From Pet Loss to Hope: Penelope’s Basket Gives Beloved Dog Toys a Second Life

New Hands2Paws.com initiative lets grieving pet owners honor the dogs they’ve lost by donating their stuffed toys to shelter dogs.

STAMFORD, CT, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — When Elizabeth J. Menegon lost her Italian Greyhound, Penelope, to a fast-moving cancer, she faced a question many grieving pet owners know well: what do you do with the toys left behind?

“I looked at her basket of toys and couldn’t throw them away,” said Menegon, founder of Hands2Paws.com, mobile app, and Neptune7 Productions. “I remembered which ones were Christmas presents, birthday presents, toys she loved for years. They were part of her life.”

That moment became Penelope’s Basket, a new Hands2Paws.com initiative that gives gently loved stuffed toys a second life with dogs in shelters and rescues. Its tagline says it simply: Loved before, loved again.

“Some shelter dogs have never had a toy of their own,” Menegon said. “Knowing one can cuddle something Penelope once loved gives me comfort. And when that dog is adopted, the toy goes home with them.”

How It Works

Pet owners send clean stuffed toys in their pet’s memory, along with a printable “In Memory Of” card bearing their pet’s name. Every toy is checked by hand and washed again on arrival. The card goes to the shelter with the toys, so the pet being remembered is part of the gift.

“Their name should be part of the gift,” Menegon said. “They mattered.”

Toys must be stuffed, machine washable, and in good condition. Torn or chewed toys, rubber or plastic toys, and chews are not accepted. Donors are encouraged to keep one or two favorites for themselves.

“You don’t think about what you’ll do with their things afterward,” Menegon said. “Penelope’s Basket gives people another choice.”

Penelope’s Basket is privately funded. Donation guidelines, shipping details, participating shelters, and the printable memorial card are at www.PenelopesBasket.org.

About Penelope’s Basket

Penelope’s Basket was created in memory of Penelope, an Italian Greyhound whose beloved toys inspired a way to turn cherished memories into comfort for shelter dogs. It is an initiative of the Hands2Paws mobile app, created by Elizabeth J. Menegon.

About Hands2Paws

Hands2Paws.com is a mobile app designed to help people choose the breed that fits their lifestyle and expectations, whether they plan to adopt or buy from a breeder. Users are then referred to that breed’s national parent club for trusted information. Hands2Paws is free and transparent, with no financial arrangements with breeders, rescues, or clubs. It is also the matching engine behind Pet Pursuit, an unscripted TV series in development from Neptune7 Productions.

Elizabeth Menegon
Hands2paws
Emenegon@hands2paws.com

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