Heroic, Or Humble, Our Pets Are There For Us

MEDIA RELEASE JULY 2011

Heroic, Or Humble, Our Pets Are There For Us

Winners of the Purina Pet Competition are announced

Whether it be curled up by your side on a cold day; following you around the garden as you do your chores; never leaving your side when you are sick; or simply playing, loving and just being there with you no matter what life throws your way – it seems that pets really are part of our families.

A competition was recently run by Purina PetCare in which they asked New Zealanders to write in and tell of a time when their pet has been there for them, whether it be a heroic, life-saving tale, or a story of cherished companionship.

Hundreds of Kiwis leapt at the chance to describe how their furry friends enhance their lives, and through the heart-warming tales, two winning entrants have emerged.

Maree Douglas, of Hastings, and Ben Robertson, of Naenae, have both won a years supply of Purina pet food for their cat and dog respectively.

Maree says that she and her husband bought takeaways of fishnchips, and decided to put them in the oven to heat up. As they sat and enjoyed their evening, Jeckel (their cat) interrupted with some very loud, and highly uncharacteristic, meowing.

Refusing to stop after being told off, Jeckel jumped on the bench – a place that is usually totally out of bounds for him. Finally deciding to investigate this strange behaviour, Maree got up and found that flames were engulfing her oven and the smoke alarms were not working.

“If it hadnt been for Jeckel, I may not have realised the dinner was on fire. He could have easily scampered outside to save himself, but instead he stayed and alerted us,” says Maree. “Weve since changed the alarms!”

Ben also knows very well the ways in which pets can be there for you – in his case, through his Labrador-Retriever called Xas (Sass).

Ben has muscular dystrophy, and took ownership of Xas as a mobility dog – a day that he says changed his life.

Xas has never let Ben down: she helps him when he drops things (such as his wallet when they are out walking); she provides him with companionship; and she is always looking for ways to make Bens life easier.

“Everyday Xas is there for me. If I need help moving from place-to-place, Xas is there standing strong, so I can use her for balance,” says Ben.

“She is so eager to please, sometimes overdoing it and picking up everything that is on the floor and putting it in a big pile on my bed! She is a real joy to me and has forced me to deal with my frustrations in a positive way.”

Having read the nations amazing pet stories that were uncovered, Purina would like to thank everyone who entered.

“We were blown away by the passion that Kiwis showed for their pets. The winners had some wonderful stories that really encompass our belief that pets are there for us in small ways, and big,” says Shivaun Statham of Purina New Zealand.

“Many heroic stories came from Christchurch, and told of pets warning their owners of the impending danger of the February earthquake. That really struck a chord with us, and wed like everyone in that region to know were thinking of them.”

Understanding how many pets that have been lost or abandoned following the quakes, Purina has donated pet food parcels to animal shelters in Christchurch.

Our pets are always there for us, and Purina is there for them.

For help, advice or information about your pet, call the FREE Purina Pet Care line on 0800 PET VIP (0800 738 847). www.purina.co.nz

ENDS

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