Warming the Hearts and Bellies of Shelter Pets this Holiday Season

By Liz Baker, Executive Director, GreaterGood.org  

Each year, almost four million dogs enter animal shelters and rescues nationwide. Rescue groups that are responsible for pulling dogs from life-threatening situations often take on extraordinary costs for medical care, housing, and enrichment for the dogs they save. But first, those rescued animals must be fed.

When temperatures drop during the winter, operations costs go up for many rescue groups, making food donations more important than ever. That's why GreaterGood.org, a longtime partner of Wag!, is launching a Rescue Bank Holiday Food Drive to feed more pets in need.

Every dollar raised in this effort will help provide nutritious meals to pets in shelters and rescues across the country. With less money spent on food, rescues can focus more of their efforts on saving lives. And the best part? Healthy, happy, well-fed animals have a much better chance of being adopted! 

Food is not a negotiable expense for a rescue group, and as a result, it is often the largest single expense. For smaller groups on shoestring budgets that rely on public donations to operate, this often means going into their own pockets to keep pets fed. It also means there isn’t additional funding for emergency medical care and other programs that save lives. GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program exists to ease that burden by providing healthy, high-quality meals.

You can help by making a direct donation and by walking with Wag! which donates proceeds from every walk to the Rescue Bank program which has helped rescue organizations feed more than 5 million pets. Your walks and donations make a real difference.

When you book a walk with Wag!, you’re doing much more than feeding shelter pets across the country—you are helping rescues save more lives by allowing them to shift scarce funds to other needs, like vet care and adoption events.

Our Rescue Bank program has helped dogs this year like Buster, a one-year-old yellow lab from Colorado. (That's him pictured above.) He was rescued after a run-in with a porcupine left him with a mouth so swollen that he couldn’t eat or drink. The Rescue Bank program made it possible for the shelter to afford the emergency medical treatment that saved Buster’s life.

With healthy Rescue Bank food to help him recover, Buster’s personality began to shine through. He learned tasks quickly and loved socializing with people and other dogs. Volunteers at the rescue realized Buster had strong service dog potential. Now adopted into a loving home, Buster is training to be a licensed physical assistance service dog!

Every time you book a walk with Wag!, another meal is donated to Rescue Bank. Every meal matters, especially in these cold winter months. Each walk benefits your dog and pays it forward to a hungry pup. Thank you for giving where it matters. Together, we’re making a real, tangible impact in the lives of shelter dogs who need our help.