August 16th

By Mutt Mulligan

TurfMutt gives a “paw up” in support of tomorrow’s “Clear the Shelters” day

The 5^th annual Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption drive to help find loving homes for animals in need, is this Saturday, August 17. Lucky the TurfMutt is giving a “paw up” in support of this important event.

Lucky is a real-life rescue dog who knows how hard life can be for pets who have no home. More than 10 years ago, his human friend, Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), rescued him from an Indiana roadway, gave him a home and a big job. For more than a decade, Lucky has proudly worn his superhero cape as TurfMutt, the national and award-winning spokesdog for OPEI’s environmental stewardship program for kids and their families. In addition to promoting the importance of our living landscapes, Lucky wants every pet to have the same chance at happily ever after that he received.

“Lucky’s mission has always been to ‘paw it forward’ whenever he gets the chance to help all dogs and especially “hard-to-place” pets in shelters across the country,” says Kris Kiser, President of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s foundation, which is the creative force behind the TurfMutt program. “We encourage everyone to consider joining Lucky the TurfMutt this Saturday to support or adopt pets who have had a hard time finding their ‘forever homes.’”

The TurfMutt program, celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, teaches students in grades K–8 to care for our living landscapes and appreciate their benefits. The program’s educational materials, available at www.TurfMutt.com, are free and support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) standards. The  program has reached 70 million students, teachers, and families since 2009.