July 2, 2008

Shop owner wants to help police get new family member

by Hali Baumstein (Main Line Life - June 24, 2008)

Buzzy's Bow Wow Meow's catchy name is not the only thing that makes the store unique. For the past year, Buzzy's has served the community as both a pet store and a center for promoting awareness about animal treatment. The Narberth-based store sells a variety of products for animals, holds free workshops about taking care of pets, offers adoption services, and puts a portion of its proceeds towards causes like animal shelters. And now the store will help keep the community safer.

Buzzy's latest fundraiser will see it raise money for a new dog for the Lower Merion Police Department's K-9 Unit.

Store founder and owner Buzz Miller, a resident of Gladwyne and a longtime dog lover, developed the idea to raise money for a new K-9 dog after speaking with the police department. He learned that one of their current four dogs will retire in the near future, but that they lacked the funds to replace him. When Miller suggested fundraising for the new dog, police department officials responded enthusiastically.

"We want to educate the public about the human-animal bond, because animals can enhance our lives," said Miller.

Miller said the dogs play a crucial role in the K-9 Unit, performing important tasks like searching buildings for trapped victims and apprehending criminals. Two of Lower Merion's current dogs can detect narcotics, and another two can locate explosives. Miller, who has seen several exhibitions of K-9 dogs sniffing for food and bombs, commented, "The dogs find it every time. It's amazing." Training dogs to do these tasks is expensive, so Miller has set a fundraising goal of $7,500.

To kick-start the fundraising, Buzzy's purchased several thousand uniquely designed shopping bags that are now on sale in both the store and the community. The bag costs a minimum of $15, although customers are welcome to donate as much as they would like for one - Miller noted that one of the bags sold for up to $100.

The bag comes with a $10 gift certificate to Buzzy's, and each person who buys one will be entered into a raffle to win an additional $250 certificate. Buzzy's will not make any profit off of the bags - all proceeds will go to the police department.

Miller has enlisted the help of local children and parents to sell the bags. He feels it is important to extend the fundraiser into the community instead of just the store, especially to the younger members.

"Animals are therapeutic for kids," he said. "They teach them to care for someone else."

Miller said he will hold another fundraiser meeting for families in the fall.

Miller hopes to raise money in other ways by making more of the community aware of the cause and holding family-sponsored events like car washes and bake sales. On Sept. 14, Buzzy's will host a celebration for its one-year anniversary. Members of the Lower Merion Police Department K-9 Unit, along with the K-9 dogs, will be present, which Miller thinks will generate more interest in the project.

Once the financial goal is met, Buzzy's will purchase a new German shepherd for the police department. Families will have an opportunity to name the dog before it joins its handler at the Philadelphia Police Academy. The dog will train for 14 weeks before officially joining the Lower Merion K-9 Unit.

However, Miller does not want to stop there. He plans to continue fundraising for other helpful dogs, such as seeing-eye dogs, dogs for the handicapped, and dogs used in the Middle East to sniff out bombs. Training such dogs is a huge operation that takes several years and costs a large sum of money, but Miller said he is dedicated to the cause. He notes that millions of animals are euthanized each year because people lack awareness about how to take care of them and how helpful they can be; a lack of awareness that he hopes to change.

Miller gave up a career in law and real estate after 35 years in order to pursue his passion for animals. "I know I will never have the same financial success," he said.

But for him, working to prevent the inhumane treatment of animals is a far more satisfying job.