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An old-fashioned bed-raising for shelter pets
By Dr. Marty Becker
January 27, 2010
When I decided to help get beds donated for the animals of the Orange County Animal Services shelter in Florida, where I filmed some clips while in Orlando for the North American Veterinary Conference, I hoped that my readers, viewers and fans would come through.
You have, and so has the company that established the shelter bed donation program. I’ll let Carol Grandmougin from Kuranda Dog and Cat Bed Company tell the story:
We became aware of Dr. Becker’s campaign when a woman from Texas called to donate a bed to the OCAS in Florida. I asked her how she knew the Florida shelter needed beds, and she pointed me to the Pet Connection blog.
I was so touched by the picture of the 2 Italian Greyhounds piled on top of the pitbull for a place on the only Kuranda bed in their run that we decided to match Dr. Becker’s donation and send OCAS a few more dog and cat beds to help give a few more animals a comfortable place to sleep.
We see over and over the compassion pet lovers have towards animals in shelters, so often stepping up to donate beds for them when asked, so we know Dr. Becker’s supporters will make a big difference for the dogs and cats at the Orange County Animal Services shelter!
I asked Carol how Kuranda got the idea to start their donation program for animals in shelters, and it turns out it was the same reason I wanted to help.
“We created this program, dubbed ‘Cold Nose, Warm Toes,’ to help dogs and cats in shelters who for the most part spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a cold wet concrete floor,” she said. “We wanted them to have the comfort of a soft, dry, elevated place to sleep”
The number of beds donated as part of this “bed-raising” drive is now over 30. I’d like to see us hit 100 by the end of the week, but even if that’s a little optimistic in these tough economic times (tough for shelters, too, remember), I am still amazed and touched by the generosity and compassion of all of those who have given.
Kurunda has set up this program so that people can visit their website, select the shelter of their choice, and donate as many beds in the size(s) they wish. The beds are sent directly to the shelter at a special discount.
Grandmougin told me that response to their program has been huge. “The public has embraced this program, which is providing thousands of beds to shelter pets across the nation,” she said. “This summer, we unveiled the new cat bed and are getting lots of purrs from the shelter cats already enjoying them!”
I hope you’ll consider donating a bed to the Orange County Animal Services Shelter in Florida, but you can also scroll through the list of participating organizations and see if your local shelter is there. There are thousands of animal shelters all over the country in need of beds for their dogs and cats.
Just click here, and let’s get these pets up off the floors!
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Donate, or I’ll make up more awful songs. And no one wants that!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 27, 2010 @ 12:25 pm
Yes ma’am!
Comment by Christie Keith — January 27, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Just donated two beds, and tried to throw in an extra one for Bad Rap, but it wouldn’t go through for some reason!
I’ll try again in a few minutes.
They have expanded their selection for OCAS, btw, and you can now give a bed costing as little as $48! And Bad Rap (in Oakland, CA) could use replacement covers as well as beds, which cost even less.
Comment by Christie Keith — January 27, 2010 @ 12:57 pm
I just got off the phone with the Kurunda pet bed company about our bed-raising drive — they’re working on getting even LOWER prices! Stay tuned…
Comment by Dr. Marty Becker — January 27, 2010 @ 2:52 pm
Lower prices - how wonderful……lets get those sweet pets off the cold hard floor!
Comment by Snoopy's Friend — January 27, 2010 @ 3:06 pm
…you can now give a bed costing as little as $48!
Okay, here’s the part I just don’t get, and I hope I’m not cheap and heartless and depriving my own pets. But—“as cheap as $48” ? A few weeks ago, I got the type of bed my dog loves best at CVS for $6.00. When I first saw Dr. Becker’s appeal for bed donations, I thought, maybe I can donate a couple…but no. For some reason, they have to be expensive beds that cost $48-$56. I can’t afford that for my own pets—and I look at the design, and I don’t see the point. They don’t even look like beds my crew would like, the dog or the two cats.
Please don’t misunderstand; I don’t begrudge anyone spending the money, whether for their own dogs and cats or shelter animals, if they have it and think the animals will like it. I just don’t see either the attraction of these particular beds, or why this is the Minimum Acceptable Standard, and something that looks more comfy and costs less isn’t acceptable.
Comment by Lis — January 27, 2010 @ 3:06 pm
Lis
The beds at Kurunda are good because they hold up under lots of wear and tear, difficult to pee on, difficult to destroy, and look at the sides - they are almost chew proof.
I bought something like this at my pet store for one of my dogs and within a few days he had chewed the sides where the cloth was exposed. One ruined bed. These beds don’t have cloth exposed on the sides if you notice so a dog can’t chew the cloth attached to the sides to shreds. At least that is my observation. But I really understand that they are expensive to many of us - including me. I wonder if it would be possible to start a fund where people can donate towards the purchase of beds and when the price/cost is reached, then a bed is donated. Just an idea.
Comment by Snoopy's Friend — January 27, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
Lis, nearly every shelter and rescue group I know swears by these beds. I used them, also, for my pack when I lived in the country, and they held up to year-round outdoor use and being used as trampolines and puppy chew toys.
Shelters are pretty brutal on dog beds. I can’t imagine a $6 bed holding up to institutional use.
