Six Adventure-Loving, Fresh Air-Seeking Dogs on their way Home to a Lifetime of Happiness

Ruffwear, the leading manufacturer of high performance dog gear, wants to thank all Outdoor Retailer attendees who stopped by the booth and on the show floor to give a little love to the visiting shelter dogs. Through its recently announced Ruff Adventure Dog Adoption Program, Ruffwear and Best Friends Animal Society decided to test how much OR attendees love dogs. And the result = A LOT.

Over the course of two days, Best Friends’ Salt Lake City partner, Rescue Rovers, brought in eight fresh air-seeking, adventure ready dogs to the Salt Palace. Outfitted with Web Master Pro™ Harnesses displaying “Adopt Me” signs and applications, it wasn’t long before people stopped by the Ruffwear booth to hand in their adoption requests. Of the eight dogs who attended, six were adopted! (Ironically, a young puppy named Robi who had just been neutered and wasn’t feeling so adventurous, was one of the two not to find his forever home.)

“People expect us to have dogs at the booth and they’re always a draw. But we had no idea how receptive show attendees would be to actually adopting these dogs. Rescue Rovers did a great job bringing dogs that would pair well with our active, outdoorsy crowd. I think the first application came in just hours after the dogs arrived and by the end of the first day, nearly all dogs present had applications pending, it was amazing,” said Greg Freyberg, Ruffwear’s Brand Manager. 

Pat Bruce from Friends of Nevada Wilderness was at OR. “When I saw Dixie at the show, I fell for her pretty hard…The folks at Rescue Rovers and Ruffwear made it easy (to coordinate the adoption) and I have no regrets about my decision. I took her into the office today and she was welcomed with open arms. It’s great to have a dog friendly place to work and we’re looking forward to our first trip to the desert with our volunteers.”

In May,Ruffwear initiated a two-year, $50,000 partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. Through financial, in-kind product support and the Ruff Adventure Dog Adoption Program, the two organizations have been working together to match adventurous, outdoor-loving dogs with adventurous, outdoor-loving people, essentially, Ruffwear’s customers. Since the RAD Adoption Program went live, thirteen dogs have been matched. Ruffwear has covered the cost of adoption fees and airfare, as well as provided new collars and leashes for the dogs to go home with. 

“Best Friends found a true partner in Ruffwear,” says Lisa Giradot, Development Manager, In-Kind Partnerships for Best Friends Animal Society. “Whether it’s promoting and funding adoptions through the Ruff Adventure Dog Adoption Program, or creating gear that keeps active dogs safe and engaged with their owners in the great outdoors, Ruffwear’s passion for making the lives of all dogs better is their driving force.”

To learn more about Best Friends Animal Society, please visit bestfriends.org or follow along on Facebook or Twitter.

About Ruffwear

Ruffwear is committed not only to animal welfare, but also preserving open lands and waterways, providing important habitat for wildlife and recreational opportunities for humans and canines. Through partnerships with The Conservation Alliance and regional grassroots organizations, Ruffwear is able to give back and create opportunities to strengthen the bond between humans and their dogs.

Ruffwear Performance Dog Gear™ combines technology, quality, fit, function, and safety to meet the needs of active and adventurous canines and their humans. Based in Bend, Oregon, the brand sells their products through specialty pet and outdoor retailers as well as at www.ruffwear.com. For sales inquiries, please contact Dove Gibson, dove@ruffwear.com and for media inquiries, Kate Ketschek, kate@revolutionhousemedia.com.