Bloom - Summer 2017 by Daily News-Record

SUMMER 2017

The

Extra Mile

RMH Foundation Exec Has Passion For Helping Those In Need

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WEDDINGS

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DEPARTMENTS

Inside

Holly Marcus

Summer 2017

your CAREER

A charity run by local women helps crises in Africa.

Planting Seeds Of Service

page 3 your HOME Vets discuss pet food in the age of fad diets.

Janet Wendelken acts as backbone for many organizations as she makes connections with the community.

harity can be elusive. Everyone, of course, wants to give back to their community with time or money. However, the execution can often be bogged down by responsibilities, whether personal or professional. But some women, like those highlighted in this issue, have found a solution through the latter. Giving back can’t be bogged down by a career if the charity is your actual career. Our summer cover girl, Janet Wendleken, acts as senior development consultant for the RMH Foundation. She works with colleagues to fundraise for Sentara RMH Medical Center, forming genuine connections in the community, and, as RMH Foundation Executive Director Corey Davies puts it, is “a natural” at doing so. She also goes all out as a member of several organizations, including the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association. This work ethic makes her a perfect subject for Bloom, and an inspiration to put charity first.

Holly Marcus

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Four Essential Life Skills Christina Kunkle has advice on being flexible and adaptable.

Staff Corey Tierney, editor Aleda Johnson, staff writer Shelby Mertens, staff writer Sherrie Good, design Holly Marcus, photography Contributors

We’ve also got the story on Marcia Ball and Jennie Cerullo, two former professors who’ve devoted their professional lives to aiding international crises. Their charity, Kerus Global Education, has a mission to protect at-risk youth in Africa and teach others about HIV/AIDS. They’re not all talk, either. The two spend half of each year in Africa, working directly with those impacted by these issues.

Christina Kunkle, columnist Preston Knight, writer MetroCreative

On a lighter note, our regular columnist, Christina Kunkle, discusses the importance of flexibility. We also have some insight from veterinarians on the trend of fad diets being used on animals. Going vegan might help your health, but is it right for your pet? We hope to have brought you another great issue, but if you ever have ideas, send them my way (ctierney@dnronline.com). And, as always, keep blooming! Corey Tierney, Editor

Summer 2017

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Leaving Home to Go Home Kerus Founders Devoted To Helping Orphans And Fighting AIDS In Africa By Shelby Mertens

Norfolk native earned her undergraduate degree in education from Virginia Commonwealth University and her doctorate from the University of Arkansas.

Photo by Holly Marcus

“We don’t hear about it as much. AIDS is something of the past. [But] it’s still very rampant.” — Jennie Cerullo

Kerus Global Education founders Marcia Ball (left) and Jennie Cerullo pose for a photo. Kerus, a Harrisonburg-based organization started in 2000, helps with the prevention, treatment and care of families dealing with HIV/AIDS in many countries throughout the world.

he Greek word “Kerus” means something along the lines of “to do something with all your heart.” That’s what the two ladies behind Kerus Global Education set out to do every day by educating and training communities against HIV/ AIDS and providing care for orphans. Marcia Ball and Jennie Cerullo formed Kerus, based in Harrisonburg, in 2000 initially to serve organizations abroad advancing

public health and education for vulnerable children. It has since branched out to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic specifically, and opened three orphan care centers in South Africa. “We’re trying to bridge public and private health sectors to work together to better train and mobilize people at the grassroots level to take care of themselves in their communities,” Ball said. The two co-authored curriculum training books

“Life at the CrossRoads” and “It Takes Courage!” The books outline HIV/AIDS prevention programs that can be found in over 50 countries. The pair estimate that their program has reached 3 million people and 50,000 professionals.

