When the Everett Animal Shelter had to close its doors to visitors during the pandemic, McClain Insurance Services started looking for a way to help. What they landed on was simple: an open Facebook livestream showing off a litter of adoptable puppies that anyone could tune in to.
The goal was twofold: to do something meaningful for a shelter that could no longer welcome the public and to give people a bit of joy during a hard stretch. What the McClain team didn't fully anticipate was how far-reaching the livestream would be.
At the first livestream in 2020, two puppies played and tumbled on camera for two hours while viewers flooded the comments with donations. For every $25 raised, the puppies got a new toy or treat, giving the audience a tangible reason to keep giving. By the end of the stream, one of those puppies had a new home: Ash, now a five-year-old trail runner and devoted family dog, was adopted by Meghan Pembroke, McClain’s Communications Strategist, and her family after that very first event.
See photos below of Ash all grown up!
Five years later, the livestream has grown into something the whole community looks forward to. The shelter brings a litter of puppies to the McClain office each spring, along with a crew of volunteers who help wrangle the dogs, deliver treats, and answer adoption questions in real time through the chat. Team members pop on camera throughout the stream to talk about the agency, their community involvement, and the value of pet insurance, though they're the first to admit the puppies are the real stars.
The chance to snuggle a wiggly puppy on camera while talking about their work has become one of the team's favorite perks of the day.
Since the first livestream in 2020, viewers have donated over $11,000 to the shelter through livestreams, in addition to McClain's annual contribution. The shelter has reported at least one viewer-driven adoption every single year. And every year, new clients call the agency for quotes—sometimes even mid-stream, watching puppies wrestle in the background.
The livestreams aren't without their memorable moments, either. Last year's litter featured one tiny sister among a group of bigger brothers, and she ran the whole show, keeping everyone thoroughly in line and giving the McClain team plenty to laugh about.
2026 marks the sixth annual livestream, which will be held on Thursday, April 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST on Facebook. If you’re interested in tuning in, you can RSVP to the Facebook event at facebook.com/share/1KC81ezYBF, where updates, puppy previews, and the donation link will all be posted!
