When Mary Alloy, owner of a Just Pizza restaurant in New York, received a message from Kimberly LaRussa at the animal shelter, Niagara SPCA, where she volunteered, her interest was sparked.
‘Kimberly texted me one night and was like, <Hey, what do you think about putting pictures of the dogs on pizza boxes?> and I just couldn’t wait,’ Mary recalls.
Within days, every customer who ordered a pizza from Mary’s restaurant had the picture and profile of a dog needing adoption on the box.
The community rallied behind the ‘Pizza and Pups’ campaign and the very next day the first dog, seven-month-old Larry, found his forever home with his new dog mum.
Soon after, Niagara SPCA’s longest resident, two-year-old Solstice, was also adopted.
Just Pizza/Facebook
As the dog cages at the shelter emptied, the pizza box campaign was expanded to include shelter cats as well.
Not only did Mary ensure every pizza she sold featured an animal on the lid she also gifted a $50 pizza voucher to every adopting family.
Mary Alloy, owner of Just Pizza
Just Pizza/Facebook
The Niagara SPCA considers Mary a guardian angel for animals in need.
‘There should be more people in the world like her,’ they said.