Wanting To Make A Difference Ball was previously a professor in the Department of Health Sciences at James Madison University. The

Cerullo is a Southern California native with a background in cross-cultural education. She was teaching at Azusa Pacific University before joining Kerus. The women met as external consultants for large Christian organizations. Both had a desire to step outside of the classroom and make a difference in the world, and both were heartbroken by the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. “I started going overseas and getting involved with working in Africa and in many other places because I was ... helping with educational outreaches. It wasn’t until the very first time I held my first baby that was dying of AIDS. That child was so thin and just ready to die, and I knew as I held that child, that my Summer 2017

life was called for such a time as this,” Cerullo said.

The AIDS Crisis In South Africa The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that 7 million people in South Africa alone are infected with HIV, making it the country with the largest HIV/AIDS population in the world. The agency reports that 2.1 million children are orphaned because of AIDS, and 4 million women age 15 and up are living with AIDS. Ball said 90 to 95 percent of the orphans at their orphan center in Soshanguve, South Africa, are there because their parents died of AIDS. “We don’t hear about it as much. AIDS is something of the past. [But] it’s still very rampant,” Cerullo said. Ball added, “There are still millions and millions of

people who are infected and don’t even know it. You’re talking somewhere between 30 and 40 million people on this globe that still have HIV, and at least half or more are women of childbearing years. It’s still horrific, and in many of these African nations, it’s trapping people in poverty.” Ball and Cerullo started seeing the impact of the AIDS epidemic firsthand as they were doing their work in Africa. Friends, teachers and professionals were dying on a regular basis. Family members couldn’t attend conferences because they had to bury loved ones. They saw the devastation on the social level, as children were suddenly without parents. “Our hearts were broken. We were starting to see people who we were growing to love dying,” Cerullo said. “We realized we needed to do something on a

grassroots level. We wanted to make a difference.”

Orphan Care Centers The vision then appeared over eight years ago for Kerus to open orphan care centers for the generation of children growing up without parents. The organization focuses on the Kerus Go Amogela Orphan Care Center in Soshanguve, which serves 138 kids and the 95 families Kerus subsidizes to take care of them. Soshanguve has a population of 2 million and is about 30 miles from Pretoria. The three orphan care centers together serve 300 to 325 kids. The centers are not residential orphanages, but rather function as a day center for the kids to come after school. The staff of 15 give the kids food, clothing, homework help, grief counseling and spiritual counseling. The children then go home to the families that are providing foster care. Many of them are grandmothers in their 80s who may house six to eight

kids each. Other orphans live with older siblings who are head of household or another family relative. The goal is not to institutionalize the orphans. “The whole concept is to support fragile family units caring for these kids so that these kids can stay on their land. If you take them off their land, they just lost their inheritance. You put them in an institution and they’ve lost much of their culture,” Ball said. “The goal is not to institutionalize, but to keep supporting family structures and finding healthy families where these kids can go.” The problem the orphan center in Soshanguve is facing is that the small children they first began serving in June 2008 are now teenagers, and the foster grannies are dying off. The teen girls are more at risk of becoming infected with HIV. “This is a huge concern for us because when the granny dies, an orphan girl is so vulnerable in the township for abduction, sex trafficking, abuse and sugar daddies,” Cerullo said.

Safe House Project The solution for Kerus is to build a safe house for teen girls to provide physical, emotional and spiritual care. The safe house will be located on a two-acre lot

Jennie Cerullo (center), co-founder of Kerus Global Education, poses for a photo with two children in South Africa. Photo courtesy of Kerus Global Education

Summer 2017

about four miles from Kerus Go Amogela Orphan Care Center, that way the teens are kept at a distance from the neighborhoods they are escaping. “They will be able to come to a safe place where they can spend the night, and we can start helping them heal and figure out with their extended family what this child needs,” Ball said. The girls can stay at the safe house for six months by court order. They expect 20 to 30 teens to pass through the doors of the safe house during the first year, although there could be more. Kerus plans to have the safe house built in 2018,

hoping to break ground in the first quarter. The organization is fundraising toward their $265,000 goal this year.

