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Pet lover’s story featured on show

Purina and Kroger are sponsoring a national TV special featuring a Fairfield greyhound caregiver.

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer 7:45 PM Sunday, July 26, 2009

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield resident Helen Johnson has a pet lover’s heart, and hers is one of six stories to be featured in a television special presented by Purina and Kroger.

Purina and Kroger sponsored a television special in 2008 called “Four Plus Two: Tales of a Pet Lover’s Heart.” The companies are again partnering for another “Tales of a Pet Lover’s Heart” special to air in October on WCPO-TV Channel 9 and on a national network.

“The ultimate goal is to really connect with Kroger shoppers on an emotional level,” said Dave Tornberg, Purina marketing manager.

Each Kroger division nationwide will get a portion of a $150,000 contribution to be made to a neighborhood animal shelter in the name of the show.

The hourlong show is “a celebration of pets,” Tornberg said.

“It features six stories of very normal people that have very extraordinary stories about what they do with their dog or what they do with their cat,” he said.

The 2008 special was nominated for nine local Emmy awards.

Johnson’s story starts two and a half years ago when she adopted Keeley, a retired greyhound. Two months later, she fostered her first greyhound. When that greyhound found a home, she adopted her second greyhound, Marisa.

Both of her dogs are retired racers.

Johnson is fostering her ninth greyhound since July 2007.

“If you told me two and a half years ago before I adopted Keeley this is what I’d be doing, I would have said, ‘You’re crazy,’” said Johnson, who was found by the show’s local production company.

Johnson is the director of events planning with the Queen City Greyhounds, an organization of volunteers who help greyhounds find good homes.

“It’s been a great experience,” Johnson said. “When you adopt a greyhound, you are part of the family. And we are a close group of people.”

The Queen City Greyhounds organization has meet-and-greets practically every weekend to meet the public.

“I’m an animal lover, always been an animal lover,” Johnson said.

For information, visit www.talesforthepetloversheart.com.

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