ThunderWorks® Summer Drive Donation Campaign Benefits Shelters and Rescue Organizations

Pet lovers encouraged to select donation recipients through Twitter and Facebook, July 1 through August 15, 2017 -

The noises of summertime – booming fireworks, roaring thunderstorms, loud music and parties – and the challenges of car travel or separation from vacationing pet owners, not to mention the annual trip to the veterinarian, can cause fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) to flare up in cats and dogs. Pets may exhibit stress symptoms including escape behaviors, excessive barking, trembling, inappropriate elimination, self-harm, and destruction. In recognition of the difficulties pets may face in times of stress this summer, ThunderWorks®, a leading manufacturer of anxiety-reducing pet products, launches the ThunderWorks Summer Drive Donation campaign, where pet lovers can help select one hundred shelters or rescue groups to receive donations of the company’s anxiety-reducing ThunderShirt for dogs and cats.

"Looking for a Human to Love"
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“Summer storms and fireworks historically land thousands of dogs in the care of shelters and other rescue organizations every summer,” explained ThunderWorks Founder Phil Blizzard. “A ThunderShirt can help dogs, and cats as well, find a sense of calm while in the shelter setting, which helps to position them for adoption.” Over the years, ThunderWorks has donated tens of thousands of ThunderShirts to rescue groups and shelters, and the ThunderWorks Summer Drive Donation campaign provides not only the opportunity to donate, and educate the public about pet fear, anxiety, and stress.

“Fear and anxiety are as harmful to pets in shelters and rescue groups as to pets in our own homes,” said Dr. Marty Becker, founder of Fear Free. “I've seen ThunderShirts help my own pets as well as my patients, and am proud to support this generous campaign to make sure homeless pets can benefit in the same way while they wait for adoption into loving families."

“Of the 77.8 million dogs in the United States, 24 million suffer from regular anxiety issues. We are excited about this Summer Drive campaign and encourage pet lovers to visit Thundershirt - Donate to tell us the name of a shelter or rescue group you support, or tweet us @ThunderShirt, or message ThunderShirt on Facebook,” said Blizzard.“ Our goal is to donate ThunderShirts to at least 100 shelters around the country, during these summer months.”

"Dog Adoption is Pawsome!"
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ThunderShirt's patented design applies a gentle, constant pressure that has a proven calming effect for over 80% of dogs. The sensation to the pet is similar to the swaddling of an infant. Use of the ThunderShirt already helps millions of dogs and cats across the country and is recommended by thousands of veterinarians and professional trainers.

To help select the shelters and rescue organizations for donations of ThunderShirts, please visit Facebook - Thundershirt and send a message or tweet a selection to @thundershirt on Twitter, or visit www.thundershirt.com/donate. The campaign runs from July 1 through August 15, 2017.

About ThunderWorks:

Founded in 2009 in Durham, N.C., ThunderWorks' mission is to provide innovative solutions for some of the most common challenges faced by families with pets. With two of the best-known brands in the pet industry – ThunderShirt and ThunderLeash – and new products in the summer of 2017 including Dial-A-Distance® and ThunderSnap®, ThunderWorks is already helping millions of dogs and cats worldwide. ThunderShirt is sold online at www.ThunderShirt.com, as well as at retail stores, veterinarians, and by trainers across the country. As part of the ThunderWorks Gives Back program, the company regularly donates ThunderShirts to rescue organizations and shelters to help them manage their animals' anxiety issues, and thus find permanent homes more quickly. Recent donation recipients include ASPCA, RedRover, Search Dog Foundation, Save-A-Pet, Hero Dogs, and multiple SPCAs among others.

First Annual Pet Anxiety Awareness Week (PAAW) Educating Owners about Fear, Anxiety and Stress in Animals

"Fluff Dog!"
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Weeklong event offers pet owners education, expert advice, resources, products, and services to help companion animals suffering from this serious but often misunderstood condition.

The week of June 25 through July 1 marks the launch of the first annual Pet Anxiety Awareness Week (PAAW), developed by Kristen Levine Pet Living to educate the pet-loving public about fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) in dogs and cats. Although veterinarians estimate that over 50 percent of dogs and cats in the U.S. suffer from FAS, the condition is often misunderstood and can result in desperate pet owners relinquishing their beloved pets.

Left untreated, dogs and cats with FAS can develop a number of behavioral problems such as destructiveness, inappropriate elimination, self-harm, excessive vocalization, and fear biting. Without access to education, resources and treatment options for FAS, these behaviors may lead owners to surrender their pets to a local shelter. In fact, the ASPCA’s National Rehoming Survey reports that behavior problems are the most common reason animals are relinquished, accounting for 47% of dogs and 42% of cats each year.

PAAW aims to help keep families together by providing resources, tools and expert advice on FAS from pet and veterinary experts like “America’s Vet” Dr. Marty Becker and renowned dog trainer Andrea Arden.

Even after the week has concluded, the Pet Anxiety Awareness page on Kristen Levine Pet Living will continue offering support with regular blog posts, advice from experts, product recommendations, and interviews with leading authorities throughout the year.

"Good Dog!"
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Ms. Levine, a well-known Pet Lifestyle Expert, was inspired to create Pet Anxiety Awareness Week by her experiences with her late dog, Buck. “He had a severe case of separation anxiety and thunderstorm phobia that affected his quality of life significantly,” she recalls. “Helping Buck cope with his condition taught me how important it is to identify the signs of FAS early and to get help from veterinary professionals before the condition advances to a stage where pharmaceutical solutions are the only option. I want other pet parents to learn from our experience.”

Pet Anxiety Week is sponsored by Calmz Anxiety Relief System by Petmate. Calmz is an all-natural, drug-free solution to canine anxiety, fear and stress. The wearable therapeutic device, cradled in a Comfort Fit Vest that fits snuggly over acupressure points, features NeuroSync Technology® that emits proprietary low frequency tones, classical music and delivers a mild vibration to relieve anxiety in dogs. The device has been clinically tested by leading veterinarians and veterinary behaviorists across the country and 91% recommend the Calmz system for their patients.

“With more than 75 million dogs in America suffering from anxiety at some point in their lives, we are especially motivated to raise awareness of the issue and the options to treat it,” says Chris Wilson, Petmate’s executive vice president of marketing and product development. “We are proud to sponsor Pet Anxiety Awareness Week and the opportunity it offers to provide innovative solutions to the anxiety issues that dogs and their owners have always struggled with – one that is so vitally intrinsic to the health and happiness of America’s beloved dog families.”

Support for Pet Anxiety Week is also provided by pet and veterinary industry partners, Fear Free Pets and Vet Vine.