Dogs And Cats On Cranford Pizza Boxes In Time Of Coronavirus

CRANFORD, NJ — There's one thing that people love right now just as much as cute photos of kitties and puppies — a piping-hot pizza delivered straight to their doors. So a local volunteer with a Cranford-based animal rescue operation had an idea: Why not plaster photos of adoptable pooches and cats on the pizza boxes?

Kate Friedman, a Cranford resident and a writing teacher in North Plainfield, has volunteered with Best Friend animal rescue in Cranford for more than a year. She talked to pizzeria owner Gennaro Somma, whose restaurant, Calabria on Centennial Avenue, has been in business since 1969. Somma agreed to add the flyers to his boxes.

Many residents have now seen the animals: Somma said Tuesday that deliveries have climbed at least 50 percent in recent weeks, especially since mid-March, when New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy limited restaurants to delivery and takeout service.

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Friedman said the rescue group is running a fundraiser here.

Friedman says she first met Somma when doing a school project — a project that was recently delayed when schools closed, to the disappointment of the students.

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Friedman had been teaching her seventh grade writing class in North Plainfield about persuasive writing. When schools closed last month, they were working on sending letters to local businesses to help out the rescue operations. Friedman had also engaged in a similar project the year before, and Somma's restaurant was among those that helped out.

"Now that school is closed and so many local businesses have taken such a financial hit, the letters [from students] can't go out," Friedman said Tuesday. "I promised the kids (remotely) that I wouldn't let the project die."

She has found other ways to keep the project going, such as sending students' letters to prominent residents of the area who can help out. And she contacted Somma at the end of March about the boxes.

"He was totally on board," she said. "When the flyers arrived, I did a contactless drop-off to the pizzeria!"

She said the pizzeria is "delicious and my family's go-to spot."

So how has the project been going?

"Both he and I have seen really positive feedback regarding the flyers," she said. "The dogs on the flyers are Best Friend's longest residents, so we're hoping it helps some of them find homes."

They plan to add more cats in the future.

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The animal rescue group can be found here. Email bestfrienddogadopt@gmail or call 908-425-0008 for more information.

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