Dogs in animal shelters across the world are being gifted tennis balls to enjoy in care and with their future families, thanks to one man’s viral Instagram post.

After Chris Sontag-Ratti’s dog, named Everything, died in January 2014, he created an Instagram to celebrates their memories and other dogs.

A year on from her death, Mr Sontag-Ratti announced a plan to send 100 tennis balls to other beloved dogs in Everything’s memory, in a post to Instagram .

“I hope that all the people who get a ball from me will use it to spend some quality time with their best friend,” he wrote.

Now, a company called Dan’s Dog Walking and Pet Sitting has decided to join in the tributes and acts of kindness, through the ‘Tennis Balls For Everything’ campaign.

In a video posted to YouTube , the company announced it would send a bag of tennis balls to a number of animal shelters to raise awareness for the 3.9 million dogs who enter US shelters each year.

In the video, the company launches the campaign by allowing two shelter dogs to swim in a pool filled with 4000 tennis balls.

The campaign was inspired by Chris Sontag-Ratti's love for his dog Everything, who died in 2014. (Instagram: @imso)

“We were inspired by a wonderful man named Chris whose Instagram post went viral after he offered to send a tennis ball to everyone who commented on his picture of his late dog,” the company wrote.

“Let’s find forever homes for these dogs so they can take their tennis ball and make new memories.

“And honour Everything’s memory by supporting local shelters.”