Fundraising for Dog Rescue Interview

Read My Paws is an innovative company specializing in T-shirts for dogs and their people as well as fundraising for dog rescue organizations. LoveToKnow recently had the opportunity to speak with Patricia Patterson, owner of Read My Paws, to ask her about her company and the dogs she loves.

Read My Paws!

LTK: What motivated you to start this business?

Patricia: I had never owned a pet other than fish because I have really bad allergies, but I have always loved animals. About four years ago, my husband and I went through a very difficult time. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had to go undergo major surgery.

At the same time, Florida was enduring a terrible hurricane season and hurricane Jeanne had just come along and destroyed the office where my marketing and advertising business had been for ten years. I lost everything including books and items I had since college. Needless to say, we were in a very low place and struggling to get through the days.

I saw a commercial for a dog show, and they featured a Bedlington Terrier in the ad. My husband had told me about Bedlington Terriers when we were dating and said they looked like lambs. I was always fascinated by them and thought they were the cutest dogs. After seeing the commercial, I called my husband and told him I wanted a dog. He practically fell over and told me to get one.

After some research, a few months later, eight-week-old Baarney came into our lives. Baarney saved us at a time when we needed it very badly. We have always been very active people, and we always took Baarney everywhere we could. We do a lot of running, motorcycle events and on and on. In doing all of this, I was very big into all of us having the right outfit. So an idea came to me; make doggie clothes that reflect the lifestyle that dogs and their owners share.

So many people love their pets like their child and do take them everywhere. The shirts would be based on the shared lifestyles and would celebrate the very special bond of dogs and their owners.

In addition, because Baarney changed our lives in so many positive ways, I thought the business could also be a way to fulfill this new passion for animals and the positive impact they have on people. I can attest to this first hand. I believe very much in giving back. That's how Read My Paws was born. To thank him, Baarney got the official title of "Spokesdog".

LTK: Tell us a little about your T-shirts and why you chose to work with organic cotton?

Patricia: I believe very much in organic. As a person who has a lot of allergies, we try to live a preservative-free lifestyle. I also watch what our doggies eat and use. I felt it was a trend and the right kind of trend. In my market research, I also found out that dog owners want to know where their stuff is coming from and what's in it. It's a lifestyle that should be celebrated. In addition, when I got samples and felt how soft the material was, I loved everything about it.

We have about 15 designs. We are going to launch two new green/organic ones shortly and will be introducing a whole new line soon. My number one favorite is the "Recycle. Adopt a Dog" shirt. We make these in both dog and human shirts. I thought this saying was the best form of recycling and could be used to help rescue organizations. I also think it's eco-minded.

I also like "Go Green. Get a Hybrid" in the organic line because it celebrates all the mutts of the world. My other favorite is "Nobody says no to a princess". This was designed specifically for our second dog, a little girl named Tabaatha. This one is for her and speaks to her character. She has been in charge since we we got her at eight weeks old.

LTK: How do you help rescue organizations?

We work with rescues in several ways. We'll go to an event, sell the shirts and give a portion of the proceeds to them. The Suncoast SPCA also has their employees wear the "Recycle. Adopt a Dog" shirts because they say it is the perfect message for what they do.

If a rescue group wants to promote our shirts on their website, we will drop ship for them. They don't have to put out any cash and we'll give them a portion of the proceeds. If the organization wants to sell the shirts themselves, we work with them on pricing. If they do a minimum order, we'll customize the back of the shirts with their logo. There are tons of ways to help, and we are open to suggestions and ideas.

There are about 10 to 15 rescues in the Tampa Bay area that we help. In addition, many retailers buy the shirts to use at events they are promoting. We work with them so there are proceeds that go to the rescue.

If a rescue wants to set up a fundraiser, they can just call us at 866-934-5320 or email pat@readmypaws.com. We want to help!

LTK: Is there anything else you'd like our visitors to know about Read My Paws?

Patricia: For Earth Day 2009, we'll have special sales, and we'll introduce our new organic shirt designs. We have changed the design to a tank top to fit more dogs. Our goal is to now manufacture all our own shirts. That gives us great quality control, more design options and everything will be made in the U.S.A. -right here in Florida.

We also have some new lines coming out, and we just hope to keep expanding and helping animals. In addition to rescue groups, I want to work with seniors. In walking my doggies, I have had quite a few seniors come up to me and tell me how much they miss their dog, but they're not sure if they could go through all the training and everything associated with getting a dog. I'd like to put together a program to help them. Many of them suffer from loneliness, and since I know first hand how much a dog (or cat or other pet) can change their lives, I want them to have this joy again.

For more information about Read My Paws, visit their website at ReadMyPaws.com. There you can see the full line of shirts as well as toys, note cards and other awesome products.

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