April 2004CVHS Adopts New Shelter Feeding Program in Parnership with Science DietCVHS Adopts New Shelter Feeding Program in Parnership with Science Diet Thanks to a wonderful bequest, which CVHS will be receiving later this year, the shelter has partnered with Science Diet to provide all dry food for the shelter animals. Science Diet developed their shelter program to help shelters feed their animals a more consistent and more nutritional food. Science Diet donates all the dry food needed by the shelter and CVHS pays only shipping charges to bring it in. "We have been wanting to do this for some time," Animal Care Manager, Maureen Dexter said. "We get a lot of different types of food donated so the animals are getting something different all the time. They often don't adapt well to the changes as they are stressed and many times already malnourished when they first come in. The changes sometimes produce terrible effects such as diarrhea." With a consistent, nutritional dry food being fed, it will be easier on the stomachs of the animals and will help to give them the nutrition they need to come back to proper condition and deal with the stresses of being homeless. CVHS still needs canned food. Many dogs will not eat only dry food and canned is used to entice them to "dig in". Therefore, CVHS often mixes some canned with the dry. Canned dog food, and canned cat and kitten food: turkey, chicken or beef (no fish please), are needed to help ease them into regular eating habits. Dry food that is donated to the shelter will be used in CVHS' Food Assistance Program for people in emergency situations such as unexpected medical costs and loss of a job who are having trouble buying food for their pets. This program is a safety net to help keep these families together until things improve.
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