Shelter dogs in Kansas City, Missouri, got an unexpected holiday treat this year: a festive lunch of hamburgers.
On Dec. 24, the dogs at KC Pet Project were delighted with a platter stacked with more than 200 hamburgers, turning an ordinary afternoon into a memorable Christmas Eve celebration. The special delivery came from local animal advocate Scott Poore, who surprised the shelter with the McDonald’s feast.
“There’s nothing quite like seeing a shelter dog’s face light up over something as simple — and delicious — as a surprise hamburger on Christmas Eve,” said KC Pet Project CEO Kate Meghji in a statement. She added that the excitement was contagious, with wagging tails and eager noses filling the kennels. The joyful moment, Meghji said, reflected the shared commitment to bringing comfort and happiness to shelter dogs as they wait for their forever homes.
In a Christmas Eve Facebook post, KC Pet Project described the meal as “the most amazing surprise for our dogs.” The shelter shared that hundreds of plain hamburgers were delivered as an early holiday treat, creating visible excitement and joy among the animals.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(641x1032:643x1034):format(webp)/KC-Pet-Project-010325-04-88bb2df837eb4d4393eb305da110cc39.jpg)
The post also credited Poore and Scenthound, a local grooming business, for helping spread holiday cheer. It concluded by emphasizing the impact of community kindness, noting that moments like these remind the shelter how meaningful local support can be for animals in need.
According to Kansas City ABC affiliate KMBC, this marked Poore’s 10th consecutive Christmas Eve surprising shelter animals with a special treat. Poore is the founder of On a Mission KC, a nonprofit organization focused on advocating for long-term shelter pets.
KC Pet Project cares for more than 16,000 lost, stray, and surrendered animals each year across 14 locations. The organization provides veterinary services, adoption and foster programs, rehoming assistance, and pet-retention support, all aimed at improving outcomes for pets in the community.
