$140,000 worth of pet food, dog beds, gadgets and gizmos donated to Helen Woodward Animal Center from Global Pet Expo!

San Diego Convention Center - More than two truckloads of electronic gadgets, pet foods, and other pet supplies have been donated to Helen Woodward Animal Center at the conclusion of the Global Pet Expo, which ended Saturday at the San Diego Convention Center. Vendors participating in the GPE showed-off the latest pet products from around the world. The 700 companies taking part in the Expo were encouraged to donate their products on-display to Helen Woodward Animal Center.

"We're humbled by the generosity of theAmerican Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) and the businesses that took part in the Expo," says HWAC President Mike Arms. "It's gratifying to see that they not only manufacture products for animals, but that their generosity extends beyond just making sales."

Helen Woodward Animal Center staff and volunteers received the pet products at the conclusion of the APPMA show. The donations were transported to the Center at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe. Unloading began this morning.

"We're estimating the value of the donated products at $140,000," says Helen Woodward Animal Center spokesman John Van Zante. "Sponsorship Supervisor Nedra Abramson is working to come up with an accurate figure. She worked hard to make this happen. "

Van Zante says that many of the manufacturers' donors contacted HWAC during the show to say they would be donating their products to the Center. "Others stopped us afterward to ask if we would accept their products. Even more just left their products and posted signs indicating that the rest of their merchandise was for Helen Woodward Animal Center."

Arms says, "Right now our first priority is to determine which of the products can be used right away to help our animals. After that we'll have a better idea of exactly what was donated and how we can best make use of the pet products."

For more information about the programs and services that Helen Woodward Animal Center provides call 858-756-4117, visit the Center at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.