MIMI, 13, & HALO “SAVING LIVES” AT 37 MORE ANIMAL SHELTERS
August 31st, 2009 by Diane Herbst
Mimi Ausland, 13, reads the heartbreaking emails every day from shelters across the country begging for food. “Some of the shelters were literally going to close their doors, they would have to move the dogs and cats or they would have to be euthanized,” says Mimi, founder of freekibble.com, a website that donates food to homeless pets. In need of more food to donate, Mimi and her dad, Kelly, came to Halo for help. And help came. Boy did it come, in the form of 46,000 pounds of dry Spot’s Stew to 24 rescues and shelters in Tennessee, Georgia and Florida on Wednesday, and another 19,000 pounds earlier in the month to 13 other rescues. “We received all 6,000 pounds of Halo food today, and it felt like Christmas,” writes Tricia Sebes, Volunteer Coordinators of the McKamey Animal Care & Adoption Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Says Mimi: “Halo and freekibble are literally saving lives. It’s pretty unbelievable, we’re making such an impact.”
AN AMAZING GRASSROOTS EFFORT
Another hero in this tale is Palena Dorsey, a legal secretary and founder of Sanctuary Animal Refuge in Clewiston, FL. Dorsey, who for the last year has received food from freekibble.com for the 160 dogs and 100 cats at her rescue, contacted and coordinated the two dozen rescue organizations to pick up their food at certain drop-off points in Georgia and Florida on August 26th. Some got up at 2 a.m. and drove five hours to pick up their Halo Spot’s Stew.
“There is a huge need right now, with the economy the way it is, rescues are in dire need,” says Dorsey, who instead of giving the donation to just a few groups, wanted to spread the wealth among as many rescues as possible.
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Everybody is thrilled. Not only do they have a week to breathe easier but the dogs are getting the best food there is.
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“People don’t understand that food is the biggest cost to any rescue, this makes a huge difference,” she says. “Everybody is thrilled. Not only do they have a week to breathe easier but the dogs are getting the best food there is.”
Despite the tens of thousands of pounds of kibble, it’s only going to last a week, says Dorsey, but that week can enable the rescues in the most dire need to find other sources of food. And as Mimi points out, the more people who play freekibble.com and follow @freekibble and @halopets on Twitter, the more food will be donated. Already, some 50,000 to 60,000 people play freekibble per day.
Rescues particularly helped this week by Halo included Forgotten Canines in Georgia, with 120 dogs to feed and no food. “Companies used to give food away and they aren’t doing it,” says Dorsey. “And at the end of the day you still have the dogs, you’re not going to kill them.”
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Halo and Freekibble are literally saving lives.
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Another recipient of Halo’s gift was Angel Dog Rescue, run by a woman in her 80’s who depends entirely on donations to survive. “Donations, they have dried up. No one is making donations,” says Dorsey. “There are the best rescues around. People are struggling to feed their own children and when companies like Halo and young women like Mimi are making this possible, do you know what it’s like? The best way to say it, if these companies continue to make contributions like this, dogs won’t die, and dogs can be healed because of this great food.”
Following are a list of the rescues who received food:
Aussie Rescue Group
Porter, IN
Humane Society of Dickson County
Dickson, TN
2nd Chance Animal Sanctuary
Warrior, AL
Town of Troy Animal Services
Tory, IN
A New Leash on Life
Lebanon, TN
Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby Cty
Memphis, TN
Safe Haven Animal Shelter
Scottsboro, AL
McKamey Animal Shelter
Chattanooga, TN
Coffee County Humane Society
Morrison, TN
FAMA (Fannin Animal Medical Åccount)
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
Southern HOPE Humane Society
Roswell, GA
Homeward Bound Pet Rescue
Ellijay, GA
Catcoosa Animal Control
Ginggold, GA
Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue
Dallas, GA
Lifeline Animal Rescue
Avondale Estates, GA
Puppy Love Rescue
Covington, GA
Douglas County Animal Control
Douglasville, GA
Paulding County Animal Control
North Dallas, GA
Forgotten K-9’s
Commerce, GA
Angel Dog Rescue
Georgetown, GA
Donna Long Fosters
Stockbridge, GA
Oconee Animal Control
Bishop, GA
Heard County Animal Control
GA
Superior Mutts
Orlando, FL
Another Chance Rescue
Bunnell, FL
Inverness Humane Society
Inverness, FL
Akita Rescue of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
Friends of Jacksonville Humane
Jacksonville, FL
Sabbath Memorial Rescue
Miami, FL.
Sanctuary Animal Rescue
Clewiston, FL
Allen Babcock Dog & Cat Rescue, Inc.
Plantation, FL.
Pets in Distress
Davie, FL.
