Big Dog Foundation Contributes Pawsitive Results to Dogs, Children, and Dogs Helping People

Big Dog Sportswear, a fast growing nationally recognized brand of clothing and accessories with over 180 retail stores nationwide, has combined its enormous popularity with the charitable nature of the American public through the formation of The Big Dog Foundation. The result is a national fund-raising organization that "Thinks Big," donating 100 percent of all contributions directly to charities focused on dogs, children, and dogs helping people. The Foundation has been a strong supporter of hundreds of philanthropic efforts since its inception.

"The Big Dog Foundation is devoted to the work of some very important charities. We, at Big Dogs, are proud of the contributions made by The Big Dog Foundation and the generosity of those who have donated their time and money to the organization," said Andrew Feshbach, Big Dog Sportswear Chief Executive Officer.

The Big Dog Foundation focuses on charities that support dogs, children and dogs helping people. Here is a sampling of the current organizations that The Big Dog Foundation supports:

Friends Network

For thousands of children with cancer, a Big Dog Foundation recipient, Friends Network, is restoring lost feelings of hope and happiness. The Network's activity-packed Funletter brings hope and inspiration to over 4000 children with cancer by providing unique and encouraging ideas, games and puzzles to spark hope and laughter in the painful world of childhood illness. The Funletters feature children's survival stories, pen-pal programs and give them inspirational ways to face their illness with a positive and uplifting attitude. In addition to supporting the Funletter, The Big Dog Foundation has begun a national campaign with Friends Network called "Think Pawsitive." The Big Dog Mascot visits hospitals across the country distributing the "hope and happiness" Funletters to children afflicted with the disease. Big Dog will offer motivational "woofs" in the Funletters and host games and contests to keep those spirits high.

The Big Dog Foundation kicked off the national Think Pawsitive campaign with a visit to a local Friends Network hero, Chris Messier. The Big Dog, beating Funletters and Big Dog gifts, met Chris at his home in Santa Barbara, California. Fourteen year-old Chris, a cancer survivor, has had the disease since the age of seven. The Funletter helps him learn about real-life happy endings and gives him hope to Think Pawsitive. After a long bone marrow donor search, a match was finally made and he recently received a successful transplant. After the operation that saved his life, Chris, once an avid tennis player, counts each day as a chance to get well and focus on his future back on the tennis court. Chris Messier has the advantage of knowing Attitude is Everything and is ready to Just Chew It!

DAWG (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group)

Santa Barbara's own DAWG adopts dogs from animal shelters and provides veterinary care and nutritional supplements as they find each dog a loving home. The caring DAWG volunteers offer grooming, exercise and love to the animals while the Santa Barbara Big Dogs store promotes the local adoption of these abandoned dogs.

The ERAS Center

Four in every ten children face the very real possibility of high school dropout, gang life, crime, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, or suicide. The ERAS (Education Resource and Services) Center serves all aspects of the child: intellectual, behavioral, social and emotional. The personalized programs include: a day school, after school programs, weekend and vacation camp programs, vocational training, diagnostic testing, educational therapy, and individual and family counseling services. For the past five years, The Big Dog Foundation has been an avid supporter and event sponsor of ERAS Center fund raisers, helping to raise over $500,000.

CCI - Canine Companions for Independence

Canine Companions for Independence serves people with disabilities by providing highly trained service, heating and social dogs to help them live more independent lives. Donations fund the care and specialized training of these exceptional dogs that help people with disabilities achieve independence. Since 1997, the Big Dog Foundation has provided product and monetary support to raise over $60,000 for CCI.

The Amanda Foundation

The Amanda Foundation, a Big Dog Foundation recipient dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats that have been placed in shelters, held its Fifth Annual Amanda Foundation Silent Auction, Comedy and Music Night this past fall, and the Big Dog was there to make it even BIGGER. For over 20 years, the Amanda Foundation has adopted thousands of pets, in addition to operating a community service outreach hotline, educational visits to schools and participating in a spay and neuter program for animals. Comedians Kevin Nealon, Howie Mandel and performer Clint Black hosted the gala event in Hollywood to raise much needed funds to rescue our furry friends and find them loving homes. Amanda means "worthy of being loved" in Latin, and appropriately represents each and every one of these rescued pets. The Big Dog Foundation donated merchandise for the gift bags and the silent auctions while the real Big Dog mascot welcomed guests (human, feline and canine) to the fun-filled fund-raiser. After a sidesplitting comedy show and a rollicking concert, everyone left with a smile on their face and a warm heart knowing that they saved the lives of a thousand furry friends.

