In This Issue
The Road to Rescue
Dedicated VPI Policyholder
Leads the Way for Dogs
in Need
When it comes to animal rescue, Hereta Cervantes
knows what it means to go the extra mile.
A VPI policyholder and pet parent to Boston
terriers Bella and Ozzy, Hereta first started
volunteering for homeless dogs by donating
some of the profits from sales of her handmade
candles to rescue organization Boston Buddies.
But once she'd assisted with her first shelter
rescue—an ill and frightened Boston she named
Wyatt—she knew that helping dogs was her calling, and she was inspired to do so much more.
Special shelter pup inspires
"When I met with another volunteer to pick up Wyatt and transport him to the animal hospital Boston Buddies uses for all their rescues, I was heartbroken," Hereta remembers. In addition to a case of mange and more than 200 ticks from his time on the streets and in the brutal conditions of the shelter, Wyatt had a heart murmur and was nearly blind.
"[He] became my special little boy," Hereta says. "I got emotionally attached to him and started working to raise money for him."
Thanks to Hereta's love and support, along with a wonderful foster family and the care of Boston Buddies, Wyatt made an amazing recovery and even regained his eyesight after surgery.
"Because of Wyatt, I realized that with hard work I could raise funds to help all the dogs that come in sick," Hereta says. "He will always be my first rescue experience and that is special."
Fundraising fever
Looking for a way to increase her involvement, Hereta decided to try some independent fundraising and began writing letters to businesses asking them to donate to Boston Buddies.
Hereta's persistence paid off, and donations for Boston Buddies started coming in. In addition to writing letters, she began volunteering regularly as a rescue worker, picking dogs up from shelters on Boston Buddies' behalf and selling food at her workplace to raise money for the dogs in greatest need of medical help.
Soon, Boston Buddies' board of directors recognized Hereta's commitment and asked her to serve as the group's team captain for a fundraising walk. Hereta agreed, and went one step further: she organized a successful Facebook auction that raised $5,000 in a single event. Now, she runs three Facebook auctions per year for Boston Buddies—and last year, she became the organization's seventh charter member and its official fundraising coordinator.
“Friends tell me I am always doing too much. But I reply to them, 'If I don’t do it, then who will? How will we raise funds for these dogs that need our help?' Dogs don’t have a voice [so] I need to be their voice—they need to be heard.”
A voice for the voiceless
Although Hereta works hard for Boston Buddies, that isn't the end of her dedication to dogs. She donates to numerous rescue groups and continues to raise funds by selling food, candles and notecards; her candles are so popular that she's become a licensed business owner due to the volume of orders.
While some might think she devotes too much time and energy to animal rescue, Hereta doesn't agree. "Friends tell me I am always doing too much," she says. "But I reply to them, 'If I don't do it, then who will? How will we raise funds for these dogs that need our help?' Dogs don't have a voice [so] I need to be their voice—they need to be heard."
Boston Buddies, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming Boston terriers and Boston terrier mixes. Donations accepted via bostonbuddies.org or by mail at Boston Buddies, Inc., 19051 Goldenwest St. #106-145, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Candles available for purchase at erethascandles.com.
Give a Little,
Get a Lot:
Be a Volunteer
Looking for opportunities to volunteer for pets in need? Try starting at your local animal shelter—they're often understaffed and overwhelmed, and rely on volunteers to help things run smoothly.
If you have a soft spot for a particular breed, try going online to search for breed-specific rescues in your area. For example, you can type "Labrador retriever rescues in Los Angeles" into your search engine to see a number of groups dedicated to helping loveable Labs in L.A.
And although most rescues welcome monetary donations, be sure to research any group you're thinking of giving money to. Look for non-profits with 501(c)(3) status, which means they're recognized as a charitable organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
Just remember: When it comes to helping pets in need, no action, donation or deed is too small. The lives you help save or improve will be your greatest reward.
VPI facebook posts:
Thumbs up if you have a rescue pet at home! Check out some of our favorite responses on Facebook from pet parents telling the world how rewarding it is to rescue a pet.
Marion Satterthwaite
Ferguson is my rescued Cairn Terrier. He makes me laugh with his antics and he is very smart and full of dog joy.Cindy Serikaku
This is Arnie, age 3, adopted from PAWS Chicago. The greatest "reward" in being a pet parent is developing a relationship with the pet—getting "in sync" with each other—having the pet come to trust you—learning to interpret his looks, sounds, actions— trying to see how he views the world.MarYanana McNana
I rescued Kodo and Podo (AKA Smokey and Bandit) in December 2011 from the Hudson Valley Ferret Rescue.Michele Morgan Welch
Trixi and Tuxedo—Sister and Brother. It was love at first sight. They rescued us after losing our kitty who was almost 18 years old.AngelShyanne Blue
This is my rescue kitty Cassie. We found her walking on the highway along the median strip in October of last year. I was crawling on my stomach for over a half an hour trying to catch her. She wasn't too happy about it either. It was so worth it though. She's a big member of the family now.Aimée Ponnwitz Finley
We adopted JoJo from North Shore Animal League in July 2012 for my birthday. They said they had just brought him up from Tennessee. He was only 10 weeks old. Just a few weeks prior we had lost our dog of 12 years.
