THE BIG Bark, a canine podcast recorded and produced in Limerick, is to undertake a Christmas charity initiative in support of two animal charities.
The initiative will see the group behind the podcast release a 2023 charity calendar, along with a number of pawsitively adorable Christmas cards, just in time for the festive season.
Funds raised from the project will go towards Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA).
Big Bark founder Darragh Bourke says that with this year’s campaign the broadcasters have a “strong focus on highlighting the work done by animal charities, with the overarching theme of hope and belief that one day there will be effective animal welfare laws that tackle animal cruelty”.
The calendar and cards will feature a selection of dogs in the care of LAW and the DSCPA as well as some of the precious pooches owned by fans and listeners of the podcast.
“The idea is all about uniqueness – every dog is unique and special in their own way, we wanted to showcase that,” says Darragh.
“Last year’s calendar featured photos of more than 80 dogs that were submitted to the team. As always, when looking at the cute images, it’s so hard to choose.
“I decided that there would be no choosing as I wanted to make sure that every dog has his day. Like our 2022 calendar, every dog who was submitted to us is featured in the calendar”.
Since its inception in 2019, the podcast’s annual festive drive has raised close to €10,000 for animal charities nationwide. This year the group behind the initiative hope to break that record with their 2022 ‘I Believe in Santa Paws’ campaign.
The Big Bark will also release a special live episode of the podcast in the run-up to the holidays, welcoming back some memorable guests and hosting a very special raffle.
The calendars and cards are available to pre-order from the Big Bark website. Darragh recommends making orders before December 1 to ensure a Christmas delivery.
Limerick dog owners also have the opportunity to submit photos of their pets for inclusion here
