Ecofriendly way to help shelter pets!

Project Canis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 by students at the University of Florida to ensure that every shelter animal has a toy. Project Canis helps cats and dogs in shelters and rescues around the nation by making and donating pet toys made from recycled materials. Many animal shelters struggle to get donations and are not financially able to provide toys, which are essential to animals' emotional and physical well-being.

While Project Canis started in Florida, we now work with volunteers to help shelters throughout the United States. This is a fully remote opportunity, so volunteers from anywhere in the country can participate.

How You Can Help

Anyone can participate by making toys individually or as a service project with their organization. We have three toy designs, the braid, the plushie, and the crunch, that can be made easily with recycled materials such as old t-shirts, fabric, and plastic water bottles. All you need beyond that is a pair of scissors. Making the toys is easy and fun, and it is a great way for individuals and groups to give back.

Organizations can host a project on their own with as many volunteers as they choose. We provide a free slideshow on our volunteer page that introduces Project Canis and walks participants through all three toy designs.

Next Steps

1. Find our toy-making instructions, with photos, on our volunteer page here:
2. Gather your materials and make your toys.
3. Return to the volunteer page and click "Record Service Here" to let us know how many toys you made and how many people participated. You will automatically receive a free shipping label by email to send your toys to a shelter in need. If you would rather donate locally, the form will log that instead so we can include it in our impact tracker.

That same form automatically generates your volunteer hours confirmation, so there is no need to email us separately. If you have another form that needs to be completed by our staff, send it to us and we will take care of it. Please note that we are unable to confirm hours for court ordered community service.

All toys sent or given to us go to animal shelters in need throughout the United States.

Answers to common questions are on our FAQ page.

We would also love to see photos and videos of your toy-making. If everyone participating is comfortable with sharing, email them to View email address on click.appcast.io so we can use them in our social media and newsletters.

• Follow us @theprojectcanis on Facebook and Instagram, and send in your own toy-making photos!