Pet Rock Fest partners with new Central Mass Pet Pantry

New community resource offers pet food and supplies to those in need

SHREWSBURY, MA—While there are many resources available to help food-insecure people, families often struggle to feed their pets, highlighting a growing need in trying economic times. 

To address this, the Central Mass Pet Pantry has recently opened in Shrewsbury, MA, located behind the Castinetti Realty Group at 745 Main St. Run solely on donations from volunteers, local pet stores and nonprofit animal welfare organizations, the mission of the pantry is simple: help people feed their furry friends.  

“With the rising costs of food, we know how hard it is to also get our pets the proper food and supplies,” said Andrea Castinetti, owner of Castinetti Realty Group and Central Mass Pet Pantry founder. “We don’t want any animal to go without so the pet pantry was born. We rely on the generosity of the members of our community and amazing local businesses.”

Thanks to the pantry’s growing list of sponsors, which includes the Pet Rock Festival, Central Mass Cable Kitchen, Project New Hope, Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL), Ellie’s Pet Barn and Second Chance Animals, the “pet shed” continues to be stocked, and there is likely to be a second location added soon. 

“The goal is to expand throughout Central Massachusetts and I hope the idea catches on beyond,” continues Castinetti. “I think with the astronomical cost of living and cost of food/supplies, there is a greater need now—more than ever. And as with most of the time, when I have an idea like this one, I just floated it out there. With the amount of people who jumped on board, I knew we had something that needed to be created.

Organizers ask that anyone wishing to donate to drop these donations at the pantry. Currently, Casinetti is working on creating a separate nonprofit entity solely dedicated to this cause. Monetary donations, too, are welcomed and accepted. 

For those looking for information — whether in need of supplies, or wishing to donate - check out the Central Mass Food Pantry’s Facebook page, or simply stop by.

Media Contacts: 

Andrea Castinetti

508-277-0063

AndreaCastinetti@gmail.com

Charlene Arsenault 

508-736-7708

petrockfest@gmail.com

CALLING ALL HEROES: Nominate Your Furry or Human Champion for the 2024 PET ROCK FEST HERO AWARD!

Pet Rock Fest is urging you to send in your nominations for its 2024 hero awards.

Let us know about someone who has worked tirelessly for the protection and welfare of animals, or someone who has performed an act of pure kindness to save or protect animals. There are all kinds, and each year, Pet Rock Fest acknowledges these wonderful people with a Pet Rock Hero Award.

If you would like to nominate an animal who has performed a heroic act (a dog who alerted his family to a fire, a cat who sniffed out cancer, etc.) this past year, let us know about that, too. We present a hero award to a deserving animal, as well.

We’ll select two human heroes and one animal hero to receive the Pet Rock Fest 2024 Animal Hero Award, which will be presented during the event on Sunday, Oct. 6, at Lancaster Fairgrounds in Lancaster, MA.

Past recipients have included police officers, rescue group leaders and fire departments, as well as individuals who simply took it upon themselves to follow through with an act of compassion to help an animal, or many animals.

Send your nominations to petrockfest@gmail.com with "2024 Hero Nomination" in the subject heading. Please include a description as to why this person (or animal) should be named at Pet Rock Fest Hero.

Like many animals we help, Pet Rock Fest is homeless

We are the nonprofit organization Pet Rock Fest, Inc., and much like that doggie or kitty at the shelter, we are looking for a new home. 

We are the largest animal festival in New England and a leading animal welfare organization. Once again, we find ourselves after 25 years without a home for our annual flagship festival (also called the Pet Rock Festival). We’re in search of a new permanent location and we’re hoping you can help. 

What we are hoping to achieve in reaching out to you is some insight into ideas of venues in your town or surrounding areas that may be able to accommodate our next festival in September 2024. 

We founded Pet Rock Fest in 1999 as an animal welfare nonprofit and event and have been increasingly successful each year. We have hosted our annual festival in a select few venues, and through no fault of our own, are searching again. 

The Pet Rock Festival is an annual event held on the Sunday following Labor Day weekend (usually the second Sunday in September). It is an afternoon expo/festival that includes live music, vendors, vegetarian food, contests, doggie water park, awards, performances, and most importantly, more than 150 animal welfare organizations who set up and share their message and mission.

ALL proceeds from the festival are distributed to New England-based animal welfare organizations, including shelters, cruelty watchdogs, sanctuaries, rescue leagues and many others. Regular recipients of our festival include Red Rover/KIND News, Foster Parrots, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Maple Farm Sanctuary, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), to name but a few. $1,000, $500, and $250 awards are also awarded to rescue groups and shelters that win our coveted “lottery” and “adoptable dog parade” during the festival.

Pet Rock Fest has distributed more than half a million dollars since its inception to worthy animal causes in New England. We’ve also given to groups such as Mass. Vest-A Dog, Dog Orphans, the Community Cat Center, the Worcester Animal Rescue League and the Second Chance Animal Shelter, and contributed to funds for veterinary care, as well as reward funds to help catch perpetrators of animal cruelty.

Pet Rock Fest is not only a huge animal event, but a year-round endeavor to educate, promote and communicate with people the importance of treating animals with kindness. Our Website, www.petrockfest.com, and social media pages have become a portal for concerned animal lovers to unite and share information and thoughts. 

Starting at the Hebert Candy Mansion in 1999, several years later we outgrew the location and were hosted by Quinsigamond Community College for many years, followed by many years at Wyman Gordon in Grafton. The relationships have been wonderful, and we’d be happy to connect you with representatives from the venues for references. 

We hope to find a location with a similar size space and the willingness to allow us to transform this space into a well-organized and reputable one-day event that raises money and awareness for such an important cause. Ideally, we’re looking for a large, fenced in field, accessible from major highways or routes, with ample parking. Facilities and amenities would be a plus, but we’re very accustomed to bringing in our own.  

We are a well-oiled machine, and Pet Rock Fest organizers professionally coordinate, set up, and break down the event with the utmost respect and consideration for the venue and its owners. 

This festival has been supported by so many in our local area for so long that we cannot consider retiring its drive and momentum. We welcome any suggestions or recommendations you may have to offer us assistance for our worthy venture. 

Not only would the collaboration be beneficial to us, but is a positive alliance for the town and/or venue that ultimately hosts us. Our reputation is stellar, and we’ve helped hundreds of charities with thousands of dollars since we started. 

Please visit our website PetRockFest.org and visit our Facebook page to learn how we got our start, what our Festival is all about, and many opportunities to visit our past years' history of success. 

Thank you for your assistance and consideration in this time-sensitive matter.

Please reach out to petrockfest@gmail.com should you be able to help with our search for a new home.