If we were being honest, there are only two things we care about this fall (pfft, what election?): frolicking puppies and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. And thanks to this new initiative that is helping save shelter dogs by taking them to Starbucks, both of those things just got a whole lot sweeter. The stroke of genius was spearheaded by Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale, Washington (home state of the OG Starbucks, FYI), and is adorably documented on their Instagram. But how exactly are these Starbucks trips saving the day?
It's simple, really: by going out to Starbucks, these pups get seen by all sorts of potential owners that might not have otherwise seen them. Shelter volunteer Molly Clark takes one dog every Tuesday to enjoy a whipped cream treat called a Puppuccino (BRB, collecting my heart from the floor), and more often than not, the whole scene is so adorable that the doggy can't help but make new human friends.
“They love it! Molly only select dogs who will not be stressed by the experience," said Rebekah Johnson, the events and outreach manager at Kitsap Humane Society, to Bored Panda. “However, Molly will bring Puppuccinos back to the shelter to dogs who are unable to leave the shelter. There is no 'one size fits all' shelter experience, and KHS’ staff and volunteers goes to great lengths to ensure that each animal here at KHS receives individualized care and attention."
The best part? The local Starbucks puts up a flier featuring the dog whose turn it is for Puppuccino Tuesday every week. So even if you miss out on the caffeinated canine shenanigans, you can get to know about a potential new puppy friend — and more and more puppies get adopted.
Plus, every pooch gets featured each week on the shelters' Instagram page, along with links for more information about them. This hound, for instance, was my identical twin in a past life.
Hopefully this is more than enough cuteness to guide you through the next few weeks of waiting for the PSL to arrive ... and hopefully it inspires a ton more adorable trips like this nationwide! A home for every Starbucks-loving puppy! We can make it happen, one Puppacinno at a time.
Images: kitsaphumanesociety/Instagram
