As the festive season approaches, Durbanites have an opportunity to spread a little extra kindness to animals in need through Paws for Joy: Fill a tummy this festive season, a community initiative by Canine & Co. in partnership with SAFE Fostering Network.
Running from 1 November to 11 December 2026, the campaign invites the public to donate pet food and essential supplies at participating Canine & Co. stores in Granada, Sunningdale, Hyper, Crescent and Cornubia. Every donation will help support SAFE’s on-the-ground feeding scheme, which provides food to dogs and cats in communities where resources are limited.
The scale of this work is significant. SAFE’s feeding scheme distributes approximately two tons of dog food and provides food for 180 cats every five weeks. Importantly, all the animals supported through the scheme have been sterilised and vaccinated by the SAFE team, helping to improve their health and wellbeing while promoting responsible animal care.
“We are incredibly proud to launch this campaign in support of SAFE and the remarkable work they do for animals in our communities. Their commitment goes far beyond providing food, and we hope this initiative will help them with the vital work they do on the ground,” says Wendy Griggs, Canine & Co. Regional Manager, KZN.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get involved. Whether you simply pop into one of our stores to drop off a donation, or choose to add something for the campaign while shopping for your own pet, every contribution is welcome. Together, we can make a real difference,” adds Griggs.
SAFE Fostering Network, which stands for Saving Animals through Fostering & Education, is an animal welfare organisation dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable animals through rescue, rehabilitation, fostering and rehoming. The organisation also runs an adoption programme for the animals it rescues and rehabilitates, and encourages those looking to welcome a pet into their family to consider adopting an animal in need of a loving, permanent home. Its work also includes community-based feeding, sterilisation, vaccination and education initiatives.
The feeding scheme is particularly important in communities where animals may otherwise struggle to receive consistent nutrition. Through its feeding programme and broader animal welfare initiatives, SAFE helps improve animal wellbeing and promote responsible care.
Kerry Janke, Director and Co-founder of SAFE Fostering Network, says the initiative will make a meaningful difference to the organisation’s ongoing work.
“We are so incredibly grateful to Canine & Co. for choosing to support SAFE and our feeding scheme through this campaign. The amount of food needed to keep this programme going is substantial, and community support like this means so much to us. Every donation helps us continue feeding animals who depend on this programme. Knowing that people are willing to come together to help animals they may never even meet is truly heartwarming,” says Janke.
Griggs adds: “As a thank-you to everyone who gets involved, each donation earns an entry into a competition to win a festive pet hamper valued at R5 000, giving you the chance to spoil your own pet. Every donor will also receive a Canine & Co. thank-you card offering 10% off their next in-store purchase. It is our way of thanking the community for supporting this initiative and helping SAFE continue its important work.”
Griggs says the campaign is ultimately about bringing people together to help animals in need. “We know how much love people have for their own pets, and we hope they will help us extend that kindness to animals who are less fortunate. I encourage the community to get involved. Every donation will make a meaningful difference, helping to fill more tummies and keep more tails wagging this festive season,” concludes Griggs.
For more information about Paws for Joy: Fill a tummy this festive season, please contact Wendy Griggs on 074 100 9924. To learn more about SAFE Fostering Network and its work, visit www.safenetwork.org.za.
