How Pelsbarn Gives Back Each Holiday
Giving back has been part of who we are at Pelsbarn from the very start. In fact, it was the sole reason our company was founded: to help shelter dogs all over the world live happier, healthier and more comfortable lives. This means that giving back is an ongoing commitment built into every decision we make.
We are aware that if we want to make the world a better place, we can’t rely on occasional moments alone. Meaningful change comes from doing something different consistently, rather than just every once in a while. Which is why we donate to shelters in need with every order. This is a small habit we do consistently to help dogs one dog bed at a time. However we also know we can always do more, and at the same time, we recognize that we cannot do everything at once (even though we want to).
That is where specific holidays and special dates actually come in very handy; they allow us to space our impact and high effort donation campaigns out intentionally over the year, creating focused opportunities to do something special when shelters often feel the pressure the most.
In a nutshell: to ensure our support is both constant and meaningful, we give back in two ways:
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With every single order, year-round.
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Through big donation campaigns during holidays, where we can address specific, urgent needs.
Below, we’re sharing a look behind the scenes at our recent seasonal shelter collaborations to show how this comes together in practice.
🎃 Halloween: Supporting Shelters at a Critical Moment
For Halloween 2025, we partnered with PAWS Shelter of Central Texas. At the time, one of their locations was facing serious funding challenges and was at a real risk of closure.
We set up a campaign to donate a portion of every purchase directly to PAWS, allowing them to cover operational costs and medical care.
🦃 Thanksgiving: Giving Locally, Giving Personally
Thanksgiving is about nourishment and care, values that hit close to home for us. We chose to support Satchel’s Last Resort, a smaller rescue organization.
Smaller shelters often rely heavily on direct, hands-on support. To help, our team member Madison delivered dog food and treats to them in person. We also focused on practical comfort; providing dog beds with washable covers is a game-changer for smaller rescues, as it ensures the dogs stay cozy while making the shelter's daily maintenance much more manageable.
🎄 Christmas: Comfort Where It’s Needed Most
During the Christmas season, we wanted to ensure that dogs waiting for their "forever homes" felt the warmth of the holidays. Madison spent the season driving to various locations to personally donate a variety of dog beds.
We focused on variety because every dog’s needs are different. Providing warm dog beds to shelters during the winter months is not just about providing a soft place to land, but also about helping maintain dignity and give rest to dogs who are in between homes.
💘 Valentine’s Day: More Than Just Puppy Love
This February, we wanted to show that love is a verb. My colleague Camille and I (Elle) visited a shelter in Spain to spend time with the dogs who are often overlooked. We took two long-stay residents out on a "special Valentine’s date" to give them a day of undivided attention and put them back in the spotlight for adoption.
But of course we didn’t go empty-handed. We brought along a massive donation to upgrade the shelter’s daily comfort, including multiple carbeds for safe transport and dog beds to make the kennel environment feel a bit more like a home. We also included our calming dog blankets to help the more anxious pups feel secure. It was a beautiful reminder that while a "date" makes for a special memory, the consistent comfort of a high-quality dog bed is what sustains them while they wait for their forever families.
So… How Do We Choose?
While the details of our campaigns change, our guiding principles for choosing partnerships remain the same:
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Urgency matters: We look for shelters facing immediate financial or operational hurdles.
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Size doesn’t define impact: Smaller or at-risk shelters often need visibility and support the most.
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Action over optics: We focus on what actually helps that specific shelter, whether it’s a financial donation, a dog car bed, a cooling bed for hot climates or an orthopedic bed for older dogs.
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Consistency is key: We give back with every purchase, and use the natural rhythm of the year to ensure we are showing up to give extra time and time again.
Thank You for Being Part of It
Every (holiday) collaboration is made possible by you. By choosing to shop with us, you aren't just buying a product; you are helping us maintain a balanced ecosystem of support for dogs in need.
Whether you are looking for the best orthopedic dog bed for your own pup or shopping our dog beds collection to support our next donation, your contribution makes this possible. You can also read more about other donations we have done, our tips for pet-parents or what makes our beds special on our blog page. As we move forward, we’re excited to continue finding ways to give back with intention, care, and consistency.
Warmly, Elle from Team Pelsbarn
