Uber delivers puppy play time to mark adoption day
Promotional campaign comes amid continued backlash to app-based taxi service
The app-based taxi service Uber is delivering puppies to offices on Thursday for 15-minute play times to raise awareness for shelter animals.
Citing National Adopt-A-Shelter Pet Day, Uber Canada partnered with 3MillionDogs to serve "puppy play dates" to offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Edmonton.
Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., a "PUPPIES" option on the Uber app will charge users' credit cards $30 for puppies to be delivered to offices.
The company says all proceeds will be donated directly to rescue shelter organizations, like Moosonee Puppy Rescue in northern Ontario and Save Our Scruff, which rescues and rehomes canines in the Greater Toronto Area.
All of the puppies are eligible for adoption.
The promotional campaign comes as Uber Canada — which lets everyday motorists become on-call taxi drivers — continues to face backlash against its services The taxi industry and several municipalities have tried to ban Uber, with tensions running particularly high in Montreal. But the service remains popular.
Uber previously set up a free curbside breathalyzer service in Toronto.
The company warns that it expects availability of puppies will be limited.