Contributed by Robert Reichstein
Communications Chairman
The holidays are a time of rejoice and cheer. The air is rich with anticipation of exciting things to come. For pets housed in shelters over the holidays they feel the excitement from visitors and workers. But they experience nothing more than their daily routine of waiting and hoping for a family of their own.
TheSantaPawsProject.Org was created to change that. As founders and Desert Ridge residents Rob and Marcie Reichstein believe, shelter pets deserve some holiday cheer too.
TheSantaPawsProject.Org is an initiative whose specific purpose is to collect donations of new dog and cat toys to be distributed to shelter dogs and cats over the holiday season. The last two years pets in residence at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control were the happy recipients.
In it’s inaugural year, and with only 4 collection boxes TheSantaPawsProject.Org collected over 400 toys that were turned over to Melissa Gable at MCACC. Last year 17 of the valley wide Pet Club Stores, The Desert Ridge Community Association, The Aviano clubhouse, and Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services in Kierland joined on as collection sites. With this effort TheSantaPawsProject.Org collected over 1,400 new toys. Kong, the pet toy manufacturer donated another 250 toy for a total of over 1,650 pet toys. It truly was a great holiday for the pets awaiting their forever home.
Our ultimate, continued Rob, is to provide a toy for every dog and cat housed at every shelter in the valley over the holiday season. Collection locations will begin accepting donations on November 21st and last until December 18th.
For more information about TheSantaPawsProject.Org, for donations please feel free to contact Rob Reichstein (602) 551-5314, Rob.Reichstein@gmail.com, Marcie Reichstein (602) 551-6315, Marcie.Reichstein@BHHSAZ.com or log on to www.TheSantaPawsProject.Org.
