WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 5, 2019 5
Ross Cellino teams up with Glendale shelter to
boost the profi le of local pups and businesses
BY MAX PARROTT
MPARROTT@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Ross Cellino — the Cellino of the
famous legal advertisements —
recently partnered with Bobbi
and the Strays, an animal shelter with
locations in Glendale and Long Island,
to facilitate a win-win situation for
strays and local businesses.
At the beginning of November, the
Cellino Family Foundation launched
its “Sponsor a Cage” program at the
shelter, which provides businesses
the opportunity to fund the daily
needs of animals and receive marketing
in return.
The model relies heavily on the
innate human impulse to share
pictures of cute shelter dogs online.
Through the program, businesses
pay $250 a month to pay for the
needs of a specific animal. Bobbi
and the Strays then posts about the
sponsored animal and the business
information on Facebook and its
website.
Community members then share
the posts, boosting the profile of the
business and the animal along with
it, making it easier for the shelter to
find homes for the sponsored cats
and dogs. Cellino’s role is to help
boost the program by providing
advertising.
“This is a program that hasn’t been
tried before, and it’s really bringing
businesses owners who love animals
but can’t adopt them. Now they’re
getting involved in helping in a way
that gives them good exposure,” said
Iris Berrios, assistant director of
Bobbi and the Strays.
Cellino first implemented the
“Sponsor a Cage” program in the
Buffalo area, and was so happy with
the success that he decided to find
a shelter in New York City. Berrios
said that the foundation plans to
expand the program to other states
as well.
Bobbi Giordano, the executive
director of the shelter, said that they
have about 200 animals between
their two locations. So far, 11 businesses
have signed up to sponsor an
animal, plus the four or five others
who have expressed interest.
“We’re having animals getting
adopted quicker,” said Berrios.
They’re looking for more businesses
to sponsor the ranks of Wing
Bistro Sports Barr, who sponsor of
Stevie Snowflake, a 1-year-old Maltese,
or Maltese Home Sales, who are
sponsoring Buddy Zu, an affectionate
10-year-old Shi Tzu.
To sponsor a cage, call 716-382-0607
or contact us via gary@teammates1.
org. For more information, visit
cellinoandbobbi.org/?r_done=1.
Ross Cellino Photo provided by Bobbi and the Strays
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