BUFFALO, N.Y. — Animal shelters are getting more creative as they find ways to make sure pets find loving homes during the pandemic. The Niagara County SPCA's new promotion combines two things pretty much everyone loves: puppies and ice cream.
Dogs have been devouring new pup cups at De Dee's Dairy in Niagara Falls.The treats come with vanilla custard and a dog bone, along with a stick that has a laminated photo of one of the dogs up for adoption at the Niagara SPCA. The idea was born out of a similar promotion the shelter ran with pizza boxes over the winter, which was extremely successful.
"Our number one job at the SPCA is to ensure that we find these animals loving homes and the best homes possible, so what better way to do that than to ask for the community's support," said Director of Community Engagement Kimberly LaRussa. "Not only is De Dee's as a business owner helping us promote our shelter dogs, the people who receive the pup cups, they are also helping us promote, because they're sharing these animal's photos on social media and they're spreading the word about them."
"This past week since we started, we've sold over 100 pup cups, so that being said it's definitely working, it's a movement," said Lacey Gawel, manager at De Dee's. "We've seen a lot of dogs and family owners coming in, just to get the pup cups. It really means the most to us that they're donating as well to the SPCA."
The pup cups will be available all summer. They cost $2.25, and De Dee's will donate one dollar from every sale to the Niagara SPCA.
The shelter will reopen to the public this Wednesday, July 1. You can learn more details about their plans by clicking here.