Every December, a tree goes up at Pope Memorial Humane Society that means more than lights and ornaments ever could. It’s covered in tags, each one representing a meaningful way to help care for the animals spending the holidays with us. Some items are small, others are larger, and all are needed. This year, the tradition has a new name: the Holiday Pet Tree. Same tradition, just a little rebrand. (Long story, we’ll tell you later.)
Starting December 1 at 11 a.m., everyone is invited to stop by the shelter to pick a tag —or as many as you’d like. Each tag lists one or more items that make a difference in the lives of the animals in our care. Some requests are what you’d expect—food, toys, blankets. Others might make you pause: bleach, printer paper, and Pet Safe Salt. But trust us, every single item helps in its own way.
That ream of paper? It prints the medical records and adoption contracts that send animals home. The bleach, trash bags, and floor cleaner? They keep the shelter clean and healthy. The Pet Safe Salt? It means our volunteers can keep walking dogs safely all winter long. Every single thing on that tree helps make life a little better for the animals here.
Can’t make it to the shelter? No problem. You can find Holiday Pet Trees at Laurel’s Dolce Vita, Rockland Animal Hospital, Ruckus Donuts, and The Samoset Resort, each one filled with tags ready to be taken.
If you feel like wrapping your gift, go for it. We love unwrapping the packages with the animals, some of them even (safely) join in on the fun. (We reuse and recycle what we can, promise.)
The Holiday Pet Tree is our biggest donation drive of the year and sets PMHS up for the winter months ahead. Every tag taken, every gift given, helps ensure the animals in our care have what they need until they find their families.
And if you’re out of the area but want to take part, just email Kasey at
S2FzZXkgfCBQb3BlSHVtYW5lICEgb3Jn; she’ll send you a tag so you can join in from wherever you are.
Thank you for making this tradition what it is year after year. It means more than we can say.
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