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!
Comments Off on Hitting the Trails with the FETCH a Cure 5K
On April 28, FETCH a Cure will host its first 5K at Camp Highroad in Middleburg, VA. People and dogs alike are invited to participate in either the 5K trail run/walk or the one-mile fun run. Participants can enjoy a complimentary coffee and waffle courtesy of Golly Waffles once they finish the race. Funds raised from this event will go directly to the Hannah Hershey Fund.
The Hannah Hershey Fund is one of our subsections of the Companions in Crisis program, which specifically allots funds for animals receiving care in Northern Virginia. The fund is named after Hannah Hershey, a German Shepherd who was diagnosed with Stage 5 T-cell Lymphoma at the age of 8. With the help of a talented team of doctors, Hannah beat cancer and lived to be 13 years old. Her parents, Amy and Heath, started the fund in her honor to help dogs just like her live long, happy lives.
The 5K is FETCH’s first big event in Northern Virginia. We are based in Richmond, Virginia, but we serve animals and their families throughout Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. — so we are excited to be expanding our events to those regions as well.
In preparation for this event, FETCH employees canvassed local businesses and storefronts to drop off flyers and get the word out. This method caught the eye of Dayna Flanagan, a NoVA dog owner who saw a flyer at her gym. “I’m not a great runner, but I thought this was a great cause to support,” she says. “I don’t think animals should suffer because their owner may not be able to pay for a procedure.” That sentiment is echoed in our mission at FETCH. Our vision is simple: a community where no one is denied a choice for their pet due to lack of options, education or treatment.
Many of the participants in the 5K are partners of FETCH. The Oncology Service, where many CIC dogs receive cancer treatment, has over ten employees participating– a few of whom are participating in remembrance of Hannah Hershey. “Hannah was treated at The Oncology Service’s Leesburg location for a total of 4 years. During this time, we grew fond of Hannah and her family,” a spokesperson for The Oncology Service commented. “We are honored to be a part of raising funds for the Hannah Hershey Northern Virginia region, as well as to walk in memory of Hannah Hershey and to help support FETCH a Cure.”
Despite it being our first year, the 5K is shaping up to be a huge success, and there’s still time to sign up! You can register here to ensure you have a spot on race day. Dogs are welcome to participate, providing they are in good health and on 5′ or less leash (no flexible/retractable leashes will be permitted).
