Share your love this month by donating your empties to help rescued animals

To support the places that support our furry friends, Empties for Paws is launching the “Share the Love” campaign to encourage Canadians to donate their empties throughout the month of February.

In the past, Empties for Paws has typically held Bottle Drive Blitzes for one weekend only to encourage Canadians to make an effort to donate their empty beer cans, beer bottles and wine and liquor bottles to raise money for animal rescues.

However, the organization decided to take this to the next level this year and make it a month-long event.

“February is the month of love. So, we’ve decided to do a campaign throughout the whole month,” said Darlene Charman, media co-ordinator for Empties for Paws.

Though each individual beer can or bottle may just seem like pocket change, when donated, collectively it can add up to a lot.

In Ontario, empty beer bottles and cans collect for ten cents while wine and liquor bottles are twenty cents. In Alberta, any drink container is refundable for a minimum of ten cents. An empty case of 24, is $2.40 that translates to three cans of cat food or one can of dog food.

Some rescues even accept juice boxes, pop cans, old batteries and other recyclables.

The money raised throughout the year through donated empties will go towards veterinarian bills, food, supplies and anything else rescues are in dire need of to take care of the animals in their care.

“It’s important for us to help the animals that are in need but it’s also to show the local animal rescues our appreciation for the work that they’ve been doing and show our support towards them,” added Charman.

Empties for Paws was started in Jan. 2015 by self-described animal lover Gisele Villeneuve. Villeneuve, who had been following the practice of donating empties herself for many years, started the organization realizing that a great deal of money could be raised for rescues and that many rescues collected empties.

Today, there are more than 85 rescues part of the Empties for Paws network. Although most are located in Ottawa, the Valley and across Ontario, there are a number of rescues also located in Alberta and New Brunswick.

“Our goal, ultimately, is to be across Canada,” shared Charman.

In its inaugural year Empties for Paws raised $12,927. Just last year, Empties for Paws was able to encourage $123,596 in donations across the country. The hope is that the amount will just keep increasing with each passing year.

For a complete list of all the animal rescues that take empties visit the Empties for Paws website.