Giving Back

Toy drive for shelter dogs at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society this Friday

The public is invited to spread Christmas cheer this Friday, December 15, as Santa’s sleigh brings toys and goodies to the dogs at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society in Fort Walton Beach. Attorney Whitney Smith, with Fleet, Smith & Freeman in Shalimar, is asking the public to meet around 2 p.m. on Friday at the animal shelter […]

Jared Williams

The public is invited to spread Christmas cheer this Friday, December 15, as Santa’s sleigh brings toys and goodies to the dogs at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society in Fort Walton Beach.

Attorney Whitney Smith, with Fleet, Smith & Freeman in Shalimar, is asking the public to meet around 2 p.m. on Friday at the animal shelter to donate pet toys, blankets, fitted sheets and towels for the shelter’s 200 dogs.

Smith noted that the shelter is “in desperate need” of such donations.

Volunteers are also needed to escort the dogs to the ‘sleigh’, where they will be able to pick out toys for themselves. Smith said she’s hopeful this will be “a great event for volunteers and pups.”

Donations can be dropped off before Friday at Smith’s law firm, Fleet, Smith & Freeman; Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic; or thrIVefwb.

The donation drive and toy sleigh event come as the BISSELL Pet Foundation holds reduced-fee adoption events at over 380 shelters nationwide, including PAWS, from Dec. 1-17. People can adopt pets for $25 rather than the typical fee under the “Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope” initiative.

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