Give Back to Pets in Need this Giving Tuesday with PetSmart

PHOENIX, Nov. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pets give so much to the people they love and this Giving Tuesday PetSmart is encouraging pet parents to give to pet families in need with initiatives that benefit PetSmart Charities. Funds raised throughout the holiday season will support animal welfare across the U.S.

Giving Tuesday
In honor of Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30, PetSmart invites pet parents to treat their pets and give back. For every purchase of dog or cat treats, PetSmart will donate $1 to PetSmart Charities, up to $140,000*, to further their mission to make the world a better place for pets and all who love them. To promote these efforts, Blue Buffalo, Merrick and True Chews have committed to donate $45,000 each to PetSmart Charities. Together this generosity will make an impact on PetSmart Charities' work to help advocate and care for the well-being of pets and their families.

"We are grateful for partners like PetSmart, Blue Buffalo, Merrick and True Chews, and for passionate pet parents who donate to PetSmart Charities throughout the holiday season," said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. "As the largest funder of animal welfare in the country, these donations provide resources to keep pets and families together, connect shelter pets to loving homes and support access to quality vet care. These efforts strengthen families and local communities – when we give a pet a better life, they enrich ours, too."

Chance and Friends
PetSmart is proud to bring back the Chance and Friends collection this year, featuring adorable dog, cat, llama, dinosaur, hedgehog, wolf and unicorn plush toys that will bring joy to pets and people. Throughout the holiday season, for each in-store or online Chance and Friends toy purchase, PetSmart will donate 20% of the proceeds to PetSmart Charities. For those who do not wish to bring home the toy, PetSmart offers the opportunity to donate the Chance and Friends plush toy to the store who will in turn gift it to local organizations that can spread holiday cheer in the community.

In 2020, more than $1.64 million was raised from the Chance and Friends collection to support PetSmart Charities' funded initiatives, and more than 2.5 million plush toys were donated and distributed to people and pets in need in the communities where PetSmart operates.

"The whimsical nature of the Chance and Friends collection represents the kindness and joy animals bring to our lives," said Kristin Shane, senior vice president of merchandising at PetSmart. "This year we are happy to increase the amount of proceeds donated from this collection. These furry toys help impact the lives and wellbeing of our furry friends and are truly gifts that keep on giving."

Shop and Donate
Those looking to further give back and improve the lives of pets and pet families this season, can choose to donate to PetSmart Charities directly through the PIN pad as they check out at PetSmart stores or online, or can donate directly at petsmartcharities.org.

These donations add up to make a big impact and collectively, donors have given more than $475 million to PetSmart Charities to support animal welfare initiatives. To learn more about ways to give back to PetSmart Charities this holiday season visit petsmartcharities.org and for more information on Chance and Friends or PetSmart holiday products, visit petsmart.com.

*With every purchase of a dog or cat treat on 11/30/2021, PetSmart will donate $1.00 per treat up to $140,000 to PetSmart Charities to help support their mission. Thanks to our sponsors, Blue Buffalo, Merrick and True Chews and their additional donations of $45,000 each to PetSmart Charities (totaling $135,000). PetSmart Charities is a registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

About PetSmart^®
PetSmart is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities.

PetSmart operates approximately 1,650 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. The retailer provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption. PetSmart, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada work with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 9 million adoptions, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization.

About PetSmart Charities® 
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps nearly 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $475 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org. 

SOURCE PetSmart