Rescues and Runways

Kelsey Paul

Jessie and Monica Marie

      On Saturday September 25th, Maurices and Pintler Pets (from Anaconda, MT) teamed up to put on a fashion show at the Butte Mall that did not fail to entertain. When I first heard about the fashion show, I was really curious. Why would a big corporate company like Maurices team up with a local non-profit organization like Pintler Pets?
To get some answers, I spoke with a representative from the local Butte store. I was told that it all started when there was a lot of flooding in Minnesota where the corporate office for Maurices is located.
The president of the company saw that there were a lot of pets that needed help getting adopted because they had been abandoned during the flooding. Since the president had always loved animals, he determined that it was time to help them. He started by making it mandatory for all stores to hold fundraisers for local animal shelters. Then, if a donation is given, the customers were to receive a 20% discount coupon as a little added incentive.

Eco Queens w/ pets

     Now, that all made perfect sense. But this fashion show was above and beyond just gathering donations. There was a silent auction with all benefits going to Pintler Pets. There was a large push to gather donations and lots of publicity for the event. When asked about why this particular store made such a push for donations and why they chose Pintler Pets, Nikki, the store representative told me that all the workers in the store had a huge heart for animals. They all wanted to help out in any way they could and this fundraiser was a great way to do it. She also said that Pintler Pets was chosen because it was a “low-kill” shelter. “Low-kill” means that they only put down animals that are too vicious to be adopted or so sick with something such as cancer that they need to be put down. They also take in pets from not only Anaconda and Butte but also Browning and several other towns. In addition, they knew that Pintler Pets had a lot of animals that need adopting and that the volunteers there are trying to raise money to insulate their building.


    Before the show, the models dressed in Maurices clothing led the dogs around on leashes and allowed the gathered crowd to meet these adorable, adoptable pets. When the show got started, several models would walk the runway and then a model with a pet would walk the runway. This continued with only a few minor glitches such as one dog not quite liking the stage. When the Maurices models had finished Miss Montana Teen Water and Miss Earth Butte came out with two friendly canines.

The models and pets pose as a group

    Want to help out? Maurices is still taking donations through Sept. 30th. Any donation receives a 20% discount coupon good through October. You can also help by sending donations directly to Pintler Pets at PO Box 1204 Anaconda, MT 59711. This organization is also always looking for volunteers. Also, if you’re looking for a pet they have plenty for adoption! If you already have a pet, make sure to spay or neuter them. Keep an eye out for the spay and neuter clinic that happens in Butte each year. The less unexpected puppies and kitties there are, the less likely there are to be strays around.