As to the type of bed, these are good because they keep the dogs off the floor and protect them from drafts, the beds can be effectively cleaned and sanitized, they’re nearly indestructible (unlike soft pillow or mat type beds), they’re fabulous for dogs with joint problems, and in hot weather, they allow air circulation.
I am not shilling for Kurunda. They aren’t an advertiser and no one here at PC has a relationship of any kind with them. We didn’t even tell them Marty was doing this; it just so happened OCAS had this set up with them already, and Marty wanted to help.
The shelters have to sign up to get these beds — just look at how many of them have! I have to defer to them as to the kinds of beds they need for the use they put them to.
Comment by Christie Keith — January 27, 2010 @ 3:24 pm
Okay, so these are more suitable for shelter use, I can see that. But I like Snoopy’s Friend’s idea of a fund, because reasonable or not, $48 is just way beyond what I can afford to spend for this. :(
Comment by Lis — January 27, 2010 @ 3:39 pm
I understand, Lis… we’re just not set up here at Pet Connection to create a fund. And this is entirely administered by Kurunda, so they handle all the overhead, shipping, etc.
They’re aware of this issue, so perhaps they can come up with a suggestion for those who need to donate TOWARDS a bed, but can’t donate the entire cost of one!
Comment by Christie Keith — January 27, 2010 @ 3:55 pm
Lis,
Although we’re not set up for handling a donation fund — believe you me, you don’t want yours truly handing money! — this very subject has come up this week, with Dr. B asking if there was some way we could set up a foundation or fund or … ?
End result: This is not going to happen today, but it is going to happen. Because Dr. Becker is On Da Case.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 27, 2010 @ 4:39 pm
Yay Dr. Becker! :)
Comment by Lis — January 27, 2010 @ 8:13 pm
Gina- Today I had a long chat with my local Naples Humane Society’s Director and Development Director. They just has a new supply of Kurunda dog beds donated for the shelter (they said they reorder the beds every 12 months and pass the used beds on to a shelter in Labelle, FL). Info: The Humane Society Naples is about to unveil seven huge (10x14’ at least) brand spanking new cat rooms in their new shelter addition. I suggested they try top get their volunteers and supporters to buy Kurunda cat tower beds (the nine story ones are amazing) for the cat rooms. Each room will need at least two towers. The only problem is when a donor goes to the Kurunda website’s shelter donation section Kurunda only offer 4 choices of beds for supporters to choose from. hmm..Why can’t we donate a 9 level tower? The Humane Society Director was hoping to see if the Petconnection team can ask Kurunda to add more types and sizes of beds for this cause.
Comment by ericka — February 5, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
I’ll send Carol a note. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — February 5, 2010 @ 3:30 pm
Wow! I love this site! And I love all fur people.
Comment by Sharron Semon — February 5, 2010 @ 7:38 pm
I just went in and the bed is $56 and not 48. Am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks.
Comment by Jeanne — February 5, 2010 @ 7:57 pm
I stay in George SA and wish i had the money to support and love every animal that needs it i think it is an disgrace that animals have to suffer and get very upset because i cannot afford to accomodate them i have 2 dogs and 1 cat and love them just the way i love my child with my whole heart they get treated like humans which i dont find wrong because they were given to me from God as a pressant to be part of my life
good job and hope u guys get 100% support
love mandy
Comment by mandy waterfall — February 6, 2010 @ 5:26 am
I just went in and the bed is $56 and not 48. Am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks.
Comment by Jeanne — February 5, 2010
It’s a “wish list” the shelters set. The $48 beds may all have been purchased, leaving the more expensive, larger beds.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — February 6, 2010 @ 9:08 am
VIDEO: Kuranda Elevated Bed Building Event to Benefit the Dogs & Cats at MCACC East in Mesa, AZ - December 22, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_hdSzn0oU
Comment by BChil — February 6, 2010 @ 2:47 pm
This may not be relevant to this particular charity drive, but I am very impressed by these instructions for making similar beds on a budget:
http://www.columbusdogconnecti.....g_beds.htm
I’m going to make a couple here and trial them with my foster dogs — who, granted, spend very little time kenneled anymore — and see how they work.
I am thinking about ways to make the edges more chew-resistant, but am not sure how much some of my ideas would add to the cost.
There are some underfunded rural shelters I know of who I am sure would not turn their noses up at a donation of well-made non-name-brand beds.
If the homemade version lasts half as long as the name-brand, and costs 1/4 as much to make, I call win.
Comment by H. Houlahan — February 6, 2010 @ 3:18 pm
I make beds out of pillowcases stuffed with material from quilting scraps. I sew them shut on the ends. The pillowcases are either donated to me by friends or I get them at the local Salvation Army store. I have donated 7 to the Polk Co. Humane Society here in Winter Haven Florida since November. I just stuff them half full so the animals can arrange them to suit themselves. Anyone could do this same thing by cutting up rags to use for the stuffing.
Comment by Connie Crowder — February 6, 2010 @ 4:47 pm
We support ANY way to help shelter pets. One shelter I know used to ask for those fuzzy toilet seat covers when people were replacing them. They make GREAT cat beds, apparently.
So no, you don’t have to order from Kuranda to help a shelter! Is that’s what you want to do, great. If you want to do something else, that’s cool, too. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — February 6, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
blessings to you all
Comment by maryann — February 7, 2010 @ 10:09 pm