Green Acres Kennel Shop

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Contact:  Don Hanson
Green Acres Kennel Shop
945-6841

[Bangor]¾ Dog bites are a serious public health problem. Half of all children will be bitten by a dog by the time they are twelve. The majority of these bites will be by the family dog or another dog known to the child. That is a statistic that Green Acres Kennel Shop would like to help change, and this is what we are doing about it.

• We have become a member of the non-profit organization Doggone Safe (www.doggonesafe.com) and have staff members licensed to present their innovative “Be A Tree Program.” The “Be a Tree” program is an innovative and interactive dog bite prevention education program aimed at primary grade children. It teaches children how to read dog body language and how to act safely around dogs.  Instead of telling children “don’t do this and don’t do that”, the Be a Tree program empowers them with the knowledge they need to make safe decisions based on the body language and the actions of the dog and the situation at hand. The central message of the program is “Be a Tree” (stand still and quiet and don’t look at the dog) if a strange dog approaches or any dog is causing concern or becoming too frisky.
• We are holding two FREE “Be A Tree” sessions at Green Acres on Saturday, May 18^th at 2PM and Sunday, May 19^th at 1PM. Those wishing to attend should preregister by calling 945-6841, as space is limited..
• We are available to present the “Be A Tree” program at local schools and for local youth groups at no charge.
• We will be airing a daily dog bite prevention tip on WBZN-FM 107.3, WDEA-AM 1370, WEZQ-FM 92.9, WQCB-FM 106.5, WWMJ-FM 95.7, WBFM-FM 97.1, WLKE-FM 99.1, WMCM-FM 103.3, WABK-FM 104.3, WBAK-FM 104.7, and WBKA-FM 107.7  from April 24^th through May 31^st.
• We will be posting a daily dog bite prevention tip on our FaceBook pages https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop and https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow)
• We have added a new dog bite prevention section to our website at: (http://www.greenacreskennel.com/dog-bite-prevention)

In business since 1965, Green Acres Kennel Shop at 1653 Union Street is a Pet Care Services Association (PCSA) accredited facility offering boarding, daycare and grooming for dogs and cats, as well as pet behavior consultations and training classes. Voted Best Kennel every year since 2002, Best Pet Store every year since 2007, and Best Dog Trainer every year since 2011, the Green Acres retail store offers a wide variety of wholesome pet foods, treats and quality supplies. For more information, please call 945-6841 or visit www.greenacreskennel.com.

PRESS RELEASE: Gwyn Mattingly Earns Professional Dog Trainer Certification

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Contact:  Don Hanson
Green Acres Kennel Shop
945-6841

[Bangor] -  Dog training instructor, Gwyn Mattingly, of Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, has earned Level I certification (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the internationally recognized certification program for professional dog trainers. Mattingly now joins the more than 1000-plus Certified Pet Dog Trainers located throughout the US and in a number of countries outside the US.

Certificants must have at least 300 hours of experience in teaching dog training classes before they are eligible to sit for the CPDT-KA examination. They must also provide a total of three professional references; one from a veterinarian, one from a dog training client and one from a colleague in the canine behavior profession. The exam covers instruction skills, animal husbandry, ethology, learning theory, equipment and business practices and ethics. Once certified, an individual must accumulate a minimum of thirty-sex CEUs every three years.

Mattingly has been an employee of Green Acres Kennel Shop since November 2009. She joins Angela Allen, Erin Bessey, Kate Dutra, and Don Hanson as the CPDT’s teaching at Green Acres. Gwyn is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

In business since 1965, Green Acres Kennel Shop at 1653 Union Street is a Pet Care Services Association (PCSA) accredited facility offering boarding, daycare and grooming for dogs and cats, as well as pet behavior consultations and training classes. Voted Best Kennel every year since 2002, Best Pet Store every year since 2007, and Best Dog Trainer every year since 2011, the Green Acres retail store offers a wide variety of wholesome pet foods, treats and quality supplies. For more information, please call 945-6841.

 Every month the Green Acres staff chooses two Staff Champions; someone who has done an exceptional job and someone who has publicly recognized another employee for doing an exceptional job. Hearty congratulations and thank you to our latest champions! Brenda and Hilary!

Quirk Subaru Drives Donations for Homeless Pets

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March 30, 2013- During the month of April, Quirk Subaru hopes to draw a crowd! They are hosting a month long donation drive to collect much needed items for the Bangor Humane Society and the homeless pets that reside there. Quirk Subaru invites the community to visit their Hogan Road location and bring items from the BHS ‘Wish List” in hopes to fill a 2014 Subaru Forrester.

Nationally, Subaru has launched an ongoing “Dog Tested. Dog Approved.” ad campaign, recognizing that many of their customers are animal lovers. Quirk Subaru hopes to connect that campaign locally, by partnering with the Bangor Humane Society. The Spring/Summer season is the busiest time of year for the Bangor Humane Society. The arrival of warmer weather means increased litters of unwanted kittens and pregnant adult cats that will end up at the shelter. They also see an increased of stray/surrendered dogs during this time as well. Quirk Subaru hopes people will visit their showroom to make an important donation to help the local shelter, while viewing, touring, and hopefully test-driving the new 2014 Forrester.

Showroom hours are Mon-Friday 8 am to 7 pm and Saturday 8 am to 5 pm, which allow more access for donation drop off the shelter’s hours of operation (Mon-Friday 12-6 and Saturday 10 am -6 pm).

Additionally, Quirk Subaru will have a 2014 Forrester on display in center court at the Bangor Mall on Saturday, April 13^th from 11 am -4 pm where individuals can check out the new Forrester, while dropping off donations for the Bangor Humane Society.

The Bangor Humane Society is in special need of blankets, cat beds, soft dog treats, wet food, scoopable litter, baby wipes, dog and cat toys, and kitten milk replacement. For a complete list of wish list items, visit www.bangorhumane.org.

“This time of year we quickly see our animal intake dramatically rise, so we go through supplies at an exponential rate,” says Stacey Coventry, BHS PR manager. “We could not help the thousands of animals that we do without the support of our community, which is why we especially appreciate donation drives like this one hosted by Quirk Subaru to collect critical supplies that support our pets and foster homes.”

Quirk Subaru and Bangor Humane Society are available for comment and for a photo opportunity with the 2014 Forrester and a BHS shelter dog.