New Orleans chocolate shop helps animals

11/16/2009

Bon Bon the spokesdog for Sucré in New Orleans

Tariq Hanna, the Executive pastry chef at Sucré, the decadently delicious chocolate boutique in New Orleans has a soft spot for animals. He and his pet French bulldog, Bon Bon – the doggie mascot for the sweet shop – have decided this holiday season to donate part of their proceeds to help animals in need.

“In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, the LA/SPCA [Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] located in New Orleans was devastated,” says Sucré owner Joel Dondis. “Thanks to Bon Bon, the Sucré Spokesdog, this holiday season, in the spirit of giving, Sucré has paired up with the LA/SPCA and a portion of every dollar spent online at Sucré will go directly to benefit the LA/SPCA. Bon Bon wants to help save her friends at the LA/SPCA and we want to do our part!”

The LA/SPCA certainly could use the help. “The impact of Katrina was huge for our operations,” says Katherine LeBlanc from the LA/SPCA. “We lost our shelter, which had housed the LA/SPCA for over 20 years. We set up shop in a temporary shelter while we raised funds to build a brand new shelter from the ground up.”  They’ve now been in the news shelter for two years and finally getting back to their former capacity.

“Our intake numbers are reaching pre-Katrina levels rapidly and larger intake translates into higher euthanasia numbers,” says LeBlanc. To prevent that and help get strays off the street, they plan to open a high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic in January, and have teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to spread the message about how the relatively simple effort of spaying or neutering a pet can prevent much unnecessary suffering. “We are slowly but surely gaining momentum in this post-Katrina environment.”

LeBlanc says Sucré has been involved with other fundraising efforts for them, as well. "They participated in our Annual Fundraising Gala, Howling Success, as a spotlighted restuarant with their caramel apple napoleon with herb cream. And now, Bon Bon, their Executive Pastry Chef’s dog is giving his friends at the LA/SPCA a chance to find their forever homes.

There’s nothing like having a bad day, then coming home to the delivery of a box of chocolates. Like manna from heaven, Sucré sent me a box of their holiday sugar and spice truffle collection and they were utterly divine. My daughter and I, both chocaholics, scarfed them up in one afternoon. The sugar & spice collection had three types – dark chocolate egg nog, milk chocolate ginger, and white chocolate peppermint. All I can say is, wow! I love unique spices in chocolate, and they also have collections with earl gray, absinthe, passion fruit, chai, chicory, along with more traditional flavors.  There’s a pretty funny video of Hanna and his Frenchie on vimeo you can watch here. I don’t think I’d let my dog share my ice cream cone, but… would you?

Sucre and LA/SPCA from Sucre - Founder - Joel Dondis on Vimeo.

Comments

[Melody S]

Bon Bon is so ugly he's adorable!