Want to shed quarantine weight? Hit your goal for a great cause with Pounds for Hounds Fundraiser

What got you through the coronavirus shutdown? Was it the sourdough bread craze or did you read books to get through the extra time at home?

The “new normal” for many people includes carrying around a few extra pounds.

However, one of the positive takeaways from the quarantine was our appreciation of the dogs and cats in our lives.

The Prince George Humane Society has found a novel way to help people lose those quarantine pounds while supporting their efforts to ensure that every pet finds a safe furrever home.

The Prince George Humane Society invites everyone to join the Pounds for Hounds challenge. It provides the incentives people need to set—and keep—a weight-loss goal while raising money for the animals. This fundraiser also encourages individuals to create teams and work collectively to motivate and encourage their personal goals.

First, you decide how much weight you want to lose over the eight-week challenge. Then you go on online, register and create your personalized or team fundraising platform. The $50 registration fee gives you access to an exercise and meal plan by local trainer Alisha Adams. Your registration fee will give you access to messaging groups to share your progress with teammates and sync your devices (Fitbit, Apple Watch). You share your campaign link with family and friends, asking them to sponsor you for every pound you lose.

The Prince George Humane Society has faced some tough economic challenges, but Covid-19 made it particularly hard to fund their services. It gets 100 per cent of its operating funds from donations and fundraising programs such as hosting birthday parties and responsible pet care presentations at local schools.

“Our income has basically stopped and we have had to look at creative ways to raise funds,” says Angela McLaren, the founder and executive director of the PG Humane Society."

As McLaren and her team scurried to find foster homes for all of the dogs and cats in their care, she relied on Tim Hortons to help her with the stress. As a result of those mood-boosting carbs, she, too, has the personal motivation to sign up with Pounds for Hounds.

As challenging as these past few months been, McLaren’s found gratitude for the experience. “I’ve learned to appreciate what I have, to step back and breath,” she says. “We were all in a situation where we were forced to stop; everyone was in the same boat. None of us were alone in this. There was comfort in knowing we are in it together.”

This spirit of togetherness continues with Pounds for Hounds. Sign up here or visit the Facebook page.