Taiwan faces a severe issue with stray dogs, but there are numerous organizations and shelters dedicated to helping these animals find warm homes. Beyond these non-profit organizations, several well-known brands in Taiwan aim to leverage their influence by collaborating with non-profits to promote stray animal protection and adoption. This collaboration enables more people to assist stray animals in simple and direct ways, even if they lack time or financial resources. All it takes is a heart that loves animals to lend a helping hand.
IKEA New Taipei City Xintian District Store x Stray Animal Garden
IKEA's pet supplies have always been popular among pet owners, offering a range of affordable and practical products such as pet beds, outdoor accessories, and dining utensils. As a result, IKEA has accumulated a loyal customer base of pet lovers and animal enthusiasts. In October 2021, the IKEA store in New Taipei City's Xintian District collaborated with the Stray Animal Garden for the first time to launch a series of activities aimed at helping stray animals.
The Stray Animal Garden is a well-known organization dedicated to rescuing stray animals and organizing adoption events. Over the years, they have helped over 9,900 stray animals find happy homes. Their mission is to ensure that rescued animals are not confined to shelters but instead find their own loving families to spend their lives with.
IKEA displayed photos of adoptable strays in their furniture showrooms to attract potential adopters. In collaboration with the Stray Animal Garden and photographer Mr. Wu Yi-Ping, IKEA created eye-catching standees featuring adorable photos of the strays. These standees were placed in various parts of the store, including furniture displays, home decor sections, and pet supply areas. This setup allowed shoppers to imagine what it would be like to adopt these strays and live happily with them.
Additionally, IKEA hosted on-site adoption events at the entrance of their Xintian District store and set up a donation box. Besides monetary donations, shoppers could purchase special pet supplies from IKEA, which would be donated to the adopted animals as a kind of "dowry." IKEA's event helped raise awareness about stray animals and facilitated fundraising efforts.
O-Bank's "Stray Animal Affinity Card" Supports Animal Welfare
The financial industry is also contributing to animal welfare through innovative initiatives. O-Bank, in collaboration with the Animal Rescue Team Taiwan, has launched the "Stray Animal Affinity Card". This card features adorable cats and dogs on its design. For every transaction made using the card, 0.2% of the amount will be donated to the Animal Rescue Team Taiwan. This means that consumers can support the organization simply by maintaining their daily spending habits without needing to spend extra money.
The Animal Rescue Team Taiwan has been dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating stray animals on the streets for over two decades. They work closely with professional veterinary teams and animal hospitals to provide medical care to these animals. Over the years, they have saved more than 5,000 stray animals. In addition to local rescue efforts, the team also facilitates international adoptions, having successfully rehomed thousands of animals to overseas families.
O-Bank's Stray Animal Affinity Card allows cardholders to contribute to the Animal Rescue Team Taiwan while making purchases, supporting their mission to help stray animals in need.
Source: O-Bank Official Website
D+AF Collaborates with Love Dog Shelter
Renowned women's shoe brand D+AF has partnered with the Love Dog Shelter to launch a limited-edition charity shoe collection. The proceeds from the sale of these shoes will be donated in full, without deducting any costs. Each customer who purchases a pair of these charity shoes will receive a gift from the Love Dog Shelter. For years, the shelter has been dedicated to rescuing stray dogs and providing transitional services to help them find happy homes, ending their fate of being homeless or abandoned.
In addition to this collaboration, D+AF has also teamed up with celebrity Elva Hsiao to support the cause. For every pair of charity shoes sold, the company will donate a pack of dog food to all the dogs at the Love Dog Shelter. Through this partnership, D+AF and Elva Hsiao are working together to sell charity shoes and donate dog food to support the shelter's efforts.
Source: D+AF Official Website
Conclusion
In addition to non-profit organizations, numerous companies are embracing their social responsibilities by actively assisting stray dogs in finding homes and advocating for the protection of stray animals. If more brand companies commit to rescuing stray dogs and leverage their influence and financial resources to support more stray animals, this love can be sustained over time.
