Woman Creates Wonderful Café For Neighborhood Pooches
Sometimes, small acts of kindness can be so rewarding that they inspire us to do even more—just ask Kaya Kristina. She lives close to High Park, one of Toronto’s most popular parks. Six years ago, she noticed that many of the dogs in her neighborhood looked like they needed some refreshment after a day in the park.
“On hot days, I noticed some of the dogs coming home from the park looked thirsty and tired,” Kristina says. “I thought I should put out some water and a sign that said, ‘For thirsty dogs.’” It didn’t take long for her to receive positive feedback.
“One day, I got a card from someone in my mailbox,” Kristina said. “It had a picture of their dog on the front, and it was written from the dog's point of view, thanking me for the water. I put the picture up on my fridge, and it made me really happy.”
Since then, Kristina has continued to provide pooches with water, and the messages kept coming. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Kristina decided to improve her refreshment station. She started leaving treats on her front lawn for all the animals to enjoy during the lockdowns. And thus, StarPups Coffee was born.
“I made a bunch of mini treat bags, created a little menu so people knew what they were giving their dogs, and put out a little stand with options,” Kristina says. “It was so cute seeing the dogs go by and pulling their owners to my house to get a snack.”
The offerings include water, Milk-Bones, and specialty natural treats from Canada. Watching the parade of animals dropping by has become Kristina’s favorite pastime during the lockdowns.
“I thought of all the people living alone during COVID and how their mental health was suffering,” Kristina says. “I thought, 'Most people are complaining about their husbands and kids driving them nuts being home altogether. But do they think about their single friends who only have pets?' I wanted to give those people something to look forward to and make them feel special.”
Unfortunately, one night, someone stole the entire café setup. Needless to say, Kristina was heartbroken. She posted the update on her Instagram account, and it didn’t take long for the community to respond.
“That evening, when I got home, my mailbox was full of cards, notes, photos of people’s dogs, Pet Valu gift cards, and even a sweet drawing of my dog,” Kristina says. “It turned out to be a good thing because I had felt so isolated all year with COVID, and now I felt like I had an army of friends.”
Encouraged by the support she has been receiving, Kristina built a new StarPups Coffee for the neighborhood dogs. She wants to create a more permanent and waterproof setup on her lawn.
With the latest lockdowns, the little café has more visitors than ever before. "One of the few things that's still allowed is walking your dog," Kristina says. "So many people are struggling mentally and physically, so this is something they can do to bring a little joy to their day."
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