Best Buds Regional business, animal shelter launch adoptable pet of the week program By Francesca Sacco The Healing Center and Animal Friends are teaming up to craste happy tales for animals and families AnlmalFriends throughout the region. With the help of The Almanac, the medical cannabis dispensary and animal shelter are launching an adoptable pet of the week program to publicize available dogs, cats and rabbits to help them find their forever homes. Best Buds, as the program has been dubbed, started with an end-of-year charity event created by The Healing Center. "Every December we hold our Healing Hearts charity event, where patients can purchase a heart for a dollar. The patients put their favorite charity on the heart, and then all of the hearts are placed into a drawing. At the end of the event, one heart is selected and the money raised goes to the listed charity," Lisa Craig, The Healing Center's director of marketing, said. "This year's winner selected Animal Friends as their charity." The e Ceter To further support the cause, Craig placed special messaging at the dispensary's locations in Washington, Cranberry and Monroeville. "It was very well received," she said. "Our patients are really passionate about animals and really took a vested interest. We sold 1,438 hearts and we're matching our partners like The Healing Center, weekly success stories, he's patient's donations for a total of $3,000." Interested in doing more, they were eager to help inform "We hope that this partnership and at the shelter. the community about pets in need. Healing Hearts winner Kurt (left) and Healing Center owner Chris Kohan (right) Chris Kohan with the first Best Bud animal - Carrot Top helps create vital awareness about the optimistic this program will create shelter and its services. a trickle effect for other animals "Animal Friends is facing so many challenges right now the resulting pieces will shed light "We really hope that people have with the pandemic," Craig said. "We're trying to work found in a shelter and clear up any together to help get the word out." In addition to rescuing and rehoming animals, Animal Cody Hoellerman, Animal Friends' chief Friends, located in Pittsburgh, offers low-cost pet care community engagement officer, said. Top and other Best Buds, visit like spaying and neutering, vaccines, wellness exams "We truly believe there is an animal for thealmanac.net/bestbuds. and treatments like flea prevention. They also provide every family at the shelter." outreach, education and therapeutic programming. on the amazing animals that can be the opportunity to reach out to us and let us know what they are looking for in a pet," he said. To learn misconceptions about shelter animals," more about Carrot To learn more about Animal Friends, their services and their current visit Carrot Top, a white Rex rabbit, will kick off the program. The seven-month-old adoptable companions, Chris Kohan, The Healing Center's co-founder, said their new partnership with Animal Friends has been natural. rabbit was born in a foster home after thinkingoutsidethecage.org. "We've supported Animal Friends independently in the past," he said. "We're excited to be a part of this." the shelter accepted 30 rabbits from a single owner. Sponsored content brought to you by "She's curious and energetic, but once Animal Friends is grateful for the support. Each year, they rescue and rehome roughly 2,500 animals. she expels that energy, she loves to Since the pandemic began, they've had to alter their adoption process as the shelter is closed for walk- in adoptions. Exposure, especially from corporate snuggle and sit in laps," Hoellerman said. Best Buds will be featured throughout 2021. While Hoellerman is hoping for The Healing Center Best Buds Regional business, animal shelter launch adoptable pet of the week program By Francesca Sacco The Healing Center and Animal Friends are teaming up to craste happy tales for animals and families AnlmalFriends throughout the region. With the help of The Almanac, the medical cannabis dispensary and animal shelter are launching an adoptable pet of the week program to publicize available dogs, cats and rabbits to help them find their forever homes. Best Buds, as the program has been dubbed, started with an end-of-year charity event created by The Healing Center. "Every December we hold our Healing Hearts charity event, where patients can purchase a heart for a dollar. The patients put their favorite charity on the heart, and then all of the hearts are placed into a drawing. At the end of the event, one heart is selected and the money raised goes to the listed charity," Lisa Craig, The Healing Center's director of marketing, said. "This year's winner selected Animal Friends as their charity." The e Ceter To further support the cause, Craig placed special messaging at the dispensary's locations in Washington, Cranberry and Monroeville. "It was very well received," she said. "Our patients are really passionate about animals and really took a vested interest. We sold 1,438 hearts and we're matching our partners like The Healing Center, weekly success stories, he's patient's donations for a total of $3,000." Interested in doing more, they were eager to help inform "We hope that this partnership and at the shelter. the community about pets in need. Healing Hearts winner Kurt (left) and Healing Center owner Chris Kohan (right) Chris Kohan with the first Best Bud animal - Carrot Top helps create vital awareness about the optimistic this program will create shelter and its services. a trickle effect for other animals "Animal Friends is facing so many challenges right now the resulting pieces will shed light "We really hope that people have with the pandemic," Craig said. "We're trying to work found in a shelter and clear up any together to help get the word out." In addition to rescuing and rehoming animals, Animal Cody Hoellerman, Animal Friends' chief Friends, located in Pittsburgh, offers low-cost pet care community engagement officer, said. Top and other Best Buds, visit like spaying and neutering, vaccines, wellness exams "We truly believe there is an animal for thealmanac.net/bestbuds. and treatments like flea prevention. They also provide every family at the shelter." outreach, education and therapeutic programming. on the amazing animals that can be the opportunity to reach out to us and let us know what they are looking for in a pet," he said. To learn misconceptions about shelter animals," more about Carrot To learn more about Animal Friends, their services and their current visit Carrot Top, a white Rex rabbit, will kick off the program. The seven-month-old adoptable companions, Chris Kohan, The Healing Center's co-founder, said their new partnership with Animal Friends has been natural. rabbit was born in a foster home after thinkingoutsidethecage.org. "We've supported Animal Friends independently in the past," he said. "We're excited to be a part of this." the shelter accepted 30 rabbits from a single owner. Sponsored content brought to you by "She's curious and energetic, but once Animal Friends is grateful for the support. Each year, they rescue and rehome roughly 2,500 animals. she expels that energy, she loves to Since the pandemic began, they've had to alter their adoption process as the shelter is closed for walk- in adoptions. Exposure, especially from corporate snuggle and sit in laps," Hoellerman said. Best Buds will be featured throughout 2021. While Hoellerman is hoping for The Healing Center