My name is Larry Chusid. I am the founder and executive director of The Pongo Fund, Oregon’s Pet Food Bank. Pongo was my dog. I work for the day when no animal goes hungry because their families cannot afford to keep them fed. Thereby preventing the hunger, suffering, abandonment, surrender and loss of the animals they love.

We have donated more than 12 million meals throughout Oregon, Washington and beyond, helping more than 120,000 beloved dogs, cats and horses stay safe at home with their families and out of the shelters. We provide emergency veterinary care and spay-neuter too. And I am honored to do this work.

But in order to love me as a friend or even like me as a person you must understand that animals are the best part of my life. And that my heart is broken time and time again for animals that are not treated with compassion and respect. For those who do not know kind words and gentle hands. For those who are abused, who suffer, who live in fear. For those who recoil at the hand reaching out to pet them for fear it will hurt them.

At my core I believe that every animal deserves good food, clean water, proper shelter, sincere affection, humane care and a safe and stable environment. Not just occasionally, but always. And I believe that Gandhi was right when he said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

Today is the first day of 2019. A new beginning. A new chapter filled with all of the things that we can do, that we should do, that we must do, to make life better for the animals. And I invite you to please join me in doing these things.

For all of the animals everywhere, may each one enjoy an abundance of love. To live safely and well. Without fear. Without harm. Without suffering. I wish for them to know the same love and respect from us that we know from them. And every wish that I wish for the animals, I wish for you too.

On an even more personal note, and I mean this from my heart, I am so deeply grateful to you, to all of you, for getting up, for standing up, for fighting against abuse and neglect and cruelty. For fighting the fight that sometimes seems like a lonely one. But in time, it is a fight we will win.

My name is Larry Chusid and I am proud that the animals are my friends. They make my life better. And may they always enjoy Peace, Love and Kibble.

Wishing you a Happy New Year from all of us at The Pongo Fund.

One more thing. We have a newsletter, and while we’ve only sent it twice in 9 years, it’s still a newsletter. It’s not fancy by any means. In fact, it’s primarily run-on sentences lacking proper punctuation. But we would very much like to keep you in the loop as to the good work you help us do, so to read it, please click here https://bit.ly/2CIOCDc

To receive the next one in your inbox, please click here: http://bit.ly/2CVq34E.

And if you don’t like it, it’s only one quick click to unsubscribe.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

(Photo of Larry & Scooby, The Beagle Buddha. Photo Credit: Pauline Zonneveld)