GENERAL NEWS OF THE LAND
A Southampton pet food retailer has teamed up with dog toy brand Kong to raise funds for local dog shelters through a ‘stuff-a-thon’ event.
The Healthy Pet Store invited families to its shop in Totton to ‘Stuff a Kong’ with dog-friendly fillings for donation to dogs across the region.
Healthy Pet Store team members will be on hand to help volunteers fill enrichment toys with fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, fish and dog food.
Once frozen, the stuffed Kongs were donated to St Francis Animal Shelter, Second Chance Animal Rescue, the Blue Cross rehoming center in Southampton and the RSPCA Stubbington Ark.
The in-store event was held in recognition of Kong Day, an annual celebration of the dog toy brand.
Healthy Pet Store managing director Deborah Burrows said: “I’m delighted to see so many of our visitors stripping down and getting stuck into stuffing the Kongs. These toys provide dogs with a lot of stimulation that helps to reduce stress and support overall well-being.”
Katie O’Blatch at St Francis Animal Shelter added: “Many of our shelter dogs experience stress as they settle into their new environment, so enrichment toys are really important to keep them busy and help them adapt. I would like to thank everyone who helped prepare this wonderful donation – we are very grateful.”
Pictured left to right: Sarah Poole, Hannah Crewe, Deborah Burrows and Rachael Payne of Healthy Pet Store
