NEW YORK (WABC) -- Bryan Reisberg has transformed his passion for his dog into a mission to help shelter animals find homes through his business and online presence. Reisberg has conducted over 55 adoption rides, showcasing dogs available for adoption in a specially designed backpack as they explore New York City. His outings have garnered attention from the public, creating a larger platform for these dogs.
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"It's truly changed my life from... having such a close relationship with the people who work at these shelters... to seeing how many dogs really need help and how much these shelters really need our help," Reisberg said.
The inspiration for this initiative came from Reisberg's own dog, Maxine. After graduating from Tisch at NYU in 2009 with a film degree, he worked in advertising while developing his first feature film. He and his wife adopted Maxine as a wedding gift in 2015, leading Reisberg to carry her around in various bags before discovering a suitable backpack.
Initially sharing videos of their adventures on Instagram, Reisberg's project slowly gained traction. Despite maintaining a full-time job, the idea evolved into a side hustle. In 2021, after receiving numerous inquiries about how to replicate his experience, Reisberg decided to create a safer product himself and launched a company named Little Chonk, with 'chonk' used as a term of endearment for animals. The launch of the backpack was a success, selling out in just four minutes.
Maxine continues to be a source of inspiration, particularly as she deals with arthritis. Reisberg’s company introduced a hip and joint supplement in February and plans to expand into health and wellness products. Reisberg stated, "We're going to shift a lot of resources, and we're going to dive into the science here."
The idea of adoption rides emerged during a period when Maxine was on crate rest for three months last year, following a friend's suggestion to take out adoptable dogs. Reisberg noted that the rides have achieved over half a billion views, but he emphasizes that his main focus is the impact on the dogs rather than the brand popularity. "What I'm focused on now is impact... it's about the dogs," he explained.