Enriching The Lives of Homeless Pets And Families

I’ve been so grateful to my friends who have been there for me during this past year with lots of personal issues including my mom’s ailing health. The kindness of others has given me so much strength and I’ve been looking for a larger scale way of giving back.

I’d been yearning to get back to fulfilling that side of my heart again. This past fall I visited the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati and learned about its Pet Support Program.

I’d been looking for a larger scale opportunity to give back for those who have shown me so much kindness. IHN’s Pet Support Program touched me on many levels – when homelessness and financial hardship hit a family, it hits everyone in that family…including the non-human animals.

Then, in early December it occurred to me when I looked at all of Dawson’s unused toys. Among other things, boredom can be a cause of behavior problems that could make finding and keeping low income housing and shelter difficult for those families. Dawson’s unused toys could be enrichment for pets whose owners wouldn’t be able to provide them – or for those pets who are being cared for by IHN while their owners are working through what they need to work through.

The idea for Gifts for Best Friends was born.

From March 14 to April 18, we will be collecting gently used HARD dog and cat toys, and new hard and soft toys. There will be drop off locations. Additionally, I am looking for individuals and organizations who would like to organize an internal collection among their co-workers, congregations, group members.

Special thanks to the very talented Erik Pietila for creating the beautiful artwork for the campaign!!

Please visit this link to learn more on my pet training website.  Also, I will be posting updates on my So Much PETential Facebook page. Please mark yourself as *attending* or *interested* to get updates.

And, if you would like to be involved with a collection, please be in touch!

Drop Off Locations

Care Center Vets
6995 E Kemper Road
513-530-0911
General area – Montgomery/Symmes Township

Earthwise at Harper’s Point
11328 Montgomery Road
(513) 469-7387
general area – Montgomery/Symmes Township

Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati
990 Nassau Street
513-471-1100
general area – near downtown

Mason Community Center
6050 S Mason Montgomery Rd
(513) 229-8555
general area – Mason

Pet Wants – Findlay Market
1813 Pleasant St
513-721-8696
general area – Over the Rhine

Pet Wants – Cincy Kitchen
1409 Vine St
513-621-3647

Pleasant Ridge Pet Hospital
6229 Montgomery Rd
(513) 351-1730
general location – Pleasant Ridge

Western Hills Animal Hospital
5500 Glenway Ave
513-922-2266
general area – Western Hills