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SantaPawsDrive.com Makes Christmas Special for Special Needs Pets

First-Ever "Online Toy Drive" for Shelter Animals Spreads Holiday Cheer to Pets in Need Worldwide


WEBWIRE –

Deerfield Beach, Fla., December 2, 2011 – While pets with loving homes are showered with gifts and love during the holidays, animals in shelters tend to be overlooked and alone during these busy times. SantaPawsDrive.com is the first-ever online toy and treat drive dedicated to changing that and delivering holiday cheer to dogs and cats still waiting to be adopted.
 
This year, SantaPawsDrive.com is focusing on shelters and rescues that make the extra effort to help special needs and less adoptable pets. Think of non-profit, no-kill groups who help FIV+ or FeLV+ cats, blind pets, handicapped cats, black dogs, senior pets and other “less-adoptable” animals who may just need a little extra care.
 
Nominations for shelters with special needs pets were taken by animal lovers all over the world, and six shelters were chosen based on need and nomination note. Four are in the United States, one is in Canada, and one in the UK.
 
The 2011 Santa Paws Drive shelters are:

  • K9Kastle, New York, N.Y.
  • Belleglen Sanctuary for Cats, Chico, Calif.
  • Black Dog Animal Rescue, Cheyenne, Wyo.
  • Blind Cat Sanctuary and Rescue, St. Pauls, N.C.
  • Sheba’s Haven Rescue, Inverary, Ontario
  • Greenfields Greyhound Rescue, Staffordshire Moorlands, UK


 
SantaPawsDrive.com was started in 2009 by five animal-loving pet bloggers who wanted to send some extra love to shelter pets during the holidays.  With the support of their loyal online following, they launched a program similar to “Toys for Tots,” but for animals.
 
The idea was to offer a way where people could donate easily online from home by purchasing toys, treats or a cash donation. At the end of the drive, the total donations are split between six shelters around the world and giant gift packages of toys and treats are shipped off to the shelter animals in time for Christmas.
 
“I wanted to do a toy drive for shelter animals, but I wanted to do more than just drop off a donation at my local shelter,” says SantaPawsDrive.com founder, Dorian Wagner. “I wanted to make it big and I wanted to help shelters all over the world.”
 
Wagner reached out to four fellow pet bloggers for help and, together, they made Santa Paws Drive a reality.
 
“It’s crazy when you think about it,” Wagner explains. “We’d never met in person or even talked on the phone when we first put this together. It was all done through email, Twitter and Facebook. We live all over -- in Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia and the United Kingdom!”
 
In its first two years , Santa Paws Drive raised approximately $15,000 in donations, toys and treats, and this year, the team hopes to be able to send even more holiday cheer to the shelters. Pet lovers everywhere can participate in SantaPawsDrive.com by attending special Santa Paws Drive Events on Twitter and by donating on the Santa Paws Drive website. For more information visit www.SantaPawsDrive.com.
 
About Santa Paws Drive
SantaPawsDrive.com is the first-ever online toy drive to bring holiday cheer to shelter animals around the world. Pets with homes are often showered with gifts and treats for Christmas, and it is Santa Paws Drive’s mission to make sure shelter animals get a little holiday love, too.

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