NYC influencer takes shelter dogs on subway adventures to help them find homes
A New York City social media influencer is turning subway rides into viral adventures to help shelter dogs find homes.
Bryan Reisberg is the creator of a dog backpack, and he's using it to show off shelter dogs in a new light -- playful, curious and full of personality.
"Literally helped us save these dogs' lives"
Once a week, Reisberg takes a new dog from the Best Friends Animal Society in SoHo on a daily adventure through the streets of New York and even on the subway.
"New Yorkers are miserable during rush hour, but when they see a dog in a backpack, they light up. They want to pet the dog," he said.
He documents every adventure on social media, where millions have been following along. His record so far is pretty remarkable: 10 out of the 11 dogs he's posted on social media have been adopted.
"That collaboration has literally helped us save these dogs' lives," said Darryl Moore, senior manager of lifesaving programs at Best Friends Animal Society.
"A really direct impact. You make a video, it goes viral, and then somebody wants to adopt the dog," Reisberg said.
"Probably the most fulfilling thing I've ever done"
Moore says since Reisberg started doing this in July, his organization seen at least 100 more adoptions compared to last year.
"It has been allowing people to really see the adoptable pets outside of our centers," he said.
"It's indescribable. It's probably the most fulfilling thing I've ever done," Reisberg said.
For Reisberg, it's more than just numbers -- every dog is a reminder of what's possible when people take notice.
"It's wild to me that so many of these dogs don't have loving families," he said. "These are incredible pets, and I think that's what people might not realize."
Across all social media platforms, Reisberg's first six videos got more than 75 million views.