Chloe Carboneau, a senior at Conard High School, launches a fundraiser to help families in need feed their pets. It’s called the ‘Paw Purpose Project.’

By Melissa Cole

Chloe Carboneau, a senior at West Hartford’s Conard High School, has been an animal lover since she was little. Her golden retriever, Tristan, is her current four-legged companion, and he wanted to be right by her side during our interview. 

Chloe Carboneau’s dog, Tristan, being cute and silly during the interview. Photo credit: Melissa Cole

Chloe hopes to turn her passion for animals into a career.

“I’ve had cats and dogs and fish since I can remember,” Chloe said. “Right now, we have Tristan, the golden. I love animals. I want to be a vet when I’m older, so I’m looking at colleges that offer animal science as a major. I’m looking to go down the vet track.”

Recently, Chloe began thinking about families who may have fallen on hard times and are struggling to afford food and other necessities for their pets. She wanted to find a way to raise money in her community to help.

Chloe reached out to the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington to ask how she could get involved. That’s when she learned about its Pet Food Pantry Program, an initiative that provides donated pet food to families in need. When Chloe heard how the program helps keep pets with the families who love them, and out of shelters, she knew she wanted to help.

So, she launched her own GoFundMe campaign, the Paw Purpose Project, to collect monetary donations from her community.

“Basically, it’s called the Paw Purpose Project, and it’s a fundraiser for the community to help support the Connecticut Humane Society’s Pet Food Pantry Program,” Chloe said. “I wanted to fundraise for something that people might not realize is a big issue. They help families that are just struggling financially.” 

Chloe explained that helping families feed their pets can help them keep their animals at home, rather than having to surrender them to shelters.

“I feel like keeping families and pets together and preventing them from getting into the shelters – it’s a good preventative way to keep dogs out of shelters and at home with their families.”

Chloe Carboneau hopes to host a dog toy sale to help raise more funds for the Paw Purpose Project. Photo credit: Melissa Cole

Ashley Holm, the community outreach manager at the Connecticut Humane Society, shared details about the impact of their Pet Food Pantry Program.

“The Connecticut Humane Society’s Pet Food Pantry program provides food for over two hundred pets across the state each month. This program keeps pets with the families who love them by providing a monthly supply of pet food to those experiencing hardship. This program is supported by donations from members of the community, just like Chloe,” said Ashley. 

Ashley went on to say how meaningful it is to see a teen like Chloe turn her love of animals into something more.

“Chloe has taken a personal passion for animals and turned it into meaningful action. The Connecticut Humane Society is grateful that she chose to support the Pet Food Pantry and use her voice to spread awareness about this resource, ensuring that more families do not have to surrender their pets due to financial difficulties,” Ashley said.

Chloe has shared her GoFundMe campaign with friends and family, and so far, the response has been positive and supportive.

“They’ve been like, ‘This is great. This is awesome,’” Chloe said. “They’re really supportive of it, and I think just through friends and family, I’ve already raised $300, which is great.”

Her goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of the year, but for Chloe, there’s more to it than raising a specific number.

“I just want to try and make a difference,” she said. “Every little bit helps, right? It all adds up.”

Chloe Carboneau plans to hand out bracelets and squishies at various fundraising events. Photo credit: Melissa Cole

Chloe plans to host local fundraisers outside establishments like Chipotle and Stop & Shop, and possibly at local pet stores. She has also ordered paw squishies and bracelets to give to children who stop by. Even if someone doesn’t donate, Chloe says she’s still doing her part by spreading the word.

“I just wanted to get the word out there, spread awareness, and have people know that this is kind of a bigger issue than you may think,” she said. “Any donation helps, and I’m really excited to see where it goes.”

More information abou the Paw Purpose Project Fundraiser can be found here.

You can also follow along on Instagram: @pawpurposeproject

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