Lifestyle

Tis the Season for Giving Back to Dogs

Looking for a way to give back to dogs this holiday season? Check out these three dog programs by the Morris Animal Foundation, The Grey Muzzle Organization and Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays.

Written by: Melissa L. Kauffman, Group Editorial Director Catster/Dogster

It doesn’t get much easier to give back to dogs this time of year, as there are many wonderful programs. Let’s paw through three of them.

Dog holiday card — Looking for dog themed holiday cards that give back to dogs? Check out the ones from the Morris Animal Foundation.

The Morris Animal Foundation

Its two-month holiday campaign takes place from November 1 to December 31, 2022. It funds critical canine health studies, including improving treatment for a deadly blood disorder, investigating a novel antimicrobial strategy for urinary tract infections, the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and more. Give directly or order holiday cards (example above), with proceeds supporting the Foundation’s programs. More at morrisanimalfoundation.org.

Dog smiling in sun — Get your favorite dog lover a 2023 calendar spotlighting and giving back to seniors dogs, created by the Grey Muzzle Foundation from its Summer Smile Campaign.

The Grey Muzzle Organization

Winners of the 2022 Summer Smile Campaign that benefitted senior dogs with dental problems are on full display in Grey Muzzle’s 2023 Calendar. (See previous winner Stella, Miss June 2021 above.) The calendar (around $18 and available to order in October) makes a great holiday gift plus benefits senior dogs. See greymuzzle.org.

Family adopting dog — Help get dogs their forever homes by volunteering or adopting from the Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holiday campaign.

Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays

The annual three-month adoption campaign’s goal is simple: Place orphaned pets into happy, loving homes, while educating people about the importance of choosing pet adoption over supporting puppy mills and backyard breeders. As the holidays are one of the biggest pet adoption times of the year, Home 4 the Holidays focuses on encouraging and promoting responsible adoptions rather than getting a pet on impulse. Over 4,000 pet adoption agencies, facilities and rescue groups take part, making it the largest pet adoption campaign on record. Since 1999, the campaign has saved over 16 million pets. If you are not able to adopt this year, no worries! You can volunteer — just check the list of participating organizations in your area online at locations.home4theholidays.org. This year’s campaign starts October 1, 2022 and runs through December 31, 2022. Find more information at home4theholidays.org.

About the Author

Melissa L. Kauffman, Group Editorial Director Catster/Dogster

Covering the pet world for more than 30 years, Melissa L. Kauffman has been an editor/writer for a wide variety of pet magazines and websites from the small critters and parrots to cats and dogs. Her advisory team of pets — rescue dogs Tampa Bay and Murphy Brown, plus Cirneco dell'Etna Liberty Belle and rescued parrots Deacon and Pi-Pi — help keep her on top of the latest and greatest pet health research, training and products, anything to give keep them in the high life they are accustomed to. Follow Tampa and his crew on Instagram @tampa.bay.pup.report while Melissa can always be found working on the next issue of Catster and Dogster magazines at caster.com and dogster.com. Contact her ONLY at [email protected]. (Any email not from belvoir.com is not this Melissa L Kauffman.)