Don’t Miss the Lucy Pet Products Paws for Life Parade Float!

New Year’s Day is just around the corner. If your resolution for 2018 is to be the change you want to see in the world, you’ll find motivation for your mission in every “Making a Difference”- themed float in the 129th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Among the floats filing down Colorado Boulevard fans of Fidos will spot Lucy Pet Products‘ “Paws for Life” entry, which is dedicated to dogs, cats and people whose acts of courage are an inspiration to us all.

The following valiant companion animals will ride on Lucy Pet Products’ float, which has been fashioned with bark, leaves, seeds, and 20,000 Freedom roses. The parade starts at 8 a.m. PST– tune in, or watch all the fun live on Amazon Prime!

A Salute to Sirius

Spectators both on the parade route and at home can salute retired K-9 military working dog Sirius. Injured by an IED during a tour of duty in Afghanistan, once his wounds healed the German Shepherd bravely continued to protect our freedom– but without his favorite human, as he had lost his 22-year-old handler (Marine Sgt. Joshua Ashley) in the blast. The fallen Marine’s mother, who adopted Sirius upon his retirement, will proudly ride alongside the dog who served with her son.

Police Dog Honored on Parade Day

Jax, a five-year-old Belgian Malinois, will hear applause from the assembled crowd along the parade route in recognition of his fearless feats as a member of the Oxnard Police Department. In the line of duty, the diligent dog has caught a criminal who attempted to set fire to an occupied homeless encampment, and his nose knew that a wrapped birthday present inside a car checked at a traffic stop secretly contained five pounds of methamphetamines. When the working day is through, however, Jax likes to let his inner puppy out to play with neighborhood children at the home of Officer Daniel Casson, who will accompany his canine companion on parade day.

A Fearless Feline to Ride Float

Riding on the float with our brave buddies who bark will be courageous kitty Tara, the intrepid tabby who saved her four-year-old human family member from a dog attack. Surveillance footage of the fearless feline in action has been viewed on YouTube by more than 30 million people!

A Rescue Dog To The Rescue

An excessive amount of energy made him seem unadoptable during his days in a shelter, but his liveliness has launched a dog dubbed Rocket into the world of rescue! A member of Search Dog Foundation, today the Border Collie mix who was once marked for euthanasia saves the lives of natural disaster victims, and in recent months has helped those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as well as people in the path of the fires that swept through Sonoma wine country. On the float Rocket’s tail will be wagging while his handler, firefighter Mike Stornetta, waves to the crowd.

Stars Shine a Spotlight on Our Pals with Paws

A cast member of such big screen hits as Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico as well as small screen smashes like Breaking Bad, when Danny Trejo isn’t in front of a camera the actor steps into his real life role as as animal advocate. A proud pet parent to multiple rescue dogs, Trejo– who has used his celebrity status to focus the public’s attention on such topics as pet adoption and the need to reduce pet overpopulation through spaying and neutering– will ride on the float alongside one of his four-legged family members.

Riding a wave of excitement as they wave to spectators, the cast of Awesomeness TV’s Malibu Surf (Ally Barron, Bailey Herrick, Van Bush and Keaton Yellin) will join Fidos who gave gained fame for their philanthropic work aboard the float– registered therapy dogs Surfin’ Jack and Coppertone Surf Dog, and the inspiration behind The Lucy Pet Foundation, Lucy the rescued Chihuahua.

Helping After Hurricane Harvey

The “Paws for Life” float also promotes the life-saving work of The Lucy Pet Foundation, a non-profit which strives to end the euthanasia of more than 80,000 companion animals each day in the US shelter system. When disaster struck the Texas Gulf Coast region in the summer of 2017, Joey Herrick (the President of the Lucy Pet Foundation and Lucy Pet Products), Lucy Pet Foundation’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Karen “Doc” Hallligan, and the organization’s Registered Veterinary Technician Casey Jenkins embarked on missions of mercy to the affected area, offering veterinary services to injured animals, providing their “products with a cause” to shelters and airlifting adoptable dogs and cats to rescue organizations in California.

On parade day, Apollo, one lucky Houston dog who was given a new lease on life with active Army Staff Sgt. Justin Gilliss after Hurricane Harvey thanks to The Lucy Pet Foundation and Shelter Hope in Santa Clarita, will represent the animals who found hope after the devastation.

Pasadena Rose Festival

Can’t make it to The Rose Parade? The float riders will also make an appearance at the free Pasadena Rose Festival at LIVE! On Green at the Pasadena Civic Center from December 29 – 31. Lucy’s Surfing Pets Team will even show off their skills on The Lucy Pet’s Gnarly Crankin’ K-9 Wave Maker!

About Lucy Pet Products

The Lucy Pet Foundation is able to continue its efforts to aid animals in need thanks in part to sales of Lucy Pet Products, a family-owned and operated business featuring pet products made in the U.S.A. Lucy Pet Products can be found in pet specialty stores from coast to coast and worldwide. For information on The Lucy Pet Foundation’s work and how you can help with your donation, visit www.lucypetfoundation.org/single-donation, and follow Lucy Pet Products, The Lucy Pet Foundation and Karen “Doc” Halligan on Instagram.

Lucy Pet Products is a CatTipper sponsor. Photos courtesy Lucy Pet Products