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Every year, Pet Rock Fest's proceeds benefit a variety of New England area animal organizations. In fact, 100 percent of the proceeds after expenses goes directly to help animals. We research our beneficiaries each year, and absolutely welcome suggestions (do YOU have an organization that could use a donation? tell us about it). Proceeds from Pet Rock 2007 will benefit, among other groups to be named: Humane Society: Youth - Their statement: "We educate young people about kindness and respect for all animals and their natural habitats, activate youth in efforts to protect animals, and provde teaching materials, professional development and support to teachers and humane educators. Our exciting new Mission: Humane program engages youth to actively help animals where they need it most. Fun rewards are given for projects completed. It's a great resource for classroom teachers, animal sheltering professionals and others to guide youth animal protection clubs. We also have a newly revamped Web site just for teens, www.humanesociety.org/teens. We public KIND News, an award-winning classroom newspaper and the most weidely used humane education resource. KIND News is aligned with National Education Standards for the major subject areas and is used by teachers across the curriculum. Through our Adopt-A-Classroom program, humane agencies, civic groups, parents and businesses 'adopt' elementary school classes by providing them with gift subscriptions to KIND News. Animal Shelter Inc. in Sterling - Often referred to as the Sterling Animal Shelter, this shelter in Sterling is a leader in humane sheltering, with an on-site VCA Clinic as well as programs to rescue ababdoned animals from places such as Virginia and Puerto Rico. Its director, Leigh Grady, is a founding partner in the Pet Rock Fesitval, as well. Donations from Pet Rock help benefit her programs each year. Foster Parrots, Inc. - Fighting for the plight of birds. Not only does it help find homes for neglected and abused birds, but promotes doing away with the cruel practice of trapping and breeding birds for "domestic pets." From Marc Johnson, founder: "Foster Parrots is one of only a handful of parrot rescue organizations in the world that has opposed the pet trade in parrots from day one of our inception. Keeping flighted animals as pets is inherently cruel. The imprisonment of birds by caging and physical alteration, for our own need to possess the very symbol of freedom, was an obvious injustice that has fueled our efforts to end the commercial breeding of parrots for the pet trade. Foster Parrots strives to act as advocates for the innocent and as a sanctuary for the homeless and unwanted parrots of New England. Our new sanctuary, The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary or NEEWS, will soon offer a permanent "retirement" home for parrots." Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) - This wonderful organization provides support in the courts to help bring those who have committed acts of animal cruelty to justice. Each year, all participating animal organizations are entered into a random "lottery," and two $500 awards are granted to the winners. Many rescue groups and shelters have reaped the benefit of this drawing. PAST RECIPIENTS FROM THE PET ROCK FESTIVAL PROCEEDS INCLUDE: NEADS MSPCA Commonwealth Cats Second Chance Animal Shelter Boston Animal Rescue League Various police departments: vests for police dogs Katrina Fund International Fund for Animal Welfare Worcester Animal Rescue League Jake's Haven Underdog ResQ Boxer Buddies Mass Vest-A-Dog Saint Bernard Rescue |
2008 
