Dogsgiving giveaway announced this year

The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program is hosting a Dogsgiving giveaway in which 1 winner will receive 5 dog Thanksgiving meals and toys, plus they can select an animal shelter to be gifted a $10,000 donation.

Photo courtesy of ASPCA Pet Health Insurance.

"At ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, we treat our pets like family and want them to join in on the holiday festivities, but Thanksgiving meals and sweet treats are not always safe for them to consume," expressed Anna Clarke, senior director of brand marketing, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, in a company release.¹

"We wanted to come up with a way for our dogs to be involved in Thanksgiving traditions safely. Instead of worrying about what to feed your dog to celebrate the holiday, we'll take care of the meal and provide food made specifically for them along with ample toys. We know not all dogs have a home and a human to celebrate with and we want to also ensure we're helping with a donation to a shelter of the winner's choosing," she added.

Additionally, with this giveaway, the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program is bringing attention to rising veterinary care costs and how pet insurance can play an important role in easing these costs. Particularly around Thanksgiving, a variety of dishes and treats with ingredients toxic to pets (eg, baker’s yeast, raisins, grapes, onions, garlic, animal bones, bouillon, etc) are being served to guests and accidental ingestion by the household pet is common.^1,2,3

According to Forbes Advisor,⁴ 42% of pet parents report that a veterinary bill of $999 or less would cause them to go into debt, so ASPCA Pet Insurance further stresses that pet insurance can help to cover the eligible veterinary bill and offers peace of mind when pets are sick or injured.

"As a veterinarian, it's not uncommon to care for pets that become very ill after eating inappropriate foods, either given as treats or those that pets ingested from holiday dinner tables while their owners weren't looking," stated Wendy Hauser, DVM, special advisor to the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program.¹ "We want to ensure your dog is healthy and protected in case this happens this year so they can live a happy, healthy, and long life. Providing them with human food that's less likely to upset their GI system and a few fun toys to distract them from your holiday meal is the perfect way to do so."

Here are the giveaway details¹:

• Prize
  • 5 Thanksgiving meals, suitable for dogs, containing a turkey meatloaf, loaded white potatoes, roasted butternut squash, a Gobble Gobble cake, and a Thanksgiving cookie.
  • Thanksgiving-themed toys for each of 5 furry friends.
  • A $10,000 donation to an animal shelter of your choice.
• Dates:
  • The giveaway opens on November 6 (following the announcement on social media) and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 15, 2023.
  • The winner will be selected at random on November 16, 2023.
• Eligibility:
  • You must live in the United States (not available in FL, NY, or Puerto Rico).
  • You must be 18+ in age.

For those who suspect their pet has been exposed to dangerous substances, call your veterinarian or Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. According to the release,¹ If a pet has a sensitive stomach or medical conditions that require a specific diet, avoid dietary changes without consulting your veterinarian first.

References

1. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance makes Thanksgiving "Dogsgiving" this year. News release. Independence Health Group Inc. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aspca-pet-health-insurance-makes-thanksgiving-dogsgiving-this-year-301977646.html
2. Thanksgiving pet poisons. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owner-blog/thanksgiving-pet-poisons
3. 4 harmful Thanksgiving foods for pets. ASPCA Pro. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/4-harmful-thanksgiving-foods-pets
4. Metz J. 42% of pet owners can’t cover a surprise vet bill amid inflation. Forbes Advisor. Updated August 18, 2023. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-cost