Pet Expo & partners out to break Guinness World Record

The World of Dogs & Cats & Pet Expo (WODAC), Complete Dog Food and Ford Motor Company, are calling upon animal lovers in Gauteng to help them break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the most pet food collected in a seven day period.

The aim is to collect a minimum of 20 tons of pet food from 14-20 July 2014, in order to convincingly break the prevailing record of 15- tons.

"Animal shelters across the country look after scores of loveable pets in need of a good, nutritious meal while they await adoption. So apart from being a fun opportunity for Gauteng residents to contribute to a Guinness World Record attempt, donors can draw inspiration from the fact that the real goal behind this initiative is to collect as much pet food as possible for donation to participating animal welfare organisations," said Henk Jutte, managing director of Complete Dog Food.

Animal lovers, and those who want to be part of a bona fide Guinness World Record attempt, are asked to drop off their donations at participating Ford dealerships in Gauteng, from 14-20 July and at WODAC, which runs from 18-20 July at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Gavin Golightly, marketing manager at Ford South Africa, added: “We recognise that too many animals in South Africa are in need of food, shelter and love, and applaud the work various animal shelters are doing across the country. We are grateful for the opportunity to do our bit to help, by partnering with WODAC and Complete Dog Food to attempt to break this record while collecting food for these shelters. We trust that animal lovers across Gauteng will flock to participating Ford dealers to donate.

"Many people see their pets as part of the family, and offering cars that allow people to travel with their furry friends is something we at Ford are very proud of. With several pet-friendly vehicles in our range, Ford started exhibiting at WODAC last year, and is doing so again this year."

In keeping with the spirit of generosity and fairness that characterises this Guinness World Record attempt, members of the public will decide, via a Facebook Challenge, how much of the donated food gets distributed to each of the approved animal welfare organisations.

"It’s only fair that if you’re donating the food, you should get to decide who gets how much of it," explained Brian Blades, managing director of WODAC. "To have your say, go to the Facebook Challenge at https://www.apps.facebook.com/my-polls/hfpjrb and cast your vote for the organisation of your choice. The challenge will run from the 2^nd of June 2014 to 20^th July 2014 and the percentage votes for each shelter will determine their share of the food."

The grand weigh-in, of what will likely be a mountain of pet food, will take place under strict supervision at the World of Dogs & Cats & Pet Expo (WODAC) on 20 July 2014. 

The welfare organisations that currently stand to benefit from this drive include Kitty and Puppy Haven; Animal Ambulance; Animal Anti-Cruelty League; Animals in Distress; Barking Mad; FORA; Wetnose; SPCA Springs; Mdzananda Animal Clinic; Santa Cause for Paws; Woodrock Animal Rescue; Hellen White; Angels Refuge; Claw; SPCA Benoni; Animal Instincts; Pet Save and Purr Paws for life.

So, animal lovers, what are you waiting for? Raid your cupboards, set out for the supermarket and stock up on any brand of bags or cans of nutritious cat, dog, rabbit, bird or other pet food that catches your fancy. Then drop it off at a participating Ford dealer during the week of 14-20 July or bring it to the World of Dogs & Cats & PETEXPO (WODAC) from 18-20 July! For a list of participating Ford dealers, as well as information on other drop-off sites, visit the website www.dogscats.co.za.