Orphaned and injured black bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and possums in the care of Ontario wildlife centres in Thunder Bay, Huntsville, Barrie, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton and London will soon be enjoying tasty and nutritious meals thanks to Pet Valu. Canada’s leading specialty pet retailer has donated 69 skids (21,000+ kgs) of dry dog food, a popular nutrition choice for wildlife in rehabilitation, to Ontario Wildlife Rescue.
“This is the biggest single food donation Ontario Wildlife Rescue has ever received, and it is going to have a significant and direct impact,” says Sandy Donald, Director, at Ontario Wildlife Rescue. “As Ontario wildlife centres don’t receive any financial assistance from government and food is one of their biggest expenses, when they don’t have to purchase food, they can help more animals. We are extremely grateful to Pet Valu for providing such a sizeable donation.”
Dry dog food is a popular choice for injured and orphaned wild animals in rehabilitation centres as it contains balanced nutrition and the animals, many of which are scavengers, like the taste. Black bears in particular benefit from dog food as its helps satisfy their high caloric needs.
“Through our Companions for Change program, we support many Canadian animal organizations doing vital work in communities across Canada,” says Tanbir Grover, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Pet Valu. “Our support includes assisting homeless pets, funding and feeding dog guides and providing transformative sponsorships that help pet charities fund major capital projects. Ontario Wildlife Rescue provides critical care for wildlife across the province and we are very pleased we are able to provide them with some much needed assistance.”
Ontario wildlife centres were created to save the lives of wild animals in Ontario and return the animals to their natural habitats. Donald says if the public finds injured or orphaned wildlife they should contact a wildlife centre directly. Humane societies and animal control centres are not licensed for wildlife.