Passion For Helping Others Ball and Cerullo, both in their 50s, have devoted much of their lives to the Kerus cause. Both women are single and do not have children of their own. They spend half the year in Harrisonburg and the other half in South Africa. “That’s probably been the biggest sacrifice: our own personal lives,” Ball said. They consider the children at the orphan centers as their own. Giving up the potential of starting a family is made up

“The whole concept is to support fragile family units caring for these kids so that these kids can stay on their land.” — Marcia Ball with the rewards of making a difference in others’ lives. At this point, the ladies consider both Harrisonburg and Soshanguve as their home. “The reward [is] to get off the plane and have 138 kids almost push you over and jump on you and hug you,

and tell you how much they missed you,” Cerullo said. “Then, to leave, it’s always sad, but then we arrive here, and we have a community. We go to church and people embrace us and love us. It’s the same.” “I feel like I leave home to go home,” Ball added. “It’s hard to travel that distance back and forth as much as we do, but it’s exhilarating. … It is nothing but sheer joy and privilege to be doing this.”

‘A Network Of People Who Care’ The Kerus founders are humble about their work, stressing that the story

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of Kerus is not about themselves, but a story of “a network of people who care.” About 60 to 70 people from the Harrisonburg community have packed their bags to work for Kerus abroad. The community has embraced their cause and helped them even in the simplest ways, such as the Joshua Wilton House allowing the organization to host meetings of some 100 people. “This community rallies around this work in an amazing way,” Ball said. A group from Bridgewater College is

Marcia Ball (center), co-founder of Kerus Global Education, poses for a photo with children in South Africa. Photo courtesy of Kerus Global Education

organizing a student trip to the safe house once it’s built next year. A young mom’s team also plans to volunteer at the orphan center in February.

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“It truly has become this extension of Harrisonburg,” Cerullo said. “It’s almost become like a sister city.” Cerullo and Ball left for South Africa at the end of

June and won’t be back in the U.S. until November. For more information about Kerus Global Education, visit kerusglobal.org.

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Summer 2017

Essential Life Skills To Build Resilience And Boost Your Health, Happiness And Prosperity by Christina Kunkle, CTA Certified Life and Wellness Coach, R.N.

here’s an exciting shift taking place in our community of heart-centered, high-achieving women. Now, more than ever, we are stepping into self-leadership, taking positive action to thrive with less stress and greater happiness in all areas of life. We recognize the vital role we play in our own well-being, and consciously embrace a restorative lifestyle to keep our heart open, mind sharp and body healthy. Like many of us, I used to think perfection was possible, and that self-care was selfish. My self-worth was tied to getting straight A’s, coming in first and taking care of others. Luckily, I’ve come to learn that our best is always good enough, and in order to serve, we need a reserve. Now, I know that if the loving care and attention we give to others does not also include us, we are putting our health, happiness and prosperity in jeopardy. Turns out, it won’t be the smartest, strongest or most perfect among us who survive in the end. It will be those of us who can best manage change. We can’t get too attached to how we think things should be or the way they’ve always been. So, when plan A doesn’t work, be ready to roll with plans B and C. Here are four essential life skills to deal better with the unknown, and greet new situations with grit and resilience: 8

Summer 2017

Work To Live

If your life seems to center around your profession, or if your work is the major source of satisfaction and meaning in your life, you may be reacting to what you think others want, expect or demand from you. In other words, you’re living to work. This can be toxic if left unchecked. Warning signs include depleted energy and leaving little to no freedom, fun or flexibility. Your creativity is left untapped, work lacks meaning and you’re not making a positive impact. Depression and burnout are lurking just around the corner.

Photo illusration by Sherrie Good

If you are able to prioritize work and life, succeeding in your profession while still spending time with those who matter most, you’re working to live. It’s likely that this balancepromoting response is truly aligned with your authentic core values, nourishing your soul. By doing this, you feel energized, creative, playful and are making a positive contribution. You rest when tired, operating at your best for those you love and serve. Joy starts to replace depression, and fulfillment greets you at every turn.

