“We donate proceeds from one of our dog
fashion patterns to support Morris Animal
Foundation’s good works, and have sup-
ported their Virtual Walk program, Canine
Cancer Study and Golden Retriever Lifetime
Study, to name a few,” Thomas says. “We make
components for the harnesses used by Leader
Dogs for the Blind and have supported them in
a variety of ways over the years, including their
annual Bark ‘n Brew event.”
Manufacturers look forward to supporting
their retailer partners with donations to raise
awareness of pet charities, says Jessica Aveyard-
Sayers, the sales and marketing manager for
Buckley Pet Products, a Boulder, Colo.-based
manufacturer of healthy American-made dog
treats and dry dog food. “We do a lot of sample
donations or large donations of products for
specific events,” she says. “We like to partner
with retailers for events, and that is a great way
to expand our charitable efforts.”
That may include donating bags of treats to
be given away at adoption events, she says. “If
they have an event that they think is worth-
while in their area, then we are definitely open
to hearing about it. It is a way to support retail-
ers,” Aveyard-Sayers says.
Officials at Loving Pet Products, a manufac-
turer of treats, feeding dishes and bowls, love
donating their products to local charities. The
Cranberry, N.J.-based company works closely
with cosmetics giant L’Oreal, which runs an
annual “Because Your Dog Is Worth It Too”
event at its Cranberry plant to raise funds for
local shelters and animal-cause groups.
“Most of our donating is done to the shelters
directly,” says Eric Abbey, founder and president of Loving Pets Products. “We feel like we
should give back to the animals that have been
good to us.”
Often the donated product consists of treats
nearing their code date that would be wasted
if not consumed. “We donate a lot of feeding
dishes to shelters, too, because they need them
and we are the largest manufacturer of feeding bowls in the U.S.,” Abbey explains, adding
that he would be delighted to work with the
supermarket channel on charitable efforts.
After all, many of his treats are sold there.
The problem is, no supermarkets have contacted him about using Loving Pets treats in
conjunction with charitable efforts. “We have
not had an opportunity like that come our
way,” he says. “We sell in grocery and no one
has discussed any opportunities like that, but
I think it is a great idea.”
