The TurfMutt Foundation is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the adoption of TurfMutt’s new spokesdog, Mutt Mulligan (a.k.a. Mo-Mo). Mo-Mo was abandoned with her siblings and rescued by the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS). Kris Kiser, TurfMutt Foundation’s President and President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), adopted Mo-Mo, a mixed breed pup, at the 2019 Lucky’s Mutt Madness adoption event held in partnership with KHS at GIE+EXPO.

“Mulligan fits right into the TurfMutt Foundation family, and she’s had quite a year growing into the paw prints left behind by the original TurfMutt, my rescue dog, Lucky,” says Kiser. “In addition to the typical puppy training, Mulligan has also learned how to take on her duties as a backyard superhero. People are starting to realize what the TurfMutt platform has been saying for the past 10 years—your family yard, parks and school yards are safe places to de-stress and to reconnect with family, friends and nature.”

The TurfMutt Foundation encourages outdoor learning experiences, stewardship of our green spaces, and care for all living landscapes. By teaching about the outdoors and educating citizens about sustainability, the Foundation helps sustain a greener, healthier quality of life for this and future generations. The Foundation promotes urban habitat and ways everyone can save the world “one yard a time.” TurfMutt is a symbol of the effort, and Mulligan is the spokesdog.

A Year of Firsts

Here’s what Mulligan has been up to this past year as she learns and grows into her spokesdog cape.

1. Learning the Ropes at the Office: Time in the office, industry meetings, media appearances and video shoots were all part of her first year as spokesdog.

2. Getting to Know Her Backyard: Every dog’s favorite “room” is the family yard, and Mo-Mo is no exception. She loves exploring her living landscape and encourages others to do the same.

3. Learning to Share with the Backyard Wildlife: Learning to share her outdoor space is critical, as her family yard is an important part of the local ecosystem, offering food and habitat for all kinds of backyard wildlife, insects and pollinators.

4. Reminding Us to Spend Time Outdoors: One of the tasks of TurfMutt’s top dog is encouraging people to get outside, work in their living landscapes, and enjoy the benefits of being in nature. Mowing the lawn, trimming bushes, playing fetch with the dog, planting a butterfly bush or playing games are all ways to tap into the health and well-being a yard can provide.

5. Sharing Resources for Families Stuck at Home: During these turbulent times, Mo-Mo reminds families about the resources created by TurfMutt available to them. The TurfMutt Foundation offers free, online activities and lesson plans, e-books and games designed for students in grades K-8 created with Scholastic. The materials are designed to teach kids about the value of the outdoors, the benefits of being in nature, and to inspire them to get outside—all of which can be done at home and in the backyard.

6. Encouraging Families to Foster or Rescue a Pet in Need: Early in the COVID-19 lockdown, Mo-Mo “pawed it forward” by encouraging families to consider fostering or rescuing a pet in need. Meanwhile, she has been a big help to Kiser and the other TurfMutt Foundation team members as they navigate this stressful time. According to a U.K. study, people who had relationships with pets had better physical and mental well-being during the lockdown period.

“It’s been a while since I had a young dog at home, but it’s rewarding,” says Kiser. “After this first year, it’s clear that Mo-Mo is ready to continue our work of encouraging families to care for and spend time in their green spaces.”

To learn more about the TurfMutt Foundation, visit TurfMutt.com.

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