“I’m a big repurpose kind of person,” said Parylak, 25. “When I first got my foster dogs a few years ago, they went through toys with no business. I thought it was a great way to reuse. Plus, it’s a win-win for everyone. People feel good when they donate their toys.”
For the past few months, Parylak, has been mostly at home due to a work-related injury at his city job. He posted a call for unwanted, in-need-of-repair pet toys on a Fishtown Facebook page, which soon spread throughout the city. Parylak found himself doing 15 pick-up stops on a run, and people like Abby Michaels started dropping off bags outside his house.
“It’s awesome.”
Soon, Parylak had his own Island of Lost (Pet) Toys at his Academy Gardens home. Using scraps of old clothes, patches of new fabric, and squeakers bought on Amazon, hers is a one-woman Santa’s workshop that has rehabbed around 300 toys so far with more waiting to wings.
Sometimes, having all those toys around is too tempting for her own dogs, Terry and Polar, two rescue pit bulls.
“Sometimes when I’m grooming them, Polar, my youngest, will come and try to keep one. I usually don’t let them take them. But if there’s one they’re really interested in, I usually only do one. I’ll go to the store and I’ll change it.”