Why Uber is delivering a free puppy cuddle service this Christmas
Uber is doing its part for abandoned dogs this Christmas, teaming up with Singapore charity Save our Street Dogs (SOSD) and pet food company Purina Pro Plan to raise awareness of homeless pooches in the city-state.
As part of the #UberPuppies drive, the ride-hailing app will let users request 15 minutes of playtime with puppies which will be delivered straight to their door. The canine campaign will take place on 9 December for one day only between 1PM and 5PM.
The bundles of fur will be accompanied by volunteers from SOSD who will use the 15-minute-long snuggle sesh to educate users on the challenges faced by stray dogs in Singapore and encourage them to look into adoption options rather than purchasing a new dog. Each puppy involved has been screen by its re-homing team to ensure that they’re ready for human interaction.
To get involved, all Singapore users have to do is open their Uber app and tap the 'Puppies' button at the bottom to request a visit. Each successful requestor will get to meet two puppies. Cuddles are completely free, but the push will welcome donations – 100% of which will go directly to SOSD.
In 2015, Uber partnered with US TV network Animal Planet for a similar stateside campaign which let users order an on-demand, adoptable puppy to their offices. The initiative was designed to promote the channel’s dog-themed Super Bowl alternative, the Puppy Bowl, and Uber donated all proceeds to animal shelters in participating cities.