Thousands of tails are wagging this National Foster a Pet Month, thanks to Skechers! The Manhattan Beach, CA-based company has surpassed $11 million in donations from sales of its BOBS from Skechers collection—funds that have helped save and support more than two million animals in need since its inception in 2015.
“Our $11 million milestone reflects how deeply consumers are engaging with our brand, and how much our impact has grown to help animals in need,” states Skechers President Michael Greenberg. “The BOBS movement has become an organic, consumer-supported experience shared by pet lovers across North America. We’ve seen so many stories—from the girl who adopted her bulldog and nursed him to health and happiness in Washington to an elementary class that came together to adopt a therapy dog for their school in Michigan—even pilots who have taken to the air to help animals escape natural disasters. Every story has been unique, moving and life-changing for the animal and adopter. Together with the wonderful Paws for a Cause prints that our scholarship winners made in honor of their beloved shelter pets, these experiences unite our pet-loving community in such a beautiful, positive way.”
Through Skechers’ partnerships with Petco Love and its 4,000-plus animal welfare organization network in the United States and Canada, Woodgreen Pets Charity in the UK and ALMA in Japan, BOBS has grown into a cross-continental lifesaving movement, donating funds through purchases of specially marked BOBS from Skechers product, and producing adoption, vaccination, and check presentation events for animal welfare organizations.
To continue celebrations, BOBS from Skechers has spread its mission to change the lives of two young, talented animal rescue advocates through its inaugural Paws for a Cause Design Scholarship Program: Southern California-based college students Teeny Nadeau of Cal State Fullerton and Maki Shigetani of USC. The program encourages enrolled students at United States colleges and universities to create a dog- or cat-themed print for a BOBS from Skechers shoe, write about the design, and share a personal story about a shelter or adopted pet, or what the BOBS from Skechers collection means to them. The finalists included students from 20 schools nationwide, including colleges in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Both winners’ patterns were inspired by personal experiences with their adopted animals; Nadeau’s cat mosaic comes in honor of her regal rescue cat Firefly, who recently passed away from cancer. Shigetani designed her “bark ‘n’ drive” dog mosaic in tribute to her family’s dogs, whose unconditional love has helped support her mental health and brought joy to her family during the pandemic. These limited-edition celebratory styles will be available at select Skechers retail stores nationwide and skechers.com starting June 17.
Paws for a Cause Design Scholarship Program winners.
