Animeals in motion

The Kenton County Animal Shelter is teaming up with meal-delivery service Meals on Wheels to assist senior citizens. The program, Animeals, delivers donated pet food and products to the elderly who cannot afford to purchase such items for their pets. Shelter officials say that some people receiving food from Meals on Wheels often feed part of their meal to their pet, and the shelter hopes to change that. Donation bins will be placed at  area pet stores. The shelter has even asked pet-food corporations Iams and Purina to help. The program, which began in July, will serve 10 clients initially, with hopes of expansion in the future. For more information call (859) 356-7400.

Shelter shock

While overcrowded animal shelters aren’t new, a study released by Ohio State University reveals a few things about them. The study discovered that Ohio shelters housed 20 percent more cats in 2004 than 1996 and 14 percent more cats are being euthanized due to crowding. The study also showed that the number of dogs in shelters has fallen 16 percent, and the number put down has fallen almost 40 percent. However, as more cats and dogs come to shelters each day, many are finding that they must grow to accommodate all of the animals. Several shelters in Butler County including Animal Friends Humane Society in Trenton and The Animal Adoption Foundation in Hamilton, have already opened or plan to open new facilities in the near future.

A rational idea

Pop ARF artist Nathan Janes has joined paws with Rational Animal, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase awareness of at-risk animals. Janes has designed a special pewter lapel pin, available at animal rescue facilities, that will help with fundraising projects and support Rational Animal’s Animal Guardian Ribbon Campaign. The orange pin, which is in the shape of a ribbon with a paw print at the top, promotes animal guardianship rather than ownership. In addition to the pin, Janes has also created an original portrait of a dog sitting in front of New York City skyscrapers wearing an animal guardian ribbon and an orange “Adopt Me” vest.

For more about Rational Animal, visit www.Rational-Animal.org. For more information on Pop ARF, visit www.PopArf.com.