Follow us on Facebook (
facebook.com/veterinarypetinsurance) and look for the next newsletter post. Your photo and story might be included in the next edition of
The Companion.
Most Unusual
Names for Shih Tzus*
Holy Lion Dogs
Ancestors of the modern shih tzu originated in Tibet as early as the seventh century. They were treasured as holy dogs and later were favored as gifts to Chinese royalty.
Bred to resemble lions by Chinese and Tibetan Buddhists, the name "shih tzu" roughly translates to "lion" in Chinese.
Top 5
Names for Shih Tzus*
Want to know more about shih tzus? Visit petinsurance.com/healthzone.
Have a Shih Tzu? Be Informed. Be Prepared.
Though everyday and ongoing health ailments might seem run-of-the-mill, the cost to treat them is anything but—especially when the problems become chronic or recurring. Our data for shih tzus shows the most common conditions claimed per lifestage along with their average treatment costs.*
- Allergy-Related Skin Problems
- Ear Infection
- Upset Stomach/Vomiting
- Bladder Infection
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- Tooth Extraction from Infection
One Policyholder’s Story:
VPI Helped Save Our Puppy’s Eye
As any pet parent can attest, accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, to any pet. Michelle Kitchens and her husband, Anthony, learned that the hard way when their 3-month-old dog, Nico, was attacked while they were standing in line to buy chew toys at the pet store.
Fortunately, Michelle and Anthony had the foresight to protect Nico with a VPI policy—thanks to a referral from a caring friend.
Who referred you to VPI?
My friend Raychelle LeBlanc, who is also a VPI policyholder.
How has VPI helped you care for Nico?
While we were waiting in line to check out at the local pet store, a cat sauntered up to Nico and swiped him across his left eye. Nico let out a yelp that I'd never heard before, so I knew something was terribly wrong.
We arrived at the emergency room and found out that it was worse than we thought: Nico was in danger of losing his eye.
The emergency room vet called ahead to another hospital that had an eye surgeon on duty. We rushed him to the second hospital, and they took him immediately into surgery.
Fast forward to now, he's 15 months old, and about 110 pounds! His eye has healed up nicely, thanks to the quick action of everyone involved. We submitted our claim to VPI, and were so surprised that there weren't any hassles whatsoever!
If someone were looking for pet insurance, what advice would you give?
I would recommend this insurance to anyone with a pet. Our pets are our children. You wouldn't not have medical insurance on your kids, would you? The peace of mind is priceless! We are customers for as long as we own pets.
Have you thanked your referrer? If so, what did he or she say in reaction to Nico's story?
Yes, I thanked her. She was sad about the accident, but rejoiced with me when I told her how helpful VPI was with our claim.
A round of applause to VPI policyholder and referral hero of the month Raychelle LeBlanc and her dog, Zoe. Thanks to Raychelle's referral, Nico was protected by VPI when he needed it most.
“I can certainly attest to how great VPI Pet Insurance is...Zoe is somewhat of an adventurist,” says Raychelle with a laugh.
Know someone with an adventurous pet like Zoe?
Or someone with a young puppy like Nico? Be a hero— tell them how VPI can help with vet bills. We’ve got a fun new way to spread the word: Visit
petinsurance.com/referral to send a note about VPI.
Tell a Friend About VPI!
You might know a pet lover or two who hasn't signed up yet for VPI Pet Insurance. Encourage them to visit petinsurance.com for a quote—they'll be glad you did.
Do you have a great referral story? We want to hear it! Email mediainfo@petinsurance.com, and you may see your story featured in an upcoming issue of The Companion.
VPI Policyholder Reference Guide
Visit my.petinsurance.com to: - Obtain a claim form
- Update your payment information
- View the status of current claims
- Update your contact information
To submit a claim:
VPI Claims Department
PO Box 2344
Brea, CA 92822-2344
Or FAX to 714-989-5600
To speak to a Customer Care representative: 800-540-2016
Monday-Friday
5:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Pacific)
Saturday
7:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Pacific)
For group enrollment: 877-PETS-VPI (877-738-7874)
Monday-Friday
5:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Pacific)
Saturday
7:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Pacific)
To enroll an additional pet or renew your policy: 877-PETS-VPI (877-738-7874)
Monday-Friday
5:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Pacific)
Saturday
7:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Pacific)