Students Win BOBS® from Skechers® Scholarship Sharing How Rescue Pets Changed Their Lives – The Dodo – For Animal People
When Carina Moser applied to the Paws for a Cause Scholarship Program, courtesy of BOBS® from Skechers®, her goal was clear: Change her life by telling others how adopting a pet can change everything.
“My family adopted our cats, Minnie and Daisy, when I was in middle school,” Moser told The Dodo. “We were ‘just looking’ at a shelter event from Helen Woodward Center and instantly fell in love with the bonded pair. I was struggling with my mental health, and they provided a lot of needed love and companionship.”
Moser submitted a shoe design to the program that was inspired by her cats and how they helped her on her mental health journey — and she won.
“I am honored to have my art featured in the BOBS® from Skechers® collection; this is such an exciting achievement for me,” Moser said. “This scholarship program has been an amazing opportunity, and the aid will greatly assist my tuition at UCLA. This experience has been so meaningful to me as both a creative and a student!”
A grant has been given to Moser’s local animal rescue organization, Rancho Coastal Humane Society through Skechers’ partnership with Petco Love. The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County has also received a grant from Skechers and its charitable partner by way of Sofia Santana of Bellevue College, whose meaningful design also brought home the prize.
Santana was the winner of the dog design, inspired by her rescue pup, Lila. The design features the faces of dogs from Movimiento Unidos Por Ellos (MUPE), an animal rescue and rehabilitation organization in Cancún, Mexico, where Santana spent a summer volunteering. Her shoe design encourages others to adopt from, donate to and support their local shelters.
“It really is a dream come true,” Santana told The Dodo. “My design shows the faces of real rescued dogs, and each one has a story. Being able to honor them in this way means so much to me. I’m very grateful to BOBS® from Skechers® for giving them the visibility they deserve. I never thought something so personal could go this far. I feel very proud and honored.”
In partnership with Petco Love, BOBS® from Skechers®’ mission is to make a difference for animals in need. To date, Skechers has contributed over $13 million, funds that have helped save and support more than 2.3 million shelter dogs and cats in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Japan.
These shelter animals go on to forever alter the lives of their families for the better — like Lila.
“[Lila] taught me and my family about patience, trust and unconditional love,” Santana said. “Adopting her changed my life and the lives of the people around me. She reminds me every day that all animals deserve a loving home.”
And without her cats, Moser may never have overcome her struggles with her mental health. Now, she gets to show the world what they’ve meant to her and her family through her art, thanks to BOBS® from Skechers® and their fantastic program.
“Minnie and Daisy have become an irreplaceable part of my family’s lives!” Moser said. “If you have the means to take care of an animal, adoption is such a wonderful way to brighten the life of yourself and your pet.”