Cultivate Flexibility

I love the saying, “Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape.” What would be possible if we became just a little more willing to compromise? Imagine letting go of the need to be right, allowing the edges of our rigid viewpoints to soften and stretch our comfort zone. I’ve been practicing an effective strategy to be less reactive in the presence of people who don’t “get” me (and who can quickly jump to judge what they don’t understand). It requires

Summer 2017

that we be willing and open to see others differently (even if they never return the favor), letting go of old assumptions about why they say and do things, what they really mean or believe about us, etc. Creating space for a broader understanding begins with asking, “How many new ways could I view this,” or “What else could this person mean besides what I’ve always thought?” Give this a try and notice how quickly it helps you respond with curiosity instead of jumping to judgments. Stay open to a win-win, a fresh insight and a way to accept differences.

Practice Agility

We’ve all heard that life is a journey, not a destination, and that the only thing constant is change. But it sure seems to be moving faster than ever, doesn’t it? Advances in technology are happening with unprecedented speed. And the twists and turns that come with life on the growing edge require a keen ability to think clearly under pressure. Yes, in order to bounce back from setbacks and catch the curveballs that come our way, we need to be nimble and quick on our feet. But keeping up, controlling every outcome and striving to never make a mistake is unrealistic. I say we adopt a “go with the flow” philosophy, riding the waves of

change the best we can, being humble enough to ask for support when we need it.

Build Adaptability

As we acquire the skills necessary to adapt easily to changing conditions, please remember that the health, happiness and prosperity we desire is a lifelong quest. We will forever be following, leading and learning throughout our lives. For those of us who have depression, are wired to be highly sensitive or struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it can be particularly challenging to adapt in healthy ways. I believe this work is always easier and more fun in a community with like-minded women. They will walk beside you, share their own experiences and offer words of support and encouragement along the way. It is not weak to need help coping; it shows tremendous strength.

Christina Kunkle, R.N. and CTA certified life and wellness coach, is founder of “Synergy Life and Wellness Coaching, LLC” and creator of the “Synergy Success Circle.” She helps busy women prevent burnout by promoting bounce-back resilience to stay focused, positive and excited about the challenges of work and life. For more information, Visit synergylifeandwellnesscoaching.com or call 540-746-5206.

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n the way to her office, Janet Wendelken pauses in the elevator lobby of Sentara RMH Medical Center. In front of her stands an older woman with a look of confusion on her face. She’s searching for the cafeteria and can’t seem to find it. Wendelken patiently explains it’s downstairs and offers to show her. The woman jokes about bad knees, so Wendelken instead steers her toward an elevator. She chats with the woman about her business at the hospital while they wait, even going so far as to push the button for the correct floor before waving goodbye. Wendelken heads down the steps and turns down a hallway, waving at several employees and pausing to check in with another — a new employee who had just received similar directional treatment. The scene is not an uncommon one for Wendelken. “I assist people whenever they come to the organization because usually, when they’re here, they’re under some kind of stress,” she said. “So, you want to make it as easy for them as possible. We want this to be a welcoming place.”

Summer 2017

Janet Wendelken surrounds herself with flowers at her home in Harrisonburg. Wendelken is part of the Virginia Cooperative Extensionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master Gardeners program.

Summer 2017

“I assist people whenever they come to the organization. … [You] want to make it as easy for them as possible. We want this to be a welcoming place.” — Janet Wendelken

Janet Wendelken greets guests at an alumni board event at Sentara RMH Medical Center on June 22. Wendelken is on the RMH Foundation team.

Summer 2017

As senior development consultant for the RMH Foundation at the hospital, the 64-year-old Rockingham County resident understands the importance of giving. Every day, she and her colleagues at the foundation work on campaigns to raise money for all aspects of the hospital and interact with donors.

