Honoring Winston By Helping Pups In Need

Back when I started Sir Dogwood, I knew I wanted to do my part to shift the pet industry into being more modern and inclusive. I wanted to support women and BIPOC-led brands and non-profits that were doing the important “boots on the ground” work of helping animals find forever homes and live their best lives.

One Tail at a Time is a Chicago-based animal shelter and advocacy group that Sir Dogwood gives back to each month. Their values of compassion, community engagement, progress, and growth are some of my own. One Tail at a Time also has a mission to support vulnerable populations, like the big dogs, senior dogs, sick dogs, parvo puppies, pitbulls, and neonate kittens.

Here are some of the other things they do:

• They offer community pet days where pet parents in need can receive free microchips, vaccines, and spay/neuter vouchers
• They run the ISO Program, a temporary stop over for sick animals coming from the shelter before they move to foster homes
• They choose to be on the front line of progressive policies and animal welfare programming
• They co-founded the Chicago Community Pet Coalition
• They co-host important People & Pet Food Pantry Drives
• They enjoy everyone getting together with their Summer Shake 2021

As I’m sure you can imagine, overcrowding in animal shelters is an issue all over the United States and Chicago is no exception. One Tail at a Time also runs Chicagoland Rescue Intervention and Support Program (CRISP), Chicago’s only shelter diversion program. Keeping animals out of the shelter is important! CRISP offers thoughtful and loving alternatives like helping with landlord disputes, training, offering supplies for housebreaking, and veterinarian, emergency, and wellness care so pet owners can keep pets at home where they are loved.

I’m proud to say One Tail at a Time is also addressing the current lack of diversity in the veterinary field by appointing a Black veterinary surgical team at the Ellis Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Simuel Hampton and Dr. Rachael Wooten (meet them here!) both agree that veterinary medicine is one of the least racially diverse professions. They are committed to outreach, attending career fairs, and engaging with students so they can help foster a new generation of veterinarian professionals.

The Ellis Veterinary Clinic also happens to be home of the newly-dedicated Sir Dogwood Dog Suite where animals can chill before their intake appointments. The wooden plaque on the door reads, “Because Dogs Are Everything In Loving Memory of Winston.” Winston was my Miniature Schnauzer who passed in 2019. He was my original muse.

Sir Dogwood is proud to donate a portion of our monthly sales to One Tail at a Time. If you live in the Chicago area (and even if you don’t!) here’s information on how to volunteer, foster, make a donation, or start your very own fundraiser that benefits One Tail at a Time. They depend on animal lovers like us to keep their efforts strong.