PUHI — Ruby-Sue was festively sporting her red-and-white lei collar at Natural Pet Hawaii on Monday, sleepily guarding the business from her soft bed behind the counter between dogs Nicky and Legend.
The dog, adopted from the Kauai Humane Society several years ago by store employee Ally Kirk, couldn’t be coaxed from her post for much of anything, but Kirk still managed to get her to the front desk for a while to promote Natural Pet’s Giving Tree.
“It’s a way for the community to take care of the kitties and the puppies, too, this season,” Kirk said. “People that are coming in to buy dog food or whatever can get something for the shelter animals, too.”
The Giving Tree is a KHS fundraiser. Grab an ornament and follow the instructions on that ornament to donate to a good cause. The Natural Pet Giving Tree has been an annual event for about four years. Over that time, thousands of dollars in cash and gifts have been donated to help homeless animals.
It starts with a wish list from KHS with items like special pet food, chew toys, puppy pads and leashes. Natural Pet then takes that wish list and breaks it up onto individual ornaments displayed on the tree.
Customers can pluck an ornament from the tree and then pick up that item while they’re shopping.
“We have lots of stuff on the list,” Kirk said. “Some of it is $5. We had a woman come in today and donate a $150 big dog crate.”
Kirk didn’t have final tallies for the amount of donations this year, but said staff already has three full boxes of goodies ready to go, and the tree was surrounded by gifts already donated.
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Jessica Else, environment writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
