Winner Announced in Vectra 3D® “I Love My Pet Because” Contest
June 08, 2009
FORT LEE, NJ –June 8, 2009—Why do we love our pets? An online promotion, “I Love My Pet Because” (www.Ilovemypetbecause.com), gave pet owners the opportunity to tell the world why they love their pet, and at the same time spread love and protection to a group of service dogs that are specially trained to be essential companions to people with disabilities. Priya Selvan of Kansas City, MO was chosen as the winner of this contest with her heartfelt entry about her dog, Brooklyn. Priya won $1000 and $1000 was donated to her veterinarian, Ron Lee, DVM of Eudora Animal Hospital in Eudora, Kansas.
Priya Selvan’s Winning Entry “Brooklyn”
“She is my very best friend. She saved me from a rocky time in my life getting worse, and she is there for me every day. I have never been so connected to an animal in my entire life and Brooklyn is my world.”
“The clinic is very appreciative for the $1000 check”, said George Schreiner, DVM, of Eudora Animal Hospital. “We work with the Lawrence Humane Society and this money allowed us to complete several procedures and surgeries on dogs.” Dr. Schreiner is also familiar with Vectra 3D and has been recommending the product to his clients. “Recently, I have encountered quite a few clients that were unhappy with their flea and tick product. I recommended that they try Vectra 3D and my clients’ have been very happy about how well the product has worked on their dogs.”
The real winner in this contest is a very special group of dogs. “I Love My Pet Because” received over 360 entries. For every entry, Summit VetPharm provided one free month of Vectra 3D® flea, tick, mosquito, sand fly, mite and lice protection to puppies and dogs in-training at New Horizons Service Dogs. New Horizons is a non-profit organization that provides highly trained dogs to people with disabilities in mobility. New Horizon Service Dogs (www.newhorizonsservicedogs.org) is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing trained and certified service dogs to persons with disabilities. A service dog is a dog that has been professionally trained to assist a person with a disability by performing specifically needed physical tasks.
Janet Severt, Founder and Director of New Horizons, has been treating her dogs and puppies with Vectra 3D® for over a year and is extremely grateful for the free product generated from this program. “Since the launch of the Ilovemypetbecause.com contest, we have received enough Vectra 3D® product to protect all of our dogs and puppies for the next few months,” explained Ms. Severt. “Before using Vectra 3D®, we had many issues with the dogs getting fleas, even when using other flea and tick products. Since we started using Vectra 3D® over a year ago, we have managed to get the dogs’ flea issues under control. The dogs are not scratching themselves and they have experienced significantly less skin irritations. Additionally, the dogs have not had any tick issues since using Vectra 3D®.”
Ms. Severt is also committed to using Vectra 3D® on the puppies while raising and training them for advancement in the service dog program. “Since our organization is in Florida, it is important that the dogs and puppies are protected with Vectra 3D® year round since fleas and ticks are an issue in this area throughout the year,” said Ms. Severt.
New Horizons Service Dogs
New Horizons was founded by Janet Severt, who is a service dog user, along with a dedicated group of volunteers. Its headquarters is located in Orange City, FL and the group enlists puppy raisers throughout the state of Florida and other states. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International, the group operates under the mission to provide quality, trained service dogs to people with disabilities; educate the public and raise awareness regarding the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities; and provide on-going support to the recipient to assure a successful working partnership. For more information visit www.newhorizonsservicedogs.org.
Summit VetPharm
Founded by veterinarians and experienced industry professionals, Summit VetPharm is an animal healthcare company committed to protecting the health and welfare of both companion animals and companion animal veterinary practices. Headquartered in Fort Lee, New Jersey, Summit VetPharm’s product line includes: Vectra 3D®, Vectra for Dogs and Puppies™, and Vectra® for Cats & Kittens. Vectra® products are available exclusively through practicing veterinarians. For more information, visit Summit VetPharm at www.summitvetpharm.com.
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Media Contacts:
Vanessa Goldschneider, 212-207-0567, Vanessa.Goldschneider@sumitomocorp.com
Jewelle Yamada, 212-207-0574, Jewelle-K.Yamada@sumitomocorp.com
