From left, Tiffany Gilmore, Alexis Whitecroft Neufield and Kristen Neratini play with Butters, a three-month old pit bull terrier at the Surrey Animal Resource Centre. The centre received a pickup truck full of donations for homeless animals from the Loki's Christmas Wish Fund.
Photograph by: submitted , for Surrey NOW
The spirit of giving is so prevalent this year, even our four-legged friends got presents this holiday season.
The Surrey Animal Resource Centre received almost a dozen large boxes of pet food, toys, blankets and other necessities from the Loki's Christmas Wish Fund, an organization that provides pet supplies to homeless animals.
"It's always humbling to see how generous people are," said Kristen Neratini, founder of Loki's Christmas Wish Fund. "Over the years, it has continued to grow to where, last year, we were able to donate to 20 (shelters)."
The group, currently in its fifth year of giving, was started in remembrance of Neratini's puppy Loki, who succumbed to health issues only a few years into his short life.
"Loki passed away in 2008 and we just had a really hard time going through that transition," she said. "We had adopted him around Christmas time and we thought what better way to honour him than to give back to the local shelters."
Kim Marosevich, manager for Surrey Animal Control, said this is the resource centre's first year partnering with Loki's Christmas Wish Fund.
"We're very fortunate to be one of the recipients this year," said Marosevich. "Every year, they choose a couple of different local animal control facilities. Loki's Christmas Wish tends to focus more on agencies that don't have that sort of pre-existing donor base."
Shelters throughout the Lower Mainland are always in need of items for pets such as dry or wet food and clean mats and beds, but Neratini said things that stimulate pets' minds can help the most.
"The majority of the day, they are confined to a very small space, and for many dogs, that can be very stressful," she said. "Toys that are durable that they can chew on to release some of that stress are extras that are not in their budget provided by the city."
Neratini said at the start of 2012, she thought this might be the last year of the Loki's Christmas Wish Fund, but thanks to the outpouring of donations, she plans to keep it running.
Visit lokischristmaswish.ca. jacobzinn@gmail.com
Twitter @jacobzinn
