Seniors at Arbor Terrace Shrewsbury transform used toys to help animals in need

Community-minded residents of Arbor Terrace Shrewsbury are putting their sewing talents to good use to recycle unwanted toys and help animals in need.

As part of an ongoing project, the residents are refurbishing gently used stuffed animals for resale as pet toys through an organization called Glad Dogs Nation. The Arbor Company is covering the cost of sewing supplies for the project; staff, residents and their families at Arbor Terrace have donated the stuffed animals.

Once a child outgrows a stuffed animal, it’s likely to end up in a landfill. Used plush toys generally don’t sell at garage sales or thrift shops, and for sanitary reasons, charities can’t use them. Glad Dogs Nation came up with an ingenious solution: turn unwanted stuffed animals into adorable handcrafted pet toys.

To make them safe for pets, the stuffed animals are first sanitized using biodegradable detergent. Hard plastic eyes and noses, which may pose a choking hazard, are then replaced by hand sewing soft appliques for the eyes and pompoms for the noses.

The toys are then resold at a price below typical retail prices charged in a pet store. Profits benefit Glad Dogs Nation’s efforts to help reduce pet over-population, provide medical care for animals in need, and aid animal shelters and rescue centers throughout the country.

Anyone in the Monmouth County area is invited to drop off any gently used stuffed animals at Arbor Terrace Shrewsbury for the residents to refurbish for this worthy cause. Arbor Terrace Shrewsbury is located at 864 Shrewsbury Avenue, Tinton Falls, New Jersey. For additional information, call 732-784-2400.