fetchmin, Author at FETCH a Cure

FETCH Feature: Freeloader (a Pen Pals Dog)

June 17, 2019 4:54 pm Comments Off

At FETCH a Cure, we encounter quite a few dogs and cats. Through our Companions in Crisis (CIC) and Pixie’s Pen Pals programs, we have helped hundreds of animals. What many people don’t think about, however, is that when an animal becomes a CIC Recipient or a Pen Pals participant, they become part of the FETCH a Cure family. That doesn’t end when they leave our programs. We have built a community in which families stay connected with us long after their original participation. We love seeing pictures of their new lives and keeping up with how they are doing, and we want to share that with everyone. So, we will be posting weekly FETCH Features about our animals. These will include Pen Pals dog alumni, past CIC recipients, and dogs that are currently up for adoption through the Pen Pals program.

Meet Freeloader!

Freeloader (or “Free” as his inmate handlers call him) is currently receiving training at a Virginia Correctional Facility, and he’s ready for adoption!

This goofy guy would be the perfect addition to a family with kids over the age of 10 (he doesn’t know his size and might knock down smaller children). He is young (under 2 years old), loves everyone he meets and is overall a fun-loving clown. He is great with other dogs and loves to play but needs a home without cats– they are just too much fun to chase!

Here’s what his handlers had to say:

“Free is a wonderful dog, very smart and loving and kind of a cornball! He will make an active owner very happy as long as they are willing to continue working with him. I truly believe there is nothing he couldn’t learn. He is ready for adoption and to share his love and quirkiness with some lucky owner.”

Are you that lucky owner? If you are interested in adopting Freeloader, you can fill out an application here. Please contact spavilack@fetchacure.com with any questions.

12th Annual Pets on Parade

June 13, 2019 6:13 pm Comments Off

Our 12th Anniversary Pets on Parade was one for the books! We are so grateful to our sponsors, in kind donors, volunteers, and guests. Everyone’s generosity helped us surpass our fundraising goals for this year’s event.

The money raised at Pets on Parade goes directly to furthering our programs at FETCH a Cure. Our pets are our family, and we are dedicated to improving their quality of life. With your help, we are building a community where no one is denied a choice for their pet’s health due to lack of options, education, or funding, as well as one where homeless dogs and inmates get a second chance.

You can view pictures from the event below. Thank you to Verlee Bishop for capturing the event!

POP Pictures

Foster with FETCH

May 15, 2019 7:40 pm Comments Off

At FETCH a Cure, we couldn’t do what we do without volunteers. We are so grateful for all our dedicated friends who have stepped up to help with events, programs, administrative tasks, and so much more. We are especially thankful for those who have helped us with Pixie’s Pen Pals dogs, providing as-needed foster care and taxi-ing throughout Virginia. Recently, however, we realized that we lack an effective network to reach our foster volunteers.

That’s why we’re launching Foster with FETCH.

Foster with FETCH is a Facebook group for volunteers who are specifically interested in assisting with dogs in our Pixie’s Pen Pals program. Our program pairs shelter dogs with inmates in correctional facilities across the state of Virginia, so we need lots of volunteers to help out. Our primary needs are:

Foster: From time to time, we have dogs who are not thriving in a prison environment. We rely on our foster network to house these dogs while we continue to search for their forever home.

Taxi: Since our prisons are all over Virginia, we need help transporting dogs. From driving a dog from a correctional center to a vet appointment or just bringing them back into the city for an event, this is a great option for those who can’t bring a dog into their home.

Home visits: This is good for out of town volunteers. Occasionally, when we have an out of town adopter, we will need a volunteer to conduct a home visit for adoption screening (further instructions will be given before the home visit).

If you are interested in volunteering in one or more of these ways, you can join the group by clicking “Join” on the Facebook page. As a member of the group, you will get notifications when we have volunteer needs. Our hope is that this will provide a more effective network both for the volunteers and for FETCH!

