East End Vets and Red Tape Brewery in East Toronto team up to help pet owners in need
By CONRAD MURPHY
A collaboration between a local craft brewery and a veterinarian clinic is set to bring a brand-new beer that will help build a support fund for pet owners in need.
“We believe that everyone should have the right to own a pet if they so choose and that pet should have the right to good-quality healthcare,” said Dr. Matt Spiegle, veterinarian and co-owner of East End Vets at the northwest corner of Main Street and Gerrard Street East.
East End Vets, a relatively new veterinary clinic in the East Toronto neighbourhood, was founded by Dr. Spiegle and Dr. Lara Zahra. The two have aimed to integrate the clinic into the community by forming partnerships such as the one they have built with Red Tape Brewery which is just a few store fronts south of the clinic on the east side of Main Street.
Red Tape Brewery, owned by Sarabeth and Sean Holden, has been a cornerstone of the community for the past five years. The brewery has a history of supporting local initiatives, having worked with food banks, LGBTQ+ support groups, and senior care organizations. The partnership with East End Vets is the latest in a series of efforts to “give back to the community” said Holden.
The collaboration between the two businesses began at a child’s birthday party, where a conversation about the community turned into an initiative focused on supporting pet owners, who may be struggling with the cost of veterinary care.
The result is Benny and the Vets, a speciality craft beer that will soon be available. The name draws inspiration from Holden’s own award-winning children’s book, Benny the Bananasaurus Rex, as well as the classic Elton John song Bennie and the Jets. Both Sean and Sarabeth Holden noted that the name captures both the family-friendly nature of the brewery as well as the musical atmosphere.
The first batch of the beer will produce approximately 950 cans, with one dollar from every sale going directly to the East End Vets support fund. If the response is positive, Holden said they will “keep it going” producing more batches.
The support fund is still in its early stages but will be used in the near future to help cover medical costs for pet owners facing financial hardship.
To access the fund, pet owners will be asked to fill out an application, where their eligibility will be reviewed.
The goal is for the fund “to go to the animals and people who need it the most and be dispersed to as many pets as possible,” said Spiegle.
The fund comes along with the East End Vet’s mission to build a stronger and more supportive community. Kristen Likopulos, community outreach director for East End Vets, emphasized the need to “support the mom-and-pop shops so they can stay around for a long time”.
She added that the initiative is an opportunity to “create even more of a community connection” and support the little guys.
Spiegle echoed those sentiments. “Even though we have very different businesses, we have very similar goals, with a vision of bringing the community together.”
Red Tape Brewery and East End Vets hope this initiative will make a difference for pet owners in East Toronto. Both businesses say that they are deeply tied to the local community, and hope this collaboration is a way to continue to add to the vibrancy of the region.
“Bring your dog over to East End Vets for a vaccine, then come by for a beer after at Red Tape,” said Spiegle.
For more information on East End Vets, please go to https://eastendvets.ca/
For more information on Red Tape Brewery, please go to https://redtapebrewery.com/
