New dog ice cream supports Calgary animal rescue efforts

This is a big week for some lucky Calgary dog owners.

Their four-legged friends are front-and-center on a sweet new effort to help other local pets.

Across Calgary, 48 canines have been selected to be shown on the packaging of an ice cream made especially for dogs.

Proceeds from sales of the Village Ice Cream product will go to the Calgary-based animal rescue group Canadian Animal Task Force (CATF).

The invitation for dog owners to apply to be on the packaging went out in January.

“We got an overwhelming response,” Village Ice Cream’s Beth Allison said. “Around 2,500 applications came in, so we had a really big job to review each and every one of those applications and pick the very best.”

The CATF says the money from sales of the carrots-and-cream flavoured dog ice cream will go a long way toward supporting its programs.

Those programs include offering extensive mobile spay and neuter clinics in rural areas throughout Alberta.

“We’re so excited about this initiative, the community coming together to support important work like the work we’re doing in disaster response,” the CATF’s R.J. Bailot said. “

We were in the Fort Mac fires and in the fires last year our team helped to do animal extractions.”

The special edition dog ice cream hits the shelves this week at Village Ice Cream shops around Calgary.

Proceeds from sales during the month of August will go to the CATF.