We also encourage volunteers in the group to share posts while they are working with FETCH. If you’re fostering a dog, share an update! If you’re taking a dog to the vet, let us know how they did in the car or the waiting room. Adopters love when we can give them information about the dog’s life prior to adoption, so any information you can share is very helpful.

Please note: this group is for volunteers interested in foster/taxi/home visits. If you are interested in volunteering in other ways (administrative, events, donations, etc), keep up with us by “liking” us on Facebook!

Tails of RVA

April 24, 2019 7:18 pm Comments Off

Have you ever looked at your dog or cat and thought, “I have the cutest pet ever!”? If you’re like us, you think this several times a day.

Now, thanks to Hayes & Fisk Photography’s new book “Tails of RVA”, you can capture your pet’s beauty and prove it to everyone–all while helping FETCH a Cure.

Hayes & Fisk Photography is a Richmond-based photography studio run by Jamie Hayes and Mary Fisk-Taylor. On top of being award-winning portrait photographers, Jamie and Mary also run two to three charitable projects a year and have a soft spot for furry friends. “We hadn’t worked with a pet-related program in a while, so it worked out perfectly to partner with FETCH,” says Jamie. “Anything that supports pets, we’re all in.” According to Jamie, it was Mary who came up with the project of Tails of RVA.

Tails of RVA is a limited edition coffee table book featuring Richmond’s dogs and cats. Each participant will receive a personalized copy of the book with their pet on the cover, and the best part is: $100 from each session goes to FETCH to help further our efforts.

Photographing Pets

“When Millie first came in, she was shaking from head to toe,” Jessica Arnest recalls of her dog’s photography session. Millie, an older yellow lab, was very unsure of the big lights and camera when she entered the Hayes & Fisk studio. Her demeanor quickly changed, thanks in part to Jamie’s nonsensical noises and collection of squeaky toys and treats. “Within fifteen minutes, Jamie had assured her she was safe and had her tail wagging. After that, she didn’t want to leave.”

https://www.facebook.com/fetchacurefan/videos/348948142405125/

Luna, a pitbull mix, during her Tails of RVA session

Luna during her portrait session.

Jamie encourages even the most nervous or seemingly non-photogenic of pets to come to the studio. “We’ve gotten a few clients that come in and say, ‘My dog is horrible, I can never get any good pictures of them!’ The thing is though, we specialize in photographing toddlers, so dogs and cats are easy by comparison.”

Jamie and Mary’s talent and love of animals both shine through in their stunning portraits. Allie Meagher, FETCH’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator, was amazed at the shots they got of her rambunctious pittie mix, Luna. “She has so much personality, and that really comes through in her pictures,” Allie says. “Jamie captured her goofy head tilt perfectly.”

“Tails of RVA” will debut at our upcoming Pets on Parade benefit on June 7th, 2019. Hayes & Fisk is accepting appointments for the book through the end of April. To book your session, contact the studio at 804-740-9307 or email mary@hayesandfisk.com.

Happy Easter from FETCH a Cure!

April 22, 2019 6:51 pm Comments Off

Thank you so much for stopping by our photo booth at the Easter Parade on Monument! We loved getting to meet you and your pups, and sharing information about how we can help with pet cancer treatment costs. Enjoy the photos below and be sure to like, share, and tag your photos on our Facebook page. The photo with the most likes by Monday, April 29 will win an awesome FETCH prize!

Also, be sure to browse our website for more information on how we help families in Virginia, Maryland and DC who are facing a scary cancer diagnosis with their cats or dogs. Our Companions in Crisis program helps to relieve the financial burden of pet cancer treatment costs. Additionally, FETCH gives shelter dogs and Virginia inmates a second chance through our Pixie’s Pen Pals rescue program. Check out those pages to learn more about all we do to serve our furry companions, and please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our lifesaving programs.

Interested in volunteering for us? Sign up to receive emails about our super fun volunteer opportunities below!

Thank you and Happy Easter from FETCH!