Small Business Makes Big Impact

Recently, PetsWeekly did a review on BuddyMeals prepared meals for pets. Formulated with a special diet to help in aiding digestion, these meals are perfect for keeping in your vehicle and emergency kits.

But there is another reason why we love Buddy Meals and that’s their willingness to step in and help the community.  Just this week, the company donated nearly $10,000 in product to a rescue taking in animals that have been lost or left behind during the blaze. 

The Wallow fire has burned more than 733 square miles in Arizona and is less than 20% contained. It’s been burning since Memorial Day and we can only hope that its strength ebbs soon. In comparison, the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire burned 732 square miles. That blaze northwest of the current fire burned 491 buildings and cost about $400 million to fight. The Wallow fire is barely getting started and is only 20% contained.

This week, the Victims of the Arizona Wallow Wildfire received assistance from two Phoenix-based small businesses, proving that creativity and action can transform businesses of any size into heroes when disaster strikes.

Buddy Meal Int’l., Inc. partnered with the Arizona Humane Society to donate and transport thousands of pounds of food and bottled water.

“This disastrous situation impacts both people and their pets”, stresses Buddy Meals Int’l President Alex Meyers. “We hope to ease the situation by making sure there is adequate nutrition and hydration for those that have been displaced”.

That assistance comes in the way of 2,000 pounds of kibble, 2,300 bottles of purified water, and 2,250 prepackaged Buddy Meals – each containing a pre-portioned bag of kibble, a bottle of purified water, a biodegradable serving dish, dog biscuits, and a waste pick up bag.

“Buddy Meals was originally developed and is sold for dogs and people “on the go”, explains Meyers, “but because of its completeness, it is also an ideal emergency meal kit”.

The food and water is being picked up at Buddy Meals’ warehouse on Friday morning by Arizona Humane Society volunteers and transported up north early Saturday.

Those wanting to make donations in smaller quantities are being accommodated by three Villa La PAWS locations in Phoenix. President Tom Murray, a long time supporter of numerous animal welfare organizations throughout the Valley, has teamed up with the Phoenix Animal Care Coalition (PACC911) to serve as a drop off site for food, sheets, blankets, towels, tarps, kennels, pet carriers, cat litter, leashes and collars. Volunteers from PACC911, and potentially even Murray himself with his company vans will relay the donations up to Show Low and St. Johns as the week progresses.

“Every business owner and individual in our state has a means, and an obligation, for helping those that are being impacted by the Wallow Wildfire”, asserts Murray. “It’s just a matter of leveraging available resources; in the case of Villa La PAWS, that would be providing space in central locations coupled with spreading the word to our vast network of caring customers”.

Donations can be dropped off at Villa La PAWS between 7am – 7pm at their two pet resorts — 10640 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix (Paradise Hills Shopping Center, northwest corner 32nd St. & Shea) and 2734 W. Bell Road, Phoenix (Bell Canyon Pavilions, northwest corner Bell Rd. & I-17) — and their new training center at 10630 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix (Paradise Hills Shopping Center, northwest corner 32nd St. & Shea).

For additional information, call Villa La PAWS at 602-442-7833 or PACC911 at 602-992-4779.