Bright Hope Animal Rescue
South Bay, Florida
Abandoned Pet Rescue
Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Cocker Rescue of Florida
Clewiston Animal Control
Clewiston, FL
Caloosa Humane Society
La Belle, FL
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September 1st, 2009 at 4:31 am
I am so happy that through FREE KIBBLE I can help animals even from across the ocean ( I live in Belgium ) . Thanks to the internet and to all the volonteers , great job !!!! , Danielle
September 1st, 2009 at 4:55 am
This is so heartwarming! I’m forwarding the link to the site to all the new people on my email list!
September 1st, 2009 at 6:28 am
Haha, this is awesome. I guess it IS worth clicking freekibble every day!
September 1st, 2009 at 7:48 am
Congratulations Mimi dear, I wish I could do like you in my country Indonesia. So many animals need shelter here.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:22 am
Thank you, thank you. I have been clicking once a day for quite some time on freekibble.com and was wondering what that click was doing. It is so easy to do! Thanks for this informative article which encourages me to make even more of an effort to get the word out. And the unfed dogs and cats of the country thank you, too!
September 1st, 2009 at 10:35 am
I will forward the link to all my animal-lover friends, wish we had something like this here in Mexico, where we have an awful lot of street dogs and shelters are not enough! There are many women who rescue and take care of dogs and cats in their own homes.
God bless, thank you. I’m so glad that my click has helped.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:02 am
Thank you is almost not enough to say, but it’s the best I can tell you and it comes from our hearts from all of us at Camp Stanhope (8 cats)! I will continue to support FreeKibble.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:22 am
Thank you so very much for this info!!! I mean, you click, and click everyday and….yeah the trivia is fun, but, am I doing any GOOD???? This just fills my heart with happiness to know I AM making a difference. It even makes me want to place an order for food and treats on the site, if not just to say “Thank you” and to let you know that what you’re doing is GREATLY appreciated!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!
September 1st, 2009 at 11:31 am
I also click every day…both for dogs and cats. Thank you for creating the possibility for us all to help, even if it’s in such a small way.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I’m so happy that you have this website to help feed the hungry animals. I know what these little ones (large ones also) go through each day trying to get a little food. It’s a shame that we neglect to take care of God’s animals.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
A “huge” thank you to all involved in helping our “furry friends” in desperate need !!
I play everyday ( after I watched “Mimi” on Ellen and found out about this ).
You are all very special people.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
This is great. I have two cats and it grieves me to think of all the animals locked up and looking for a good home; not to mention the ones that are destroyed every day.Thank all of you for the work you do in behalf of our country’s pets. They have feelings, too and you are all saints.
Best regards,
Larry
September 1st, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Mimi: You are truly an amazing young woman. Your selfless acts of animal kindness are to be commended. I click on freekibble every day and have spread the freekibble news to my friends. I urge everyone with a computer, or daily access to one, to join the thousands of people who already participate and get on the FREEKIBBLE bandwagon. It takes just one minute each day to help feed the empty bellies of thousands of hungry dogs and cats in our nation’s shelters. And, if you are thinking about adding a dog or cat to your family, I urge you all to check out your local shelter for your new family member.
September 1st, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I’ve been clicking on Freekibble for dogs and kitties for a long time now and have often wondered where the food went. Thanks for telling us and for getting this program going and keeping it growing! It’s an awesome thing!
September 1st, 2009 at 8:44 pm
God bless you for all you do for the animals, I do what i can on the local level but it just never seems to be enough there is always an animal in need maybe one day people will learn to love there animals as much as their animals love them.. a shelter is no place for mans best friend.
Again thank you, maybe one day with Gods help you’ll go global woulden’t that be a blessing for Gods creatures.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Great job Mimi and crew! Keep it up! I play freekibble for cats everyday. Love the questions and helping out the cats! Don’t forget about Washington State when you have the chance to donate next!
September 1st, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I also forwarded this link to many-many people several times. Unfortunately I cannot tell how many have click daily as myself, but I am sure some of them did. I am so proud to be part of this cause and glad that so many were fed. Animal lovers are the best and proud of all of you.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:41 am
I AM GLAD TO HELP, I HAVE TWO CATS, SHEBA AND PEANUT. PEANUT WAS A SHELTER CAT. I ALSO HAVE A DOG, TANNER WHO WAS BORN IN A SHELTER AND I ADOPTED AT AGE 6 MONTHS. I HAVE FORWARDED THE LINK TO ALL OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I’M REALLY HAPPY TO HELP. I’M REALLY GLAD THAT SOMEONE IS WILLING TO HELP THE ANIMALS THAT NEED OUR HELP. I HAVE A YORKIE, HER NAME IS NIKKI, SHE’S NOT A SHELTER DOG, BUT SHE’S STILL CLOSE TO MY HEART. THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELPING THE ANIMALS IN NEED!!!!
MADDY