Merrick Pet Care, Inc., announced a ‘BBQ 4 Good’ campaign to support shelter dogs with the launch of its new Slow-Cooked BBQ recipes for dogs. In addition to bringing delicious, regionally-inspired BBQ to dog food bowls this summer, Merrick is encouraging dog lovers to support local BBQ restaurants, and, in turn, the company is pledging to donate more than $50,000 to help shelter dogs nationwide.
Starting today through July 4, 2020, Americans simply need to support a local restaurant by placing an order on DoorDash, the nation’s leading on-demand local logistics network, or from a participating BBQ restaurant in Austin, Baltimore or Chicago, and Merrick will make a donation to a shelter partner.
“While interest in pet adoption has never been higher, local shelters need our support more than ever. At the same time, local restaurants have faced significant challenges this year,” said Barbara Liss, Vice President of Marketing for Merrick Pet Care. “At Merrick, we know how to deliver tasty and nutritious meals to pet food bowls. By working together with DoorDash and local BBQ restaurants, we are able to deliver on our commitment to giving back to the community by supporting local restaurants and helping shelter pets at the same time.”
Order BBQ. Help Dogs
For every order placed on DoorDash using the promo code BBQ4GOOD, Merrick will make a $1 donation* (up to $25,000) to North Shore Animal League America, which was founded more than 75 years ago and is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the United States.
“Due to the current pandemic, we’ve had to cancel several major fundraising events that we depend on each year to support our no-kill mission and rescue dogs, cats, puppies and kittens,” said Joanne Yohannan, Senior Vice President, Operations, North Shore Animal League America. “This BBQ 4 Good program with Merrick and DoorDash is incredibly timely for us – these donations will go a long way to fund our efforts to help pets across the country find loving, responsible homes.”
Additionally, for every carryout or delivery order placed directly from a participating restaurant in Austin, Baltimore and Chicago, Merrick will make a $10 donation to a local pet shelter (up to $10,000 for each shelter). Participating restaurants and shelters include: la Barbecue and Austin Pets Alive! in Austin, Texas, Blue Pit BBQ and The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) in Baltimore, Md., and Smoke Daddy and PAWS Chicago in Chicago, Ill. With each order at one of these local restaurants, pet parents will also receive a special “doggy bag” with a can of Merrick’s new slow-cooked BBQ to bring home to their dog.
#DogsLoveBBQToo
Like the rest of the Merrick portfolio, each slow-cooked BBQ recipe is crafted with all-natural ingredients and safely cooked in the USA. The new recipes start with beef, pork or chicken as the first ingredient and feature real, whole vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots in a savory broth that adds flavor and moisture to a dog’s diet. The BBQ offerings, inspired by four regional styles: Texas Style with Braised Beef, Kansas City Style with Chopped Pork, Carolina Style with Smokey Sausage and Memphis Style with Glazed Chicken, are available nationwide at Petco, PetSmart, independent pet specialty stores and online, just in time for backyard BBQ season. The suggested retail price is $3.19 for a 12.7-ounce can.
“We named our restaurant after our sweet pit-bull Sakai – who we adopted from The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter – because dogs and BBQ have always been an important part of our life,” said Cara Bruce, co-owner of Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar in Baltimore. “When I first opened a can of Merrick’s new slow-cooked BBQ, Memphis-style glazed chicken recipe for dogs, it smelled just like the BBQ chicken on our menu at Blue Pit. And, by the way Sakai’s tail was wagging like crazy when he tasted it – I know we’ve found his favorite summer meal!”
To learn more, visit MerrickPetcare.com/BBQ4Good. BBQ and dog lovers can also use #DogsLoveBBQToo and #BBQ4Good on social media to share the news.