These past few weeks The Pongo Fund Emergency Kibble Response Team delivered food and hope to several different cities. Each delivery responding to an emergency that required pet food. But each time we delivered more.

A woman with MS that had her meds unexpectedly skyrocket in cost. A man who lost a limb and found he faced many more expenses than planned. An octogenarian battling cancer who promised his wife he would be there for their dog just before she passed away.

I’ll stop there because some of the stories would make you just burst out in tears. And that’s not the point.

The reasons are many. Sometimes there are massive problems that occur out of nowhere. Sometimes simpler challenges that could have been avoided. But beyond the reason and the cause, the need is the same.

A hungry animal whose life is at stake because their people do not have the money to keep them fed. And every time those animals are going hungry, we know their people are going hungry too.

So whenever possible we try to help two by helping one. Why? Because they both need us.

But each time we have to first ask ourselves can we help? And if so, how do we help? Because we’re not a big group. And we don’t have a ton of money like the big groups do.

Each time we must remain careful to not lose focus on the work we do that helps thousands in our own community. Thousands that get to remain safe in their homes and out of the shelters.

But in so many ways, as we help more, the entire country is becoming our community. Because we are all in this together.

These are exciting times for The Pongo Fund. But the truth is, most people have never even heard of us. This tiny volunteer driven organization in Portland, Oregon, that directly helps more animals than any other group in Oregon, remains an unknown.

But you know. And we know.

And together we will continue to celebrate the victories of those we help. And together we will continue to mourn the losses of those we could not.

Doing our best. And this is why we Pongo.

“Never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or an animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

A three-legged, 13 year-old dog in Shawnee, Oklahoma. A dog desperately needing food. A dog that sounds like the sweetest thing ever.

But right now she and her fur-family siblings are hurting bad. So her Dad turned to The Pongo Fund. He’s hurting too. Was there anything we could do in Oklahoma? Anything at all?

A follow up phone call brought more details. And the help they needed was needed now. For two and four-legged alike.

The Pongo Fund is in Portland, Oregon. This family is in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The hometown of Brad Pitt. A distance of almost 2000 miles over the road. But they needed us.

So sometime today The Pongo Fund Emergency Kibble Response Team will be arriving in Shawnee, bringing help and hope to a man and his family. Each other is all they have. But at least now they will all have food for dinner.

From The Pongo Fund to Shawnee. With love.

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

I sensed it was a wrong number but returned the call anyway. She said in a voice heavy with exhaustion that she wanted the recipe department.

I explained we do not have a recipe department, that we are a pet food bank. Did she need help with pet food? She shouted no, she did not need help with pet food.

And to emphasize her frustration she repeated back to me the full sentence of what I had just asked her. Only now her exhaustion sounded more like full blown emphysema.

I wasn’t sure what to do and worried that anything I said was going to make a tense situation even worse. So I asked her what recipe she needed help with. And she said the parfait. I asked her which parfait? And she said the one with goat yogurt and blueberries. For dogs.

And at that moment everything changed.

I told her I worked in the recipe department and would be happy to help. Because I knew the exact recipe she was looking for.

I asked how she heard about the parfait for dogs and she said she was in line somewhere and two women in front of her were talking about it and she thought her dog would like it. She found our number somewhere and now she was calling.

A long time ago I posted about a blueberry parfait I made for Scooby, my almost 21 year-old Beagle/Basset mix. I don’t remember the exact post but the parfait likely had blueberries, strawberries, goat yogurt, almond butter and some other tasty treats all layered together in a parfait dish.

Sometimes I do stuff like that for him, just for fun.

And now here was a woman who knew how to reach us but did not really know anything about us. Nor did she care. Because all she was concerned about was that her elderly dog was not feeling well and she thought a parfait would make him feel better.

But she needed the recipe. So I told her. And as I was telling her the recipe I could sense the frustration in her tone because her current situation would not allow her to go shopping for the ingredients. Meaning this one thing she so desperately wanted for her dog was still out of reach.

So Scooby and I decided that our recipe department should have a delivery department too. That way we could deliver the parfait. Her address said she lived in a very low-income building so I sensed her health was not the only challenge she faced.

She still doesn’t know who The Pongo Fund is or what we do. All she knows is that someone in the recipe department delivered the ingredients to her doorstep so she could make a special parfait for her elderly dog.

Along with the ingredients was a handwritten note explaining how to make the parfait. We also included a bag of yummy treats. And a gift card to an area grocer too.

And another sheet of paper with The Pongo Fund contact information, asking her to call if her dog needed food or vet care.

The Pongo Fund is a pet food bank. The Pongo Fund is a recipe department. And we’re honored to be both.

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
—- Aesop

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Be Kind. thepongofund.org

A blistering hot Portland day. So Scooby finds the perfect way to relax. Visiting a friend and enjoying the sprinkler. Just to the right in the photo is a special Scooby Slushie. It’s a blend of goat yogurt, slushed ice, blueberries, bananas, a splash of fresh pineaplle juice and love.

I’m having one too. But mine also has tequila 🙂

Cheers to everyone!

In memory of Scruffie, as eulogized by her Mom, Glenda:

“Isabella “Scruffie” Hughes passed away on June 3, 2015 after a short and courageous battle with an unidentified cancer.

She spent her last moments in the arms of her mom; the same hands that took her off the street 12 years ago as a 3 pound, community cat, suffering from a broken jaw, missing teeth and almost complete fur loss. As a full grown, spayed cat, she looked like and acted like a sick feral kitten but with a few good meals in her and med’s, Scruffie had big plans for herself.

Scruff as her friends called her, was a natural leader and ruled the house with an iron paw right from the start. She had a rigorous initiation process for all the family cats, earning her the title “ScruffZilla.”

After months of hazing, and order and respect were established, Scruffie would never again acknowledge any of the 4 legged household members. EVER. They became invisible to her as they were just common house cats who bored her.

Scruffie had an adventuresome nature and with supervised visits, she took great pleasure in sniffing every car tire in the neighborhood, dreaming of places she could only smell.

One of Isabella’s favorite pastimes was to knock as many things off moms desk as she could just to watch them fall, followed by rubbing up to the touch screen computer or walking on the keyboard when she was done. Isabella erased many important documents in her life.

Scruffie was preceded in death by cat brothers Kenny, Drew and her maternal Grandfather. She is survived by her mom, dad, maternal Grandmother and 4 felines she had no use for.

At only 7 pounds, Scruffie had the largest presence and spirit that can never adequately be described by mere words. Private cremation and memorial.”

While The Pongo Fund did not know Scruffie personally, we know that she had a Big Magical Heart. Just like her Mom.

And in memory of Isabella Scruffie Hughes, we Pongo on.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. In memory of Scruffie. thepongofund.org

We’ve said it a million times and we’ll say it a million more. Maybe someday we can stop saying it. But not yet. Because we continue to hear too many stories about too many dogs being left in hot cars.

Of course we get it. You were only going to be gone a few minutes. And of course we understand that it wasn’t all that hot when you parked because the sun wasn’t on your side of the street. And yes, there were some shade trees. And you really did leave the windows open a bit.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all said it. We’ve all done it. Me too.

So here’s a story that may drive the point home a bit more. A veterinarian acquaintance of mine, someone who loved his sweet girl more than anything, parked innocently one day to run a short errand. And of course he brought his dog with him. Because she loved her car rides.

But his few minutes errand took a bit longer. And when he got back to his car he saw that the sun had shifted and was now beating down right on top of where he had parked.

And the worst had happened. His dog had died.

The person who had taken an oath to save and protect animals could not do his magic that day on the dog he loved more than any other.

Yes, this is a reminder that it can happen to any of us. But we’re the ones that make the mistake. We can’t blame the weather or the sun or our dogs. It’s not their fault.

The blame is ours. Just that simple. We make enough mistakes in life. Let’s not make this one too. Because lives are at stake.

And it was the very conversation I just had with someone. She said she did not realize how hot it was.

C’mon. Of course you did.

You were dressed for a warm summer day. And when you pulled up I could hear your A/C was cranking full speed.

Yes. You knew it was hot.

Then you turned off the A/C and shut the windows, with only a crack left open all around. You even told your dog you’d be back in a little while. And then you started to walk away while talking on your cell phone. You were laughing at something someone had said.

And there I was. Asking you to please not leave your dog behind. You pretended to ignore me but I know you heard me.

So I kept talking and in a fit of desperation I told you that I was going to set off my car alarm and draw as many people as possible and I’d tell them what was going on. And I told you that I’d also take photos of your car and post them on FB, You still ignored me.

But for some reason a few steps later you stopped and turned around and walked back. You glared at me and told me to mind my own business as you got inside your car and drove away.

I didn’t care what you said. I didn’t care how angry you were. You could have stood there shouting at me all day long if it meant your dog would not die in your car that day.

You drove away. I’m not sure if you went home or went to another part of the parking lot. But at least you heard me. And hopefully you knew I was saying something for the right reasons.

So please, all of us, let’s remember that too many dogs suffer from heatstroke and die every day when they are left inside hot cars. Leaving the windows down or parking in the shade is just flat out not enough.

And one more thing. Don’t leave your kids in a hot car either. Or your elderly parents. Because the same heatstroke that can kill our four-legged family can also kill our two-legged family.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Just Say No To Dogs In Hot Cars. thepongofund.org

She adopted Cocoa three years ago from a local shelter. Just as she was going through radiation treatments for breast cancer. A cat that likely became the most powerful part of her treatments.

She lives on about $300 per month in SSI payments and a smattering of food stamp benefits. With disabilities that keep her from working. Yet she has her cat. And that cat is likely what gets her out of bed each morning.

A cat that has no food. Which is why she contacted The Pongo Fund. Could we help, she asked? Food and litter, too? And could we deliver?

Because she said she was so broke she could not even afford gas for her car. A drive of more than 60 miles from downtown Portland.

We could not even call to tell her yes, that we could deliver. Because her phone had been shut off for lack of payment.

But if we could have talked with her, we would have told her that help is on the way.

Because our Emergency Kibble Response Team would soon be at her door. Cat food. Litter. And likely a whole refrigerator worth of good people food too. Because it is important that she too have good food to eat.

Our Kibble Courier for this trek shall remain anonymous. She wants it that way. Because she’s a well-known public servant. With a name that has appeared in the news many times.

This Kibble Courier with a smile that heals wounds with words and a heart that sings songs of grace and courage. This woman who always leaves things better than they were and inspires others to do the same.

Tonight a hungry cat will have dinner. And a clean place to poop. And the woman that loves her cat will also feel the love.

All delivered by a woman who has spent her life helping others. With little in return other than the satisfaction of having helped.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Leo Buscaglia

All for a cat named Cocoa. And the woman who loves her.

Because this is how it works in the Land of Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

(While it may not make sense, the photo is quite meaningful to one person in particular)

Blitz, the dog we told you about earlier today, seems to be adjusting quite nicely to his new home. After all those days left locked inside a small kennel he now has the freedom of an entire house to call his own. His home to relax in. To roam and explore. To be safe and loved.

But who needs the whole house when this spot is the perfect spot? No bed, no blanket, just a flat spot on the carpet big enough to stretch out with plenty of room for those long Blitz legs. It may not look comfy to you, but for Blitz it’s likely the Four Seasons.