Remember when everyone was dumping ice water on their heads for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? That was so yesterday. (And so successful, yay.)
Now the latest challenge going viral is “Kissed by a Pit.” Here’s how it works: On social media, you post a picture or video of yourself being smooched by a Pit Bull, with the hashtag #kissedbyapit. Then you donate $5 (or more!) to your favorite animal rescue organization or shelter.
Pawesome idea, right? It was thought up by Dog Park Publishing, whose mission is to “showcase and celebrate the Pit Bull, through our calendars and other products, as a majestic, affectionate and intelligent breed that is sorely misunderstood,” according to its website.
“We are thrilled with the response we have already received,” company co-founders Alisa Weberman and Jonathan Korzen told the Huffington Post in late August. “It means we are showing Pit Bulls in a positive light, and raising money for rescues and shelters across the world.”
The latest celebrity participant is Kevin Bacon, dog dad of a rescued Pit Bull named Lilly. You may recognize her from a video Bacon posted in July 2012 of the two of them jumping in tandem into a swimming pool. (Bacon’s wife, Kyra Sedgwick, talked fondly about Lilly on “The Late Show” a few years back. Semi-jokingly, David Letterman said, “Pit Bulls are dangerous, and they will kill you.” Sedgwick laughed and defended the breed very gracefully, but I really wished she’d responded, “Talk show hosts are cheaters, and they will have affairs with their interns.”)
In the caption for his video, Bacon wrote, “Dogparkpublishing.com #kissedbyapit challenge just made my donation to #AnimalHaven NYC who’s next?”
He didn’t nominate any celebrities, but I’d love to see Jon Stewart, dog dad of a three-legged Pit Bull, take up the challenge.
Dog Park Publishing is also donating $5 per order to animal rescues and charities this month. You can check out Bacon’s video and more Kissed by a Pit Bull challenge participants (and add your photo or video) on the Pit Bulls and Itty Pitties Facebook page.
Photo credit: Kevin Bacon on WhoSay