Why this animal shelter wants people to donate their old chairs

People that allow their pets on the furniture know that they often have a favorite spot.

My dog always perches on the loveseat overlooking our window, so she can observe everything that’s going on in the neighborhood.

It’s so common to find her there that my husband and I have started referring to the sofa as “the perch.”

She also has a favorite, big comfy chair in another room, and she doesn’t mind sharing it either.

dog in chair photo
Flickr | mutednarayan

Man’s Best Friend Deserves A Worthy Throne

The Knox County Humane Society in Galesburg, Illinois knows that pets often like to lounge on chairs, so they’re asking people to donate chairs that they’re no longer using so homeless animals can enjoy them.

Check out the video the shelter posted of some of the doggies living there enjoying their own personal chairs inside their holding pens:

Animal Shelters Jump On Chair Bandwagon

The video quickly went viral and has been shared more than 630,000 times on Facebook and watched more than 17 million times!

Since it was posted on March 5, other shelters have decided to follow suit and round up chairs for their dogs to enjoy. It has also increased interest in potential adopters for the pets.

The shelter houses about 50 dogs and 50 cats at any given time and now has many chairs for the dogs while they wait to be adopted.

One woman even donated 20 chairs at one time!

RELATED: There’s Now A Museum Dedicated Entirely To Dachshunds

“They love their chairs,” Erin Buckmaster, the volunteer executive director for the Knox County Humane Society, told NBC’s “Today.” “It’s wonderful.”

dog in chair photo
Flickr | pennuja

Picky Dog Helps Out Shelter Buddies With Comfy Upgrade

The dogs at the shelter have one of their own to thank for their comfortable chairs.

After a divorce in his human family, a pup named Buster Brown was brought back to the shelter.

After living on the outside, Buster was not interested in going into a kennel, according to what Buckmaster told “Today.” Instead, he stayed up front with the staff and loved sitting in their chairs.

They realized that other dogs would likely enjoy having a chair as much as Buster did.

‘Chairs Are A Small Luxury’ For Shelter Dogs

Sharon Ervin is a local community member who spent time collecting chairs for the dogs. Ervin said the chairs are a small luxury that makes a big difference.

“A home environment or a little comfort,” Ervin told Iowa’s KLJB-TV. “So many abused, so many homeless, so many strays. I mean there’s so many dogs in need.”

'Actuel Dogs' - Luxury Dogs Hotel Visit
Getty Images | Franck Prevel

Because the shelter also needs money for supplies, they decided to auction off Buster Brown’s favorite chair as a unique fundraiser. Well, actually, the nice man who “won” the chair for $500 decided to let Buster Brown keep it, and just give the shelter a donation instead!

What a heartwarming story.

What a great idea! We hope these dogs love their new chairs — but not for too long before they find their forever homes.

RELATED: This boy helped a deaf dog find a home with this sweet video:

Animals, Good News, News
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About the Author
Kate Streit
Kate Streit lives in Chicago. She enjoys stand-up comedy, mystery novels, memoirs, summer and pumpkin spice anything.

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