An annual fundraising event has raised an impressive amount of money – and it was members of the local community who did the donating! Every year since 2011, Pet Valu Canada holds its Pet Appreciation Month fundraiser. The goal is to raise money to help local pet rescues, shelters, and charities. While the fundraiser did not run in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s now back in full swing, and recently raised some much needed dollars for a local cat rescue.
Each Pet Valu store chooses its own local recipient for Pet Appreciation Month donations, and South Dundas Cat Rescue has been the lucky recipient of the Winchester dollars – over $3,000 this year to be exact – for the last two years. The store also partners with the South Dundas Cat Rescue by caring for rescue cats and kittens in the store until they are adopted into their forever home.
Since 2011, Pet Appreciation Month has raised more than $12 million. The event coincides with the pet store chain’s National Adoption Weekend, which helps local pets from rescue partners find their forever homes.
The most compelling aspect of the fundraising is the fact that the dollars come from members of the local community, and get put right back into the community. The store sold paper “PAWs” during the month of June, purchased for a donation amount of the customer’s choosing. The “PAWs” are dedicated to a pet or loved one and pasted up in the store. Every last dollar of these donations went to South Dundas Cat Rescue.
The charity work does not stop at Pet Appreciation month for Pet Valu and its customers. In addition to the cats and kittens regularly hosted in the store for adoption, the store plans to hold a Companions for Change fundraiser in October. This fundraiser allows customers to help fund projects across Canada that support pets and people. The Companions for Change grants go toward services such as rescue transport, community outreach including mobile spay and neutering clinics, plus larger projects including the construction of new shelters and wellness facilities, as well as sponsoring Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides teams.
Great work, North Dundas pet lovers’ community!
