With the holiday season fast approaching, folks are looking for ways to give back and impact their communities. And if we know you, SWDers (and we think we do do), you’re sniffing around in search of animals in need.
Lucky for you, we just so happen to know about a fab animal-supporting initiative. Now through December 15, you can participate in the 3rd annual Great MN Pet Food Drive, coordinated and hosted by five local doggie daycares from the Twin Cities Dog Daycare Association (TCDDA). Think of it like a Toys for Tots drive, but for dogs.
“It’s an important part of our mission to give back to our community and the dogs within it,” says Carey Griffith Edwards of Dog Day Getaway, one of the five participating daycares and a founding member of the TCDDA. “The pet food drive is a great way for the TCDDA to come together as a community to help the dogs that need it.”
So where do the donated goods go? “This year, we’re all contributing to Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue,” Griffith Edwards says, “and each daycare has chosen a few other rescues they want to support as well. DDG found a couple of small rescues that could really use the help, as they don’t have the media or press to get the word out about their needs.” [Editors Note: See bottom of article for a full list of beneficiaries.]
Last year’s event raised more than 5,000 dollars and pounds of food for the dogs of Red Lake, but the TCDDA is hoping to out-do themselves again this year — a goal they’re planning to achieve by fueling the fires of friendly competition. Each location is pitted against the others, fighting to be named Top Donator (an honor that’s gone to Dog Day Getaway two years in a row — not super surprising, given their philanthropic history).
Looking to get involved? There are a couple of ways to do it:
1. Make a donation
Visit one of the five participating doggie daycares to drop off some food, money, or fresh supplies. Here’s who’s participating:
- Dog Day Getaway (Apple Valley – map)
- Downtown Dogs (Minneapolis – map)
- Pampered Pooch Playground (St. Louis Park – map)
- Dog Days (St. Paul – map)
- Camp Bowwow (Burnsville – map)
2. Sign up to be a collection site
There are also non-daycare businesses all over the metro acting as collection sites for the drive, which we love love love — if your business wants to become a collection site, carey [at] dogdaygetaway [dot] com (email Carey) to get set up.
We love this cause. We love that’s it local. We love it for bringing together our community to rally for a great cause — and maybe do a little trash-talking in the process. But mostly, we love it for bringing together two of our favorite things in the whole wide world: pet-loving businesses and pet-saving rescues.
Best. Combo. Ever.
Here’s the full list of rescues and shelters being benefited by the Great MN Pet Food Drive: Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue (all), The Pet Project (Pampered Pooch Playground), Last Hope (Camp Bow Wow), Safe Hands (Dog Days), Ruff Start Rescue (Dog Day Getaway), and One of a Kind Pet Rescue (Dog Day Getaway).
