Big Apple Pet Supply Opens $3,000 Facebook Contest



A Hauppauge pet supply retailer has announced a $3,000 Animal Shelter Race on Facebook beginning Dec. 1.

Big Apple Pet Supply announced the start of its $3,000 Animal Shelter Race on Facebook over the holiday weekend. The contest asks shelters and rescue groups' supporters to vote for their favorite organizations over the next month to determine who will receive funding.

"We do a lot of work with shelters and such, and we decided we would do it in a more formal capacity," said Big Apple CEO Steven Spitz. "So many shelters and rescue operations are on Facebook, we thought it was a great place for us to help these shelters who don't always have a lot of capital to put themselves out there."

In order to participate, shelters and rescue organizations must sign up at Big Apple's Facebook page by midnight on Dec. 1. Groups can direct supporters to vote for their shelter through the website until Dec. 30, when three winners will be determined. The grand prize is $1,000 in cash and $500 in high quality pet treats, second prize is $500 in cash and $350 high quality pet treats and thirds $200 in cash with treats.

"We already have about 35 shelters or rescues that have entered," Spitz said Monday night. "I have a feeling we'll end up with 60 – 80 shelters in the race. I would assume we'll end up with close to 10,000 votes."

Big Apple, through its non-profit half Big Apple Animal Foundation, donates up to $25,000 primarily towards children's education programs involving animals and nature. Spitz said this contest represents a change in the organization's focus.

"We've really shifted towards directly helping shelters and rescues. The reason we've done it over the past year and a half, past two years is the need the shelters and rescues have now over just what it was a few years ago is so much greater," Spitz said.

This is the second Facebook voting contest Big Apple has run. It's first contest in September involved a dozen shelters competing for $1,400. More than 3,000 votes were cast with Fresno Bully Rescue in California taking home the Grand Prize by more than 35 percent of the vote, the CEO said.

Big Apple has plans to hold future contests on Facebook, Spitz said, including possibly more creative options including a photo contest and essay contest to allow smaller shelters and rescue groups to compete.