The Big Picture

Sometimes raising awareness can be difficult for animal advocates. Often businesses are eager to help, but offer a service or product that is not considered animal friendly. This can prevent us from reaching an audience who may be inspired to take action. I urge fellow advocates to seek businesses who are not the ideal partner on the surface, but may serve as a tool for raising awareness.

For example, PAW has a partnership with FS Foods in Charlotte. They own popular restaurants such as Cantina 1511, Big Daddy's Burger Bar, and Mama Ricottas. Big Daddy's gave PAW the opportunity to place a tip jar at off-site events. One of PAW's campaigns is Humane Living, with Humane Eating as a topic we raise awareness about. We do not have meat at PAWTY's nor do we promote the consumption of meat. However, Big Daddy's burgers come from free range, grass-fed cows on local farms - not factory farms. If you choose to eat meat it's the most natural, cruelty free way to eat. Also, Big Daddy's offers the yummiest black bean and portabello burgers. Therefore, PAW chose to take advantage of a great opportunity to raise awareness in the community.

It's so important to stay focused on animal advocacy's one and only goal: to save animals. When creating our agendas, events, and goals we must keep the animals in mind. Our course of action may not be ideal, but if it raises awareness it's worth it. What if we inspire a Big Daddy's customer to only eat free range, grass-fed meat? That's one less consumer of mass produced cruelty. Think about the big picture, get creative, and PAWTY on!