2007 Memories Garden ceremony

MEDIA ALERT
For Immediate Release

Contact: Jan Williams, College of Veterinary Medicine, 612-624-6228

What:
Brick Dedication and Pet Remembrance Ceremony

When:
June 5, 2007, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Where:
Nestle Purina Memories Garden, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1988 Fitch Avenue, University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus

Pets to be memorialized at Nestlé Purina Memories Garden ceremony
Newly merged Humane Society will be honored

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (May 30, 2007) – On June 5, the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine will pay special tribute to the newly merged Humane Society at the annual Nestlé Purina Memories Garden ceremony. In addition to this special tribute, clients and friends of the college will dedicate 21 new bricks that have been permanently placed in the garden in memory of their companion animals.

“This is a time for people to remember their beloved animals,” said Shirley De la Torre, giving and stewardship coordinator for the college. “Many of our clients choose their pets from the Humane Society, giving these abandoned animals a loving home and saving them from euthanasia. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year, 3-4 million of which are adopted. This year, we are paying tribute to the newly merged Humane Society for their contribution to animal welfare in our community.”

The Nestlé Purina Memories Garden was established in 2002 on the St. Paul Campus to provide a private, outdoor place for pet owners to spend quiet time with pets being treated at the Veterinary Medical Center. It is supported by individual donors who purchase bricks engraved with inscriptions to honor their pets. Since its inception, more than 100 people have purchased bricks for the Memories Garden. New bricks are dedicated each year at the ceremony, where people share pictures, poems, and memories of their companion animals.

“People have a special bond with their pets,” says Jeffrey Klausner, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “When that unique relationship ends, we experience a profound sense of loss and sadness. We are especially pleased to recognize the newly merged Humane Society this year. We know how much compassion and service they bring to the animals of our communities, and we are grateful for their continued partnership in providing for the care and well-being of these animals.”

The newly merged Humane Society is comprised of the largest and oldest humane groups in Minnesota: the Animal Humane Society, founded in 1891; the Humane Society for Companion Animals, founded in 1878; and the Greater West Metro Humane Society, founded in 1980. With locations in Buffalo, Coon Rapids, Golden Valley, St. Paul, and Woodbury, the merged organization takes in more than 35,000 animals each year.

For more information about the Nestlé Purina Memories Garden, contact Shirley De la Torre at 612-624-6146 or delat010@umn.edu.

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