Dogs joyfully picked out toys from a “Santa Sleigh” On Christmas Morning.
The sleigh was decked out in holiday trimmings and loaded with more than 500 toys donated by Best Friends Animal Society’s corporate partner Pet Supplies Plus, the largest pet retail franchise in the U.S. Best Friends’ official pet food and treats partner, Blue Buffalo, also donated several pallets of treats for the festive occasion.
The first sleigh stop was in Dogtown Headquarters, where dozens of dogs romped around as they selected from a tall pile of ropes, balls, squeaky toys, and more.
“This is a truly meaningful tradition at Best Friends,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “It gives the Sanctuary dogs a taste of home until they find loving families of their own. It also makes our caregivers happy to provide this special experience for the dogs they care for every day.”
The sleigh made rounds to more than a dozen locations at the Sanctuary’s Dogtown for 400-plus dogs currently awaiting adoption. The dogs originated from shelters in Utah and across the country before coming to Best Friends.
“We were thrilled to donate 500 toys to our friends at Best Friends Animal Society as a special treat to adoption-ready dogs,” said Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash. “Helping dogs find loving homes is woven into our brand DNA, and it’s been a true gift to our teams to provide them with a little holiday spirit this year.”
“Blue Buffalo believes pets are family, so it’s a joy to share treats with the pups at Best Friends Animal Society just as we treat our own furry family members this holiday season,” said Liz Mascolo, President, North America Blue Buffalo. “We hope many of these deserving pups will soon join loving families. In the meantime, BLUE will continue to support them with superior nutrition, so they are healthy and thriving when they go home.”
The holiday season is an important time to remember that many homeless dogs and cats are still looking for loving homes. According to the latest data from Best Friends, shelters are seeing a 3.4% decrease in the number of pets killed compared to the previous year, as well as a 4% increase in adoptions for both dogs and cats.
While these numbers indicate a positive trend, the data is clear – shelters still need help, and it’s more important now than ever to adopt or foster a pet. By doing so, adopters and fosters will be helping to make America a no-kill country, which is the goal of Best Friends Animal Society and its more than 5,000 network partners of shelters and rescue groups.
“Bringing a new best friend home during the holidays will make the season extra magical. Right now, shelters and rescues are full of amazing pets that would love to be part of your family’s festivities and will give you unconditional love every day of the year,” Castle said. “What could be a better gift than that?”
To find a shelter or rescue near you, visit bestfriends.org.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and make the country no-kill in 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to 415,000 last year. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 5,000 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.
