1

Ferndale Businessman Helps Animal Control Centerctechad

(Oakland County Press Release, July 19, 2013)

The founder and president of the Detroit Bus Company in Ferndale has donated a 20-ton portable air conditioning unit and diesel generator to the Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center for the rest of the summer. Andy Didorosi, 26, asked Hertz Rental to deliver the equipment Friday. They worked with the county’s Facilities Management Department in the late afternoon to install it. The A/C unit will keep the dogs and cats at the Center cool on hot summer days.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson commended Didorosi for his donation. “Andy Didorosi deserves mega kudos for his incredible generosity,” Patterson said. “His donation will go a long way toward helping the Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center care for its dogs and cats.”

After seeing several media reports about no A/C at the Center, Didorosi wanted to help. He said JudyPalmer01that after he rescued his dog Mel, a pit/terrier mix off the streets of Detroit, he became aware of the hard work staff and volunteers at animal rescues and shelters do with limited funds.

“I saw a need and thought if I could contribute in anyway, I should. It’s my way of giving back,” Didorosi said. “I’m trying to facilitate people who are doing amazing work.”

With a week of heat indexes that climbed into the 100s, staff and volunteers at the Center worked throughout the week to keep the animals comfortable. They ran industrial fans, put frozen water bottles in the cages, and gave the animals plenty of water. In addition, dozens of volunteers took several dogs at a time outside to play in the Center’s kiddy pools.

“The Center is not unique. Most of the public shelters in southeast Michigan operate kennels without air conditioning,” said Bob Gatt, Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center manager. “But no one works harder than our staff and volunteers to ensure the well being of our animals.”

Didorosi said it will cost him $18,000 per month to run the air conditioning unit. He plans on holding a fundraiser on www.CoolOurPaws.com to defray some of his expenses.massage

Didorosi is not the only one who stepped forward the past couple of days. Several loaned the Center stand-alone A/C units including Bass Pro Shops, Vonda Murany, and Cindy Savoy; Center employee Shelley Meffer and her husband Jake gave a chest freezer; and Kilburns Rental Equipment and Joshua Helmle both supplied box fans.

The Center is at capacity with 400 dogs and cats housed in its kennels. Gatt urges anyone who can give a dog or cat a loving home to contact Center staff to adopt a pet.

f115adFUNDING“Our mission remains finding loving and responsible homes for our furry friends,” Gatt said.

For more information, go to www.oakgov.com/petadoption or call 248-391-4100.

About Animal Control Division
Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center, under the leadership of County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, offers housing and medical care to more than 5,000 animals on an annual basis. It has the best save rate in Michigan among public open-admission shelters whose intakes are greater than 5,000 animals. Animal Control Division is the public agency charged with enforcement of Michigan’s Dog Law of 1919. It is responsible for animal control services in 40 Oakland County communities.