Teaching The Community The passion for sharing began with Wendelken’s college studies. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and education, where she met her husband of 40 years, David, she taught English and journalism for three years. Wanting to gain practical experience, she interned at the Daily News-Record for a summer. “I did it for a summer and did obituaries, which is a great place to start,” she said. “You get that experience and know how important it is to always get it right.” From there, she had a chance to communicate directly with the public through a series of public relations and relationship building positions at James Madison University, the HarrisonburgRockingham Chamber of Commerce and the MillerCoors Brewing Company plant in Elkton. Wendelken firmly entrenched herself in the community, not only joining but leading organizations like the Association for Fundraising Professionals, Rockingham Educational Foundation Inc., United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and Guest Relations Association at one time or another in her 40 years in the Valley. Corey Davies, executive director of the RMH Foundation, knew of Wendelken’s passion and expertise from her work with other organizations. When he was promoted five years ago, he asked her to apply to the position. “I think she works tirelessly, so when she sets her mind to something, nothing gets in her way,” Davies said. “But most important was her ability to build meaningful relationships. Fundraising at a hospital is very much about creating authentic relationships with donors, and she is a natural at that.” Started in 1975, the RMH Foundation has supported a variety of needs at the hospital through millions of donations each year. But Wendelken never felt like she gave up her mission of teaching, sharing information at donor events instead of in the classroom. She can show donors the latest innovations and teach them about the care offered at the hospital. “Our hospital is a complex organization and, as employees, we make an effort to share information with the people who come to us,” she said. “For me, teaching is sharing information and making connections for others.”

Foundation Efforts Although Wendelken never has a “typical” day, her focus remains on the campaigns she’s executing. That could mean writing thank you notes for donors or counting plastic flamingos to flock the hospital’s healing garden for her latest campaign.

Quirky ideas such as the flamingos or incorporating a theme song into fundraising are ways to keep campaigns fun. “Health care is pretty serious,” Wendelken said. “People are with sick people all the time, or people who are compromised in some way, and we wanted to find something out of the box, fun and just something to make people smile, whether they’re patients, co-workers, volunteers or staff.” It also keeps the campaigns fun for the foundation staff who do some of the same projects, such as the Employee and Volunteer Gifts Campaign, every year.

“Health care is pretty serious … and we wanted to find something out of the box, fun and just something to make people smile, whether they’re patients, co-workers, volunteers or staff.” — Janet Wendelken This year, the campaign raised a record $107,060 toward the hospital department, buying hospital equipment or supporting the Employee Relief Fund, which helps hospital employees facing financial crisis because of serious illness or a catastrophic personal issue. Each donor’s name was placed on a tag with four others and tied around a flamingo’s neck at the end of the campaign as a fun way to visually represent how many people contributed. But the campaign was just one of many that fill the 12 calendar months pasted on Wendelken’s wall — all color coded for ease of reference.

David (left) and Janet Wendelken work together in their flowerbeds around their home in Harrisonburg.

Summer 2017

This year, the foundation’s efforts yielded more than $3 million for the foundation that paid for everything from nursing scholarships to free mammogram screenings to financial aid for medication to garbage disposals. Having a job in the fundraising field is made easier in the Friendly City, as community members often reach out to Wendelken for ways they can help. Her office door is peppered with photos of smiling faces holding giant checks in different parts of the hospital. Those offering the checks represent a diverse group of the community: car dealerships, banks, Sunday school children, JMU students and motorcycle riders. For Lent this year, children at the First Church of the Brethren on Dogwood Avenue in Harrisonburg wanted to give things up and contacted Wendelken to ask for advice. “The pediatrics department needs socks and underwear, because when children come to the hospital, they get dirty and wet, and it’s nice to have warm feet,” she told them. So, they collected 191 pairs of socks for the pediatrics department and made a financial contribution. Wendelken attended a church service and thanked the children. She often goes the extra mile to connect to the community, according to Davies.

