Product: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee
Cause: Animal Rescue
How They Give Back: 20% of profits go to animal rescue initiatives around the country
Website: www.groundsandhoundscoffee.com
Love coffee? Love dogs? Look no further… this is the brand for you. Grounds & Hounds Coffee Company is an artisanal, small batch coffee roaster that supports animal rescue organizations around the country.
I love a good cup of coffee. To me, it’s a great way to start the morning. In fact, it might be the ONLY way to start the morning. I am also that person who just squeals inside whenever I see a dog. When I worked in an office, I LOVED “bring your dog to work” day. So imagine my absolute delight when I stumbled upon a coffee brand that supports dog rescue organizations.
A Coffee to Savor
I admit I’m not a coffee purist, so I won’t pretend to speak knowledgeably about the coffee roasting process or what makes coffee “good.” I’m more of a coffee enthusiast who has drunk a lot of coffee. I just know what I like.
Grounds & Hounds coffee is delicious. My measure for whether coffee is good is indirectly proportional to how much I need to add to it to make it consumable. The less sugar or cream I have to add, the better it is. All that to say, I drink Grounds & Hounds Alpha blend black. Which says something because I very rarely drink coffee black.
Grounds & Hounds’ beans are 100% fair trade and 100% organic certified. They roast the beans in small batches, which coffee snobs say enhances the flavor and ensures freshness. I’ll take their word for it. I’m no coffee expert, but it really does taste better. It lacks the bitterness of conventional coffee. There’s an enjoyable smoothness to each sip. This coffee should be savored and not gulped. Preferably, on a Saturday morning when the morning rush isn’t pushing me out the door.
Mission: Save a Pup!
Grounds & Hounds’ mission appears right on their packaging: Every cup helps a pup. At the heart of their brand is supporting rescue initiatives and finding forever homes for the millions of animals living in shelters. If you have ever been to an animal shelter, you know it’s bittersweet. So much cuteness, but sad to witness so many animals needing homes.
20% of their profits go to animal rescue organizations around the country. These funds provide meals, vaccinations, microchips, and transfers to no-kill shelters for thousands of dogs residing in shelters.
Quick Facts about Pet Rescue
Animal welfare and rescue is not a cause I know a lot about. However, because of Grounds & Hounds, I learned some interesting, albeit sad, facts about pet rescue in the United States. According to the ASPCA:
- An estimated 6.5 million companion animals (dogs & cats) are taken to shelters in the US every year.
- Approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year.
- A dog or cat is euthanized in the US every 11 seconds.
- Older animals make up the bulk of the animals put down each year, despite being house-trained and socialized (unlike puppies).
- Only 23% of dogs are obtained through a shelter, while 34% are purchased from breeders.
- Contrary to popular belief, most dogs in shelters are not there because of behavior issues. More common are people problems — owners die, move, or can no longer financially afford their pets.
Next time you have a hankering for some good coffee, be sure to check out Grounds & Hounds. You can help a shelter animal just by drinking a cup of coffee!
Love animals? Check out Shop Social Good’s post on 5 Brands Helping Pet Rescue Organizations!