NUTRISOURCE® Pet Foods Announces Support Of Facility Dog Program At Children's Mercy Kansas City

Commitment will help fund program that provides joy and comfort to patients, families and staff

PERHAM, Minn., Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- NutriSource® Pet Foods, one of America's most beloved and trusted pet brands, today announced it has expanded its support of facility/therapy dog programs at children's hospitals across the country with a five-year financial commitment to support the facility dog program at Children's Mercy Kansas City.

NutriSource will provide critical funding for the new NutriSource Facility Dog Respite Area at the hospital. Children's Mercy Kansas City presently has four facility dogs on their staff at the 390-bed medical center in Kansas City, Missouri that provide comfort, motivation and smiles to kids undergoing treatment at the hospital and families who are away from home tending to a sick child. Hospital facility dogs are professionally trained dogs that are typically cared for by medical professionals and work each day with young patients to reduce anxiety, encourage treatment and offer a calming, warm presence during hospital stays.

The NutriSource Facility Dog Respite Area will provide a green space at the hospital for Hunter, Jellybean, Litta and Dusty to take well-deserved breaks from their daily duties that will help ensure their own physical and emotional health.

"NutriSource is deeply committed to the health of our children, families and pets. We're thrilled to extend that commitment by partnering with Children's Mercy Kansas City, one of the top pediatric hospitals in the Midwest," said Chase Rasmussen, president of KLN Family Brands, the parent company of NutriSource. "The unconditional love of a dog can do so much to lift spirits during a stressful, difficult time for kids and families. We know that sometimes the best medicine comes with four legs, a wet nose and a wagging tail."

"We are incredibly grateful for corporate champions like NutriSource," says Jenea Oliver, PhD, senior vice president and Chief Development Officer at Children's Mercy. "Gifts from the community fuel everything we do at Children's Mercy, delivering hope and healing for all kids in our region. And our facility dogs do just that ? provide comfort, inspiration and smiles to our patients and families -- thank you, NutriSource, for making a difference!"

In addition to Children's Mercy Kansas City, NutriSource provides support to facility dog and therapy dog programs at the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Boston Children's and Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. NutriSource also recently opened The Spot, a new service dog training facility in Greenfield, MN that provides "Battle Buddies" to veterans and first responders as they bravely follow their path towards healing.

About NutriSource® Pet Foods
NutriSource® is a line of premium pet food and treat products manufactured by Tuffy's Pet Foods and Tuffy's Pet Treats, subsidiaries of KLN Enterprises, Inc., a third-generation family owned company based in Perham, MN. Tuffy's Pet Foods has specialized in the manufacturing of pet food and treats since 1964. NutriSource® has a long history of investing in the health and well-being of pets throughout the world. Today, NutriSource® offers a variety of different dog and cat food products across their four lines of NutriSource®, NutriSource PureVita®, NutriSource® Element Series and NutriSource® Choice. NutriSource® product offerings include kibble, wet, treats and toppers. For more information, visit https://nutrisourcepetfoods.com/. Follow on Facebook and Instagram.

About KLN Enterprises, Inc. dba KLN Family Brands
A third-generation family-owned company, KLN Family Brands is headquartered in Perham, MN and is comprised of Tuffy's Pet Foods and Tuffy's Treat Company, manufacturers of NutriSource® and Kenny's Candy & Confections. Tuffy's has been proudly producing quality pet foods since 1964. Kenny's Candy & Confections, established in 2015, produces great snack brands that include Wiley Wallaby® and Sweet Chaos®. For more information on KLN Family Brands please visit http://www.klnfamilybrands.com.

About Children's Mercy Kansas City

Founded in 1897, Children's Mercy is a leading independent children's health organization dedicated to holistic care, translational research, educating caregivers and breakthrough innovation to create a world of well-being for all children. With not-for-profit hospitals in Missouri and Kansas, and numerous specialty clinics in both states, Children's Mercy provides the highest level of care for children from birth through the age of 21. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Children's Mercy as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals." For the fifth consecutive time in a row, Children's Mercy has achieved Magnet nursing designation, awarded to only about 8% of all hospitals nationally, for excellence in quality care. More than 800 pediatric specialists, researchers and faculty are actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research and education of the next generation of pediatric specialists. Thanks to generous philanthropic and volunteer support, Children's Mercy provides hope, comfort and the prospect of brighter tomorrows to every child who passes through its doors. Visit Children's Mercy and the Children's Mercy Research Institute to learn more, and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest news and videos

Media Contact

Robb Leer, Leer Communications & Consultants, 612-701-06-8, [email protected]

SOURCE NutriSource