Meet Connor Abdo | Shelter Dog Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Connor Abdo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I grew up with a love and passion for dogs. I’d always find myself petting the dog or playing with the dog while at a friends house or a party. I had a true soft spot for dogs that were in shelters or homeless. It amazed me to see an animal that was in such a rough position but still so happy when you showed it a little attention. I wanted to create a way to raise money for the less fortunate dogs out there. When I thought about it further, I knew that everyone who loves dogs would also want to help out these less fortunate dogs. What better way to do that than to sell dog products for dogs that already have families and donate 50% of the profits to these less fortunate dogs that are looking for their forever home? From there, Salvation Bark was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets Salvation Bark apart from other dog product brands is our motto: “A brand created for all dogs, to support dogs in need.” When you think of mainstream American dogs like the Golden Retriever, Doodles, and Frenchies, you don’t often associate them with the dogs you find in an animal shelter. I wanted to bridge the gap between privileged dogs and less fortunate ones. Salvation Bark is a brand where privileged dogs can wear our products and help support those stuck in shelters or rescue organizations. We achieve this by donating 50% of the profits from every order to a shelter or rescue organization we partner with. The most challenging part has been getting the brand name out there. There are a lot of dog product brands. But, there are none that share the same mission and business model as ours.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting Atlanta we would eat at my two favorite restaurants; Delbar and Marcels. We would walk the Beltline and grab drinks at Lady Bird. We’d hang out at Fetch dog park before catching a Braves game at The Battery. We’d grab coffee at Little Tart, a concert at The Eastern, and go for a walk around Piedmont Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have been inspired by animal shelter volunteers all over the country, but specifically at LifeLine Animal Project in Atlanta, GA. These people are the most kind, generous, compassionate humans you will ever meet. They give up their time for these dogs and expect nothing in return. They motivated me to start Salvation Bark. Many shelters lack sufficient funding and volunteers end up using their own money to help take care of these dogs. This encouraged me to develop a business that could help them out.

Website: https://www.salvationbark.com

Instagram: @thesalvationbark

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesalvationbark