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Skating star Browning boosts pet cause
| Source: |
Winnipeg Sun |
| Date: |
February 24, 2009 |
| Author: |
David Schmeichel |
They won't win any medals for their triple Axels or pairs routine, but
a pooch might still surprise you when it comes to picking up new
tricks.
So who better to educate us about the joys of being a pet owner than
figure skating legend Kurt Browning?
In town yesterday to kick off Pedigree's 2009 adoption campaign,
Browning -- the proud owner of both a dog and a cat -- discussed the
benefits of picking up your next pet from a shelter.
"When it comes right down to it, you're saving someone's life," he
said cuddling one of the puppies up for adoption at the Winnipeg Pet
Rescue Shelter at 3062 Portage Ave.
Manitoba's first no-kill animal shelter, Pet Rescue now provides
temporary homes for as many as 100 cats and dogs at a time, giving
them all the tender love and care they need until they're adopted by
their new owners.
Browning's Pedigree tour -- and its $500,000 fundraising goal -- seeks
to dispel some of the rumours about animal shelters.
"They're not just trying to get rid of a product," he said. "These
people are great. They're dedicated to these animals, and they really
will put the animal in a home where it will grow and
flourish."
Carla Martinelli-Irvine, the shelter's founder and executive director,
said she has a waiting list of about 300 pets waiting to get
in.
"A lot of people say, 'Well, you're no-kill, so maybe I don't need to
adopt from you,' " she said. "But every time you free up a cage, it
allows us to take another one in."
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