“The passion she feels for the mission of the organization is translated to the foundation,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for her to work into the evening or go to events on the weekend. There’s never something too big or too small for her to take on.” Wendelken takes great pride in the work she does at the foundation because it is an integral part of running the facility. “There are just things we can’t afford, and we want to have the best equipment, the best trained staff, the best programs,” she said. “[The foundation] allows us to do more for our patients than just what the hospital can do because it’s very expensive running a hospital.”

“It’s not uncommon for her to work into the evening or go to events on the weekend. There’s never something too big or too small for her to take on.” — Corey Davies But she’s quick to insist that she’s only one person in a team. Her supportive team never hesitates to help her count flamingo legs, write thank you letters or brainstorm campaign ideas. “They’re a wonderful team,” she said. “Everyone does something a little different, and everyone is an expert at what they do, so I don’t need to worry about what somebody else is doing. I know they will do a good job.”

Giving Back Wendelken leads by example, even offering her home to the two stray cats, Rufus and Midnight, who found their way to the family, and now keep her two Maine Coons, Silver and Linen, company. When not lending her time to the hospital, she is giving to the community through her favorite pastime: gardening. Since May 2015, Wendelken has been a member of the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association, a network of Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers who work to educate the community to encourage environmentallyfriendly horticulture practices. She spent her 50 hours of volunteer service before earning the certification of Master Gardener, using her skills for publicity of Master Gardener classes and plant sales, as well as getting her hands dirty digging in potting plants. Wendelken’s own garden, which she enjoys spending her weekends in, boasts a pond and a fountain in addition to a variety of greenery. Becoming a Master Gardener gave Wendelken a chance to keep teaching while learning at the same time. Janet Wendelken hugs a friend at an alumni board event at Sentara RMH Medical Center on June 22. Wendelken is on the RMH Foundation team.

Summer 2017

Janet Wendelken and her husband, David, have established beds of shade-tolerant flowers and plants at their home in Harrisonburg.

“I have learned how much there is to know about gardening — and how much I do not know — by taking the course, and I have learned so much from other Master Gardener members,” she said. “They are so willing to share what they know, and

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even offer plants from their gardens. They are just the most fun people.” Wendelken lends her professional knowledge as a member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals and mentoring for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. She is usually matched with young professionals in the field looking to learn about fundraising and public relations, and as per her personal mission, she teaches them what she can. “You answer their questions and do whatever you can,” she said. “If you ask me, I will be happy to tell you what I know.”

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Food for Thought Trendy Diets May Help Humans, But Maybe Not Pets By Preston Knight • Photos by Holly Marcus

s Twitter threads go, this one was the rare breed of rather inoffensive yet, literally, distasteful. In mid-June, Drew Magary, an author and contributor to GQ Magazine and the sports website Deadspin, tweeted, “How much raw flour can a dog eat off the floor without getting sick asking for a friend.” It inspired an embarrassment of riches for responses, some of which the world should be thankful could not go beyond 140 characters, given the level of unappetizing detail. People rattled off the curious cases of their pets’

eating endeavors, suddenly making you hopeful that dogs would settle once again for just consuming homework. There was one dog that took in a hockey puck. Another canine treated itself to three pounds of uncooked, bone-in chicken breasts. One cat got in the act by eating 12 inches of twine. The pet that takes the cake — for real — for being at least somewhat normal was a dog that gobbled up a pound of butter, half a German chocolate cake and a graham cracker pie crust. She lived, her owner adds. The stories are humorous, perhaps because they have happy Copper Ridge Animal Hospital in Mount Crawford offers a variety of different food options depending on the diet needs of dogs and cats.

Summer 2017

endings in that the pets survived. The pet owners were not really at fault, either, so there wasn’t a lot of blame to go around. But one area that’s not much of a laughing matter — and certainly fully at the controls of the owners — is a pet’s actual diet.

