Wouldn't it be nice to be able to go somewhere that you can play and cuddle with dogs, to your hearts content, and then return to your no-pets-allowed apartment? We thought so too.
Our
Story
Ever since we were children, we would gaze at every passing pooch or pup in hopes that one day we could be the ones holding the leashes. (We are those creepy adorable friends that text you to say hi to your dog.) But like many New Yorkers, the city that we love also comes with one major drawback--this concrete jungle is not made for our furry friends. Between work and life, it's difficult to prepare for all aspects of owning a dog first. Being a responsible owner means having the time,
money and stability that a dog requires. So we resigned our dreams of having our own cuddly canine and chose to spend my time
volunteering at local shelters.
Then during a trip in Puerto Rice in the summer of 2014, the seeds of
Dog Cafe were planted. we spent many days wandering different cities
of the island, and everywhere we went, there were too many stray
dogs. Many of them had obvious skin diseases and were severely
malnourished. It was incredibly heartbreaking to see and to know
there wasn’t much we could do to help them, except provide them
with food. We fed one, we fed another, but there was no way we could
possibly feed them all. And even if we managed to feed them... then
what? Where would they go and what would they eat the next day? Or
the day after that? It was then we realized, we want a bigger role in
helping dogs towards a better future.
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Playing with a stray who roams the beaches of Puerto Rico
About
Dog Cafe
Dog
cafes already successfully exist in many other countries. The one
we've personally been to is in Korea. After a long day of feeling homesick, there's absolutely nothing more comforting than going into a dog cafe. It's just impossible to not smile
when you have swarms of dogs running towards you wagging their tails
and begging you for treats and some attention.
Out vision for this dog cafe is to benefit both people and dogs. Dog
lovers like us (especially others Manhattanites who do not have room
for their own dog) can come to Dog Cafe, have a drink, play with dogs
and relax. Dog owners will have a place to bring their dogs when they
want to grab a drink or a bite. And most importantly, Dog Cafe will
help dogs find homes! All of our dogs will be from our partner animal shelters,
available for adoption. Hopefully, we will find happy homes for our furry friends.
Use
of Funding
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The location will be in Manhattan, NYC, so rent and fees will be higher
than the national average. Creating a safe and enjoyable home for the dogs and dog lovers is Dog Cafe's #1 priority. Because dogs need to be able to run around, a big space
will be required. Most of your contributions will be used
towards the initial costs of rent and space renovation, while a small portion will be
for permits, licenses and other business costs. To provide a fun
play area for the dogs, our plan is to build a dog playground on one side of the café. The playground will be concealed in a glass room
with a separate entrance as the seating area to meet the guidelines
of the Department of Health and Inspection. Customers will be able to
enjoy their coffee and quick bites while watching the dogs run around
and play with each other in the playground, as well as join in on the
fun themselves. This way we can also provide a fun and sanitary café
for both the customers and the dogs.
Please help us spread the word and make NYC's first dog cafe possible!
