheryl Campsmith and Jeff U'Ren; cinematography by Peter Krajewski; music by Andrew Gross and Gil Talmi.

About Halo, Purely For Pets®

For over 25 years, Halo, Purely for Pets® has created holistic pet products of uncompromising quality. Halo believes nutrition is the single most important factor in the quality of a pet's life. Halo offers natural pet food, treats, supplements and grooming products - including the award-winning Halo Spot's Stew, Dream Coat and Liv-a-Littles treats. Ellen DeGeneres - a long time Halo customer - became a part-owner of Halo in 2008. Halo became the exclusive sponsor of Freekibble.com in 2009, feeding over 1 million meals of Halo to shelter pets every year. In 2010, Halo donated one million meals to shelter pets in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service Adopt a Shelter Pet program. Halo is also the official kibble sponsor of Freekibble.com, a pet related trivia site that has donated nearly seven million meals to shelter pets. HALO’s natural dog food, natural cat food, treats, supplements and grooming products are available at PETCO, Whole Foods Market, your local pet specialty and natural food store, and online at www.halopets.com.

About The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation

Katherine Heigl and her mother, Nancy Heigl, founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation to improve the plight of pets through a variety of programs, such as funding spay/neuter initiatives and assisting rescue organizations. Katherine and Nancy are convinced that spaying and neutering saves lives and stops litters – litters that too often end up at public shelters and are subsequently killed due to a lack of adopters and lack of space. The Foundation is focused on "fixing" the problem. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $2.5 million towards saving the lives of many deserving pets and educating the public in the process.

Press Contact

Tracy Mallozzi/Denise St. Jean
The Rose Group
Phone: 310.280.3710
Email: tracy@therosegrp.com / denise@therosegrp.com

Free spay/neuter surgeries will also be provided for any unaltered dog attending the class through a local participating vet clinic. Staff will contact the dog owner by phone to arrange an appointment at a convenient date and time.

Classes, which are limited to 12 dogs at a time, will take place on select Saturday's at Hollydale Park beginning at 10am for approximately 1 hour.

Class Schedule

May 5th and May 19th
June 2nd and June 16th
July 14th and July 28th
August 1st and August 25th
September 22nd
October 6th and October 20th
November 3rd and November 17th
December 1st and December 15th

Please download, share, or print the PDF flyer:

On June 17, she will be running the Vancouver USA Marathon to raise money to help reduce the number of healthy, adoptable pets killed in shelters simply because enough homes can not be found for them. 7 million cats and dogs enter national animal shelters every year. 4 million never get out alive.

To support April and her efforts we have created a Fundly page where people can donate to help her reach her fundraising goal and track progress as she prepares for the big event.

Please visit April's page for the latest updates and to contribute towards her target. You can also donate to the campaign using the Fundly Social Donation Plugin (right).

100% of your donation will go towards funding adoption, rescue and transport programs focused on saving lives. It will also benefit spay/neuter, education and training policies that help reduce the number of unwanted litters abandonded to shelters and subsequent euthanization.

The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and any donations made will be tax deductible to the extent permissible under applicable laws.

The marathon will represent April's first ever attempt at the full distance of 26 miles 385 yards. Previously, she has only ever completed half marathons and is excited to take on the challenge, passionate about raising money for animals in need.

April Mixon

"I have three adopted mutts, Lucky, Tuxedo and Grace, and one adopted cat, Kelvin," April explained. "My hope is to inspire everyone to help in whatever way they can, to stop animal cruelty and save shelter animals."

Become A Fundraiser

If you would like to become a fundraiser for the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation it is really very easy to get involved. A sponsored walk, run or swim; garage sale or cake sale; skydive or bungee jump; a Karaoke evening, quiz night or raffle: the possibilities for helping us are endless. However you decide to raise money, we are here to provide support and advice. Please let us know about your fundraiser!

The Heigl Ray Of Hope Program Launches Free Spay/Neuter Surgeries In Baldwin Park And El Monte

Los Angeles, California - Today the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, in partnership with Rachael Ray and the LA County Animal Care Foundation, is launching a free spay/neuter program for dogs and cats in the cities of Baldwin Park and El Monte, cities serviced by the Baldwin Park Shelter. The Heigl Ray of Hope Program was created by generous donations from the three partners to provide free spay/neuter surgeries in an effort to substantially reduce the number of pets handled by shelters. The program will expand to other areas in the upcoming months.

The program is simple. No application, no paperwork, no lengthy list of requirements. To start, Residents of Baldwin Park (zip code 91706) and El Monte (zip codes 91731, 91732 and 91733) need only make one phone call to 818-755-6045 to register for an appointment. Actors and Others for Animals, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to eliminating pet overpopulation, will administer the program on behalf of the Foundation. "We are pleased to partner with Rachael Ray, LA County Animal Care Foundation and Actors and Others for Animals, to provide a free, simple and much needed life-saving program," said Nancy Heigl.

Katherine Heigl and her mother Nancy Heigl founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation to improve the plight of pets through a variety of programs, such as funding spay/neuter surgeries, assisting rescue organizations and transporting shelter animals to reputable destinations where great pets find great homes.

Katherine Heigl is passionate about pets and savvy to the difficult challenges faced by municipal animal shelters. Katherine stated, "Stopping litters and slowing pet population growth will provide shelter animals a better chance for adoption and will reduce the euthanasia rate."

