What does it take to raise $6,000 to sponsor a service dog for a military veteran?

The answer, as Jessica Mushinsky and Brittany Magnusson know, is doggie activities and treats.

That may sound too simple and it is. The two share a creative streak and love for canines that have them coming up with the dog corn maze, the snowball fight and the Halloween parade and such tasty dog snacks as Pupkin, made with pumpkin of course, bone yard and Greek yogurt. The December calendar of doggie events at Dogtopia of Warwick includes the frozen bubble day and two frozen treats on the first day of winter and the Reindeer Run on the 27th.

And how does that all raise enough money to sponsor a service dog for a military veteran through the Dogtopia Foundation?

The treats and activities are all ways for dog owners to give their pets a little something extra while supporting K9s for Warriors. The organization, which has a goal at ending veteran suicides, provides highly-trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, this innovative program allows the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery.

Jessica and Brittany make giving to the cause easy and fun. For $2 to $5, dogs get to participate in the extra activities or chomp down the treats with the money going to the foundation.

So far, Dogtopia on Jefferson Boulevard – the former Bug-A-Boo Creek or the Red coach Grille going way back – has sponsored three service dogs and is nearing the half way mark of sponsoring a fourth.

According to a release, the Dogtopia Foundation enables dogs to positively change the world, and providing service dogs to veterans is just one of the three key pillars of the foundation. Since its inception in 2017, the foundation has helped sponsor more than 230 service dogs for veterans nationwide and raised more than $1.4 million.

“We are committed to uniting service dogs with veterans in need and could not have done it without the generosity of our amazing pet parents and community,” said Dogtopia of Warwick owner, David Giardino, in a statement. “We will be partnering with K9s for Warriors again and we look forward to sharing more details soon about the dog we helped sponsor.”

Dogtopia of Warwick is an expansive operation with 35 employees and provides day care for upwards of 130 dogs daily. Dogs are separated by size, temperament and age. There is perpetual monitoring and with an app owners can check to see what their pet is doing and whether they’re taking part in the Hairy Potter activity.

Zoey, the first dog Dogtopia of Warwick helped sponsor was paired locally with Navy Veteran Michelle and continues to do well.

The second service dog that Dogtopia of Warwick helped sponsor, Maggie, just passed her final skills testing at K9s for Warriors, the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs for military veterans suffering from invisible wounds of war. She was recently paired with her Warrior Dylan, a Navy veteran from Florida.

Dogtopia of Warwick opened in March 2020.

Day care at Dogtopia Warwick ranges from $40 one day a week to unlimited weekly care for $173.75. Overnight stays are $27.50 and $47.50 for a suite.

According to Dogtopia literature, “pet parents have the assurance of leaving their beloved furry family members in the hands of trained professionals in an environment created with the safety of dogs in mind, including an open-play environment with comfortable rubber flooring to ease joints and paws, top quality meals and snacks, as well as webcams for pet parents to check in on their pups.”