Playing The Game Pet owners have always wanted the best for their animals, but from a food standpoint, the landscape appears to be changing. As humans get more health conscious about their eating habits, there’s been a trickledown effect to wanting the same for our furry friends, such as a vegan-focused diet or one free of grains. Veterinarians around the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area, for the most part, have noticed the trend, and warn pet owners to view it as such — a fad or marketing ploy that cannot be confirmed as making pets healthier. “I don’t know that a lot of our pets necessarily need that,” said Emma Inman, an associate veterinarian at Ashby Animal Clinic. “A lot of people make an assumption that something good for them must be good for their pets.”

There’s no blanket statement to make for all animals, vets advise, noting that some dogs do have allergies that require a grain-free diet, for example. It’s also possible that dietary changes benefit animals simply because their owners are now buying a better product, meaning any improvement in the pet’s health is not from the diet itself, but instead from no longer eating a low quality product, said Erica Vaughan, owner and veterinarian at Copper Ridge Animal Hospital. But, generally, she said it’s all about how companies promote their newer healthy creations that draw pet owners’ attention. Some larger, more-established brands may even lend a degree of legitimacy by trying to keep up. “Some bigger companies have had to play the game just to stay in the game,” Vaughan said, later joking, “I don’t get any money from dog food companies to say anything.” Kevin Carter, owner and veterinarian at Dayton Animal Clinic, said pet diets haven’t changed a lot in the last several years overall, other than some of the different nutritional needs of puppies

and older dogs in some specialized diets, and more therapeutic diets for disease conditions. “The most dramatic change has been the level of marketing of pet foods,” he said. “We do see more dogs on grain-free diets. While this is probably harmless to feed a grain-free diet, there is no evidence that there is any benefit to do this, and we don’t recommend it. The grain is usually replaced with something else with a higher glycemic index, which could make it less healthy.”

cat owners considering themselves “pet parents” instead of “pet owners.” An area where pet owners can carry out this parental relationship is with treats,

and not necessarily instituting a full diet transition, Inman said. “Veggies instead of treats are great options,” she said. “That’s a great, healthy

option for them as long as they like [it].” Carrots, green beans and cucumbers pass as more than acceptable foods, especially as supplements

Be Smart With People Food In March 2016, the Nielsen Company, a performance management firm best known for tracking television ratings, released “The Humanization of Pet Food: How Far Are People Willing To Go?” The report, which surveyed more than 3,500 dog and cat owners in the United States and France, details the lengths people go to ensure their pets’ health as it relates to food options.

“A lot of people make an assumption that something good for them must be good for their pets.” — Emma Inman For example, 43 percent of Americans with a Netflix subscription said they would be willing to trade in the streaming service for their pet to have high-quality food, the report states. This commitment is based on a “vast majority” of dog and

Thirteen-week-old golden retriever puppy Savage listens to Archie Vaughan, 3, and sits at Copper Ridge Animal Hospital in Mount Crawford.

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to diets for overweight pets, Vaughan said. “My dog loves bananas,” she said. “It’s weird.” Before getting too carried away with offering “people” food to pets, though, Vaughan advises against grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, chocolate, avocados and, a “big no-no,” onions. Brian Arneson, a veterinarian at Heartland

Veterinary Clinic, said human food should not “encourage obesity.” “Try to keep healthy snacks steering clear of known toxic food [chocolate, grapes, raisins], and only as treats and only if the pet’s weight is normal,” he said. Carter added, “We tell people, if it is more than 10 percent of the pets’ diets, it should ideally be balanced

by a nutritionist.” Pets have different dietary needs than their human owners, making it important for people to consider consulting a veterinarian nutritionist for the best perspective on longterm dietary solutions, Inman said. After all, if pet owners are pet parents, they naturally want the best for their little ones, even if what they

choose might be influenced by successful marketing. “There have been changes to more wholesome diets for sure since some of the recalls of diets that were toxic,” Arneson said. “But the biggest change is the number of prescription diets for very specific medical conditions. Those have exploded. Many of the other ‘fad’ diets will come and go.”

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