A Taichung-based pet supply store has reported more donations than ever for its year-end drive, collecting enough money and food to feed nearly 100,000 stray dogs and cats this holiday season, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Petsmall has for five years collaborated with pet goods importer Junbai to purchase cat and dog food with donations.
Over just one month, more than 5,000 people donated at Petsmall’s 31 stores across Taiwan, enough to purchase 48,294 cans of food, valued at NT$1.69 million (US$59,213), the company said.
Photo: Su Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
If stacked end-on-end, the cans would be taller than 10 Taipei 101 skyscrapers, it said.
People’s generosity has far overshadowed even last year, as the 10,000 additional cans purchased set a record.
A wall of cans towered over company employees as they displayed the results of the drive in a packed Petsmall parking lot in Taichung on Thursday, while forklifts loaded trucks with 23 pallets to be shipped to shelters nationwide.
Each can contains enough to feed one dog or two cats one meal, the company said.
The 27,558 cans of dog food and 20,736 cans of cat food are enough to provide nearly 100,000 stray animals a Christmas Day feast, it said.
The donations were distributed to rescue operators nationwide by Animal Rescue Team Taiwan, which in addition to its rescue work also runs the Taiwan Dogs and Cats United Donation Network.
The network has for years collected donations online to help shelters feed and house stray and sick animals, every month giving more than NT$3 million in food to 127 shelters nationwide, it said.
At its store in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) alone, Petsmall said it collected more than 7,000 cans.
Yet donations are not the only spike in activity that Petsmall has seen this year, it said.
Adoptions have also skyrocketed, with 93 more pets finding homes this year than a year earlier.
A woman surnamed Lin (林) said she adopted a cat after her work stopped sending her abroad due to the pandemic.
Facing long stretches alone at home, Lin said she adopted a pet to stave off loneliness.
Now, her new furry companion has become her “soulmate,” she said.
A man surnamed Wang (王) said he was driven to donate by the increased time he has spent at home with his pets since the pandemic.
Having them around adds joy to his life, Wang said, adding that he wanted to help strays by participating in the drive.
A woman surnamed Chang (張) said that she finds great meaning in donating so that strays could eat on Christmas.
She donated 90 cans to the drive, amounting to NT$3,150, she said.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Petsmall has also worked with sticker creator “One God” Ethan (一神) to create a limited-edition duffel bag and umbrella featuring the French bulldog character Pigu (皮古).
Five percent of proceeds go toward the care of sick and injured animals at the Taiwan Companion Animal Support Association’s Taichung shelter.
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