NASCAR’s Alex Bowman's interest in caring for dogs and supporting animal shelters across the country is personal. The newest driver for the Ally-sponsored No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has always been a dog person, even before he adopted his sweet rescue pup Roscoe in 2013. Now a dog daddy of two, Alex is determined to make a difference in the wellbeing of rescue animals by ensuring more shelter animals everywhere can enjoy happy and healthy lives in fur-ever homes of their own.
“There’s a lot of animals in the country that need good homes,” Alex says. “Being able to work with Ally and organizations we’ve teamed up with so far has been a really special experience.”
To kick off this joint effort, Alex and Ally worked with the Humane Society of Charlotte, the local chapter of the Humane Society of the United States near where Alex lives. In addition to Ally’s $75,000 donation to the shelter, Alex has been instrumental in spreading helpful information about how people everywhere can support its efforts.
“Anything to do with animals hits home for me, no matter what it is,” Alex says. “My bond with Roscoe and Finn is so meaningful to me — I love getting to come home and seeing them after I’m away for work. But I know so many other great animals out there that need homes aren’t as fortunate. Any small thing I can do to help is important, and being at the Humane Society of Charlotte was really eye-opening when it came to everything they do to help animals in our community.”
To continue the momentum Alex and Ally built through their kick off with the Humane Society of Charlotte, the duo has teamed up with the Best Friend’s Animal Society, whose mission is to end kill shelters across the U.S. and help all homeless animals find love and comfort.
Throughout the racing season, for every track Alex races at, a local animal shelter will receive a donation from Ally and Alex. If he wins the race, Ally will plus up the donation to the shelter.
Helping pet parents do it right
When it comes to animal welfare, Alex and Ally know that supporting shelters and advocating for adoption is just the beginning. The way animals are treated once they’ve found a home is just as important. Belly rubs, fun adventures and lots of snuggles are surefire, low-cost ways to make sure pets feel safe and loved — but it’s important to recognize the financial responsibility of being a pet parent as well.
According to the ASPCA, the average total first-year expenses (in addition to the initial adoption fees) of owning a dog range from about $1,470 to $2,000 depending on the size of the pup. Cat owners can expect to dedicate about $1,200 to their nine-lived companion in the first year. And going forward, annual expenses for both dogs and cats add up to about $1,000 each year.
Ally is committed to making it simple for future pet parents to prepare and save for a new addition to their families. With our Ally Bank Online Savings Account buckets tool, you can create a digital savings envelope dedicated to your puppy or kitty. By keeping your pet fund separate from other savings, you’ll know exactly how much you have to commit to your furry friend and can easily gauge if and when you are financially ready to bring them home.
Current pet parents can also use savings buckets to support their animal’s wellbeing. Consider keeping your monthly kitty litter, kibble, or grooming funds in buckets of their own. Or you might create an emergency pet savings bucket so you can be prepared for unexpected vet costs or those last-minute visits to doggy day care.
Using recurring transfers, you can even ensure your custom pet savings bucket has funds automatically deposited into it regularly. That way, you don’t have to worry if you suddenly need money to pay for something for your four-legged friend — and can focus instead on all the fun and rewarding aspects of being a pet owner!
Mission: More tail wags
As a dedicated dog owner, Alex Bowman knows just how special it is to rescue and care for animals. And here at Ally (where many of us are pet parents ourselves), we couldn’t agree more. Together through our Ally Racing relationship, we are proud to support Alex not only on the racetrack, but in all his efforts to improve the lives of animals and communities as a whole everywhere.
Author's note: Sadly, Roscoe passed Aug. 15, 2023. He was a good boy, beloved friend to Alex and Finn and will be greatly missed.