Always an animal lover and advocate, Rachael Ray decided in 2008 to partner with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition® to create a super premium line of pet foods and treats called Rachael Ray Nutrish® as a way to continuously fund programs that help animals in need. Through Rachael's Rescue, she personally donates 100% of her proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® to shelters and organizations that provide food, medical supplies and treatments for needy animals.

"I created Rachael's Rescue to help care for forgotten pets - the ones that might not have someone to love them," said Ray. To date more than $3 million in proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® and Just 6® product lines have gone to help countless numbers of shelters, animal organizations and pets in need. "I am so happy to be able to partner with Katherine and her foundation to launch this very important program."

Ainsworth Pet Nutrition will also be making food donations to support the spay and neuter programs.

The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that supports the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control through fundraising for spay and neuter programs, pet adoption, public education and animal welfare. Committed to reducing euthanasia of unwanted animals, the Foundation provides low cost spay/neuter opportunities, funds adoption outreach and enhancement programs, and purchases medical services and supplies to save the lives of sick and injured animals. The Foundation is thrilled to join with The Heigl Foundation and Rachael Ray to create this life saving partnership to improve the future for animals in Los Angeles County.

Actors and Others for Animals is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to eliminating pet overpopulation, ensuring the care and protection of pet companions and improving the quality of life of economically challenged, disadvantaged and underserved pet guardians, by providing referral and financial assistance for spay/neuter and veterinary medical procedures together with other animal/human bond enriching programs.

If you live in California, you can help protect dogs and cats every time you drive with proceeds from the plate providing funding for programs to help end pet overpopulation and cut euthanasia across the state. In 2010, nearly 868,000 dogs and cats entered animal shelters in California. More than half were euthanized.

Pre-order Your California Pet Lover's Spay Neuter License Plate

It costs $50 to reserve a sequentially numbered specialty plate. A new or transferred vanity plate is $98. Annual renewal fees are $40 for standard plates and $78 for vanity plates. These costs are in addition to regular DMV license fees.

Actor, artist and animal activist Pierce Brosnan created and donated the artwork for the plate - using his own rescues Shilo and Angel Baby as models.

The California Pet Lover's License Plate will help to provide a large scale, permanent funding source for spay and neuter programs. Free and low-cost programs are desperately needed to help address the unnecessary killing of so many dogs and cats in California. The plate declares "SPAY & NEUTER SAVES LIVES", reminding other drivers to do their part in the fight against pet overpopulation.

Please help the California Pet Lover's License Plate program with your order today, and help spread the word by telling family and friends about the project!

Couture Designers include Emma Rose Designs, Chien Coature, Ruff Stuff Dog, Around The Collar, Cece Kent, La Maison Vienna Couture, Mhu Ghu, Puchi Bag, Diva Dog, Lady B Couture, Hartman & Rose, Jaraden, The Zuri Collection, Dallas Dogs, Haute Puppy, Bookie & Belle and RDC Collars. "People will 'paws' when they view our product line, the only thing that should shine brighter than your pet is the collar that they wear!" says Paul Stern Founder & CEO of Pretentious Puppy Boutique.

Dazzling the consumer, Pretentious Puppy Boutique is a premier luxury dog boutique with designer fashion clothes, luxury collars, and everything else your dog could want in an online boutique!

Originally from New York City the fashion capital of the world, the founders of PretentiousPuppyBoutique.com know what it is to be stylish and what makes a fashion forward pampered pet happy! After searching far and wide we could not find any 'fun' accessories or clothes that were cutting edge enough for our furry family members and with that PretentiousPuppyBoutique.com was launched!.

At checkout, customers who buy the "fetching" accessories and clothes, have the option to select a charity to whom a portion of the proceeds from the sale will be donated. The Heigl Foundation wishes the Pretentious Puppy Boutique much success and hopes that shoppers will name us as their charity of choice!

Los Angeles - Today the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation is launching a free spay/neuter program in California City in an effort to substantially reduce the number of dogs handled by the California City Animal Shelter. Annually, more than 2,300 pets find their way to the shelter either as a stray picked up by the City's Animal Control Officer or surrendered by their owner. Unfortunately, too few are subsequently adopted.

The most effective way to reduce the number of pets coming into the shelter is to reduce the number of pets being born through an effective, aggressive spay/neuter program.

Dr. Talleyrand & Dr. Trimnell (Right) At The Cal City Pet Clinic

Katherine Heigl and her mother Nancy Heigl founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation to improve the plight of pets through a variety of programs, such as funding spay/neuter surgeries, assisting rescue organizations and transporting shelter animals to reputable destinations where great pets find great homes.

Katherine Heigl is passionate about pets and savvy on the difficult challenges faced by municipal animal shelters. Katherine stated, "I am convinced that spaying and neutering saves lives and stops litters – litters that too often end up at public shelters and are subsequently killed due to a lack of adopters."

The program is simple. No application, no paperwork, no lengthy list of requirements. Residents of California City need only make one phone call to 323-798-4101 to book an appointment. Surgeries will be performed by Cal City Pet Clinic in California City.

"We are pleased to have Dr. Trimnell and his staff work with us on this life-saving project," said Nancy Heigl. "With each phone call and each surgery, we'll edge closer to our goal of an empty shelter."

City Manager Tom Weil said, "We are thrilled to partner with the the Heigl Foundation on this outstanding program for our residents and their dogs. We encourage everyone with an unaltered dog to call today and get their dog fixed."