The Big Dog Club

One of the main means of support for The Big Dog Foundation is through The Big Dog Club, which boasts 20,000 members nationwide. Club members know that Big Dogs is much more than a consumer products company - it's a lifestyle unto its own. In addition to receiving benefits like exclusive club merchandise offers, advance notice of Big Dogs promotions and special discounts on Big Dogs products, members will also receive great discounts and promotional offers from the National Club Partners in the pet and leisure industries. Members will also receive Spots Illustrated, a bi-monthly Big Dog Club fun and informative newsletter filled with whimsical photos and exciting stories about members living the Big Dog lifestyle, the Big Dog Club, National Partners, and The Big Dog Foundation. (Each issue features an individual charitable organization supported by The Big Dog Foundation.) Members are encouraged to send in photos, stories, ideas and dog-related tips, and letters which are considered for publication in Spots Illustrated. The Club is for members and about members who live the Big Dog attitude and lifestyle. New members receive a packet of information which informs them about the use of their charter membership - complete with their charter member number, ID Card, Big Dog Club Decal, and Big Dogs contact information. Big Dog Club members can upgrade to "Top Dog" status by donating to the Big Dog Foundation. Over 40 percent of the current 20,000 members are Top Dogs.

The Big Dog Parade

Initially created to celebrate the second opening of the Santa Barbara Big Dog Sportswear store after it was closed due to flood damage in 1995, the Big Dog Parade & Canine Festival aims to raise funds for charity. In 1995, Big Dog Sportswear decided to celebrate their reopening by throwing a doggone tail waggin' party for the community. Five years later the enthusiasm for dogs, children, and charity continues to grow during the Big Dog Parade & Canine Festival, an annual fund-raiser for The Big Dog Foundation. Each June, thousands of dogs and their owners from all over the West strut their stuff for charity, as they parade their extravagant costumes through downtown Santa Barbara, California. Parade entrants dress to the K-9s to compete in different categories including most humorous, best costume, best in parade, best non-profit and more. All proceeds raised during this spirited event go directly to the Big Dog Foundation. This year's Big Dog Parade, scheduled for Saturday, June 5th at 10:00 a.m., promises to be the biggest and best ever. It is a great opportunity for dog lovers to enjoy the day with their pets, family, and friends.

Other events like The Big Dog Parade are supported by The Big Dog Foundation across the country. In Riverside Park, New York, the Manhattan Dog Walk Against Cancer is one such event benefiting the American Cancer Society. With over 7,000 people and their dogs from all over New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, it's the country's largest dog walk-athon. The Big Dog Foundation is proud sponsor of this "pawsitive" cause and provided Big Dogs goodie bags, contest prizes and monetary support to help this event become even BIGGER each year!

Traditional Big Dog Sportswear merchandise includes apparel and accessories which reflect the activities, current trends, and sports popular throughout California and the West. All Big Dog Sportswear products bear distinctive registered trademarks: "Big Dog," "Big Dogs," and the dog design. Big Dogs has expanded to include such diverse merchandise as Watchdogs[R], Little Big Dogs[R] clothes for toddlers, coffee mugs, and dog-related dogcessories such as dog food bowls, chew toys, and unique pet apparel.

Big Dogs was conceived in 1983 by some friends on a weekend river-rafting expedition. Before the group made their way down the choppy waters, they were each presented with a pair of oversized, brightly colored shorts. One enthusiastic member of the group exclaimed, "Man, these puppies are BIG!" Thus the inspiration for the legendary Big Dogs name and logo was born.

Big Dogs lends a helping paw for charity and so can you. Find out more information on The Big Dog Foundation, visit Big Dogs Web site at www.BIG-DOGS.com.