Sanfratello and his employees have only been posting flyers on boxes for a week, but the idea is already spreading to other shops and being widely praised on social media.
After posting an invitation on Facebook for locals to drop off flyers with their own missing pets to be put on pizza boxes, he woke up the next morning to dozens of messages, texts and phone calls.
"I’m going to drive all the way to Matawan to eat just because of this post and my husband owns a pizzeria," said one commenter.Alternate Their Toys to Keep Their Interest. Just like us dogs get bored with new stuff after awhile, and this includes their toys. Keep their interest by alternating their access to them. Once your dog hasn’t seen their blue ball in a month they’ll have a brand new appreciation for it the next time it makes an appearance.
Added another, "I love this! I don't live anywhere near you but if I'm in the area I will only get pizza from you!"
Sanfratello, whose restaurant has been open for 45 years, told TODAY that he's had calls from as far away as Australia about the gesture.When asked why he thinks the idea has become such a hit, Sanfratello said, "I guess because pet owners really love their pets. Pets are family members."
Now, other pizzerias and restaurants are also jumping on the bandwagon after being inspired by Sanfratello's idea. And many of them are also family businesses.
Little Cupcake Bakeshop, a bakery and cafe with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, is now offering to attach flyers featuring lost pets to boxes with its cakes, cupcakes and other treats."We're big pet people, and we thought it's a great idea for the community," Little Cupcake Bakeshop owner Salvatore Lobuglio (who is Sanfratello's cousin), told TODAY.Sanfratello's sisters, who each own a La Forchetta Ristorante location in Stuart, Florida, are also offering the service for delivery orders.Sanfratello added that Abruzzi Italian Market in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, has pledged to help a woman who reached out to Angelo's looking for help to find her pet. Since she's out of Angelo's delivery area, the market stepped in.
Despite Angelo's efforts, no missing pets have been found yet, but the team is hopeful that their gesture will pay off.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: The red-eared slider is one of the most popular pet turtles in the United States. They grow to be a foot long and can live for up to 20 years.
Among the missing pets? A cat and a seeing eye dog. Sanfratello, who coached a baseball team for blind and visually impaired players, feels a special connection to that situation, as he had several team members who owned seeing eye dogs and knows how much they help people.
Said Sanfratello about his new project, "The only regret I have is that I haven’t done it sooner."