A shipment of over 28,000 lbs of pet food is feeding animals in remote communities in Northern Ontario thanks to a partnership between the Ontario SPCA, CN Rail, North Star Air Ltd. and Rolf C. Hagen Inc.
The shipment of food arrived at North Star Air’s Pickle Lake base on May 4 and is in the process of being distributed by plane to the various remote Northern communities that North Star Air serves. The 29 pallets of cat and dog food were shipped by CN rail from the GTA to Winnipeg where the food was then trucked to Pickle Lake, located approximately 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The dog and cat food was donated by Rolf C. Hagen Inc. and is one of the largest in-kind donations in the history of the Ontario SPCA.
The donation comes during the Ontario SPCA’s Year of the Northern Dog initiative, a program aimed at bringing awareness, attention and action to a serious animal welfare issue in Canada – Northern dog overpopulation.
“In remote Northern communities, resources and access to animal welfare services are often limited and getting supplies to many of these communities comes with obstacles, as many are accessed by air only,” says Judi Cannon, Director, Partnerships & Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA.
“Part of what we do at CN is support our neighbours and the communities where we operate,” says Daniel Salvatore, Manager, Public Affairs Ontario, CN. “Railroaders have big hearts and are good at getting things done, this project was no exception."
"Hagen has continually contributed to and supported many animal welfare organizations over the years; but always with a strong focus in Canada, where the company was founded and is still currently headquartered,” says Katherine Bosina, Manager, Dog and Cat Consumables with Rolf C. Hagen Inc. “We are fortunate enough to be able to help offset some of the tremendous costs the Ontario SPCA incurs to protect and care for animals in need; in all areas of Ontario, including the remote Northern communities.”
For more information, visit northerndog.com
