My dog Victor and I celebrated Earth Day 2017 at the spa … the dog spa.

It’s not exactly the traditional way to save Earth – admittedly, we did little for the planet. But we did help save some dogs and cats.

April 22, 2017 was Dog Wash day at Pet Value at 1550 Upper James in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. For $15, your dog got a dog bath and nail clip and the money went directly to Ladybird Animal Sanctuary, a registered Canadian charity based in Hamilton.

The organization is dependent on volunteer foster families to take in cats and dogs surrendered or rescued from animal control. Since its inception in 2011, Ladybird Animal Sanctuary has saved 761 animals and counting (including a few bunnies, rats and hamsters too).

Check out the list of available animals on the website.

Founded by Melissa McClelland, Lisa Winn, and Janine Stoll, Ladybird’s mandate is to save hundreds of animals from a tragic end, offering a second chance at life and a safe, loving place to call home.

Pet Value has a self-serve dog bath station with elevated tiled washing bins, towels, dryers, aprons and a selection of shampoos – available regular business days for $10 per dog for 30 minutes. This Pet Value location also carries a large selection of raw foods and has a ‘barkery’ on site.

Today, each bathed dog (including Victor) got a ‘dog spa’ cookie for good behaviour.

Also at the Dog Wash event was Glanbrook Veterinary Services providing, nail trims, microchipping (a percentage of the $40 cost went to Ladybird) and advice from Dr. Heather McGown DVM.

It takes a designated day to recognize the value of a planet, but it takes a village to save our four-footed friends. Today’s clean dogs are the fortunate ones, even if they did get wet.

Speaking of baths, checkout our latest sponsor (affiliate link): Soos Pets – Dead Sea Dog Bath products