By Robert Reichstein
The holidays are a time of rejoicing and cheer. The air is rich with anticipation of excitement. For pets in residence at shelters over the holidays it is life as they have come to know it, feeling sad and unwanted. They feel the excitement from the visitors and volunteers but nothing more. The Santa Paws Project was formed to change that.
The Santa Paws Project is an organization whose specific purpose is to collect new cat and dog toys to be distributed to the animals in residence at shelters like Maricopa County Animal Care and Control over the holiday season. As founders Marcie and Rob Reichstein of Desert Ridge believe, shelter pets deserve more than a cage and another lonely night. They should have at least something to call their own.
Last year, in its inaugural year and with only 6 collection boxes around the valley, The Santa Paws Project collected over 400 toys that were turned over to Melissa Gable at MCACC. This year The Pet Club has offered their 25 valley stores to serve as collection locations and Kong, the pet toy company, has made a generous donation of toys to help reach the ultimate goal of providing a toy for every animal in the shelter. Other Desert Ridge collection locations are the community center at Aviano and The Desert Ridge Community Association Office located at 5415 E. High Street, Suite 220, Phoenix, AZ 85054.
Collection centers will begin accepting donations on November 9th and will run through December 9th.
For more information about The Santa Paws Project please contact Rob Reichstein @ Rob.Reichstein@gmail.com, 602-551-6314, Melissa Gamble at 602.506.3471, or log onto www.TheSantaPawsProject.org.
