Celebrating 3 Years of the Advanced Radiation Treatment Center (ARTC)
Comments Off on Celebrating 3 Years of the Advanced Radiation Treatment Center (ARTC)On October 25, 2016, after nearly a decade spent raising funds, FETCH a Cure and The Oncology Service opened the Advanced Radiation Treatment Center (ARTC) in Richmond, Virginia. The ARTC is the only treatment center of its kind within 100 miles of Richmond, making high-quality radiation treatment more accessible for pets and their families in central Virginia. Services include a state-of-the-art stereotactic linear accelerator that can more precisely target tumors. This precision improves the effectiveness of radiation, reduces damage to surrounding tissue, and decreases the number of treatment sessions required. As Boomer Magazine noted in their 2016 article, only a dozen or so other practices across the country have equipment this sophisticated, which makes the ARTC a hub for animal cancer treatment.
Since its opening, the ARTC has helped hundreds of pets facing a cancer diagnosis. Below are some of our favorite memories of the past 3 years. We are so proud of the facility and everyone involved. We can’t wait to help hundreds more pets!
On average, we have fifteen dogs in our 
The first thing Kasey does when she arrives is asks the staff for recommendations. They are familiar with our program, so they will keep us in mind when they get new dogs. After getting their tips, Kasey begins a walk through every wing of the shelter. There are two reasons for this: 1) she wants to see every dog and 2) she wants to gauge their initial reaction to strangers walking by. “I’m usually looking for the dog who sees me and doesn’t immediately alarm bark or freak out,” she says. If the dog seems receptive to her, Kasey will squat down in front of the kennel and allow him to sniff her. “I’m really looking at how this dog reacts in our first meeting.” If she sees potential in the dog, she’ll take a picture and write down his name in her notebook.
Once she has a list of potential dogs, it’s time to talk to the staff. She goes back up to the front desk and inquires about her list. The staff is truly our greatest resource when it comes to picking dogs because they are the ones who are with them all the time. They take them on walks, feed them, bathe them, so they know things about each dog that we might now see in our first encounter. “I want to talk to everyone,” says Kasey. “Everyone has a favorite dog, and everyone has a dog they’ve spotted a behavioral issue in. So, I want feedback from everyone to make sure I’m getting the full profile.”
Ellee May (formerly known as Miley Cyrus) let Kasey handle her with little care, she loved playing with toys but would give them up when told, and she was eager to please. “She’s super smart. You can see the gears turning in her head,” says Christy Hemsworth, an Adoption Counselor at RACC. During her introduction with another dog, she immediately flopped on her back and showed her belly. She happily submitted and showed no signs of aggression.
Bush Hog is a seven year old Pen Pals dog whose cancer diagnosis is a perfect example of how our mission comes together at FETCH a Cure. There is not much overlap between our CIC and Pen Pals animals; however, canine cancer is common, and sometimes our Pen Pals dogs are affected. Fortunately, we can support our Pen Pals pups through whatever health issues they present.
Since the beginning of June, Bush Hog has been in a wonderful foster home. He lives with another dog, Floyd (who was adopted from Pen Pals in 2017) and a cat named Frankie. According to his fosters, Bushy was “excited at first” around them, especially the cat, but he quickly got comfortable and they all co-exist happily. The cat will even go up to him and sniff his ears and face and Bushy doesn’t care!
Bushy is a simple man: his biggest interests include belly rubs, chewing toys, and sunbathing outside. He is great with other dogs, but doesn’t love having them in his face or jumping all over him. We think he would do great in a home with a respectful doggie sibling who responds to his body language. Bushy likes cats, and after his initial excitement and interest in them, will get along great with them. A dog-savvy feline would be do well with him.
FETCH a Cure pulled Dwight, a sweet hound dog, from the Southside SPCA in 2016 and put him into one of the prisons in our Pixie’s Pen Pals program. Right away, his gentle and polite nature stood out, and he and his handler received 
When Anita was in the hospital recovering from her illness in 2010, her family was constantly recruiting available therapy dogs to come to her room. She has always loved dogs, and their presence brought joy to her in an otherwise hard time. Anita experienced firsthand the positive effect dogs have, so when she adopted Dwight, she saw potential in him. “When my mom was ill, I noticed he would always sit by her and let her pet him constantly, and it made her feel good. I though to myself, ‘Dwight’s got a gift. Dwight could be a therapy dog.'”
During their first visit in November 2018, Anita noticed that one resident in particular, Mr. M, was enamored with Dwight. “He kept petting him and asked me several times to bring him back again,” recalls Anita. The following week, while petting Dwight, he asked Anita what day it was. “Wednesday!” she replied. “Dwight comes on Wednesdays.” He grinned widely and responded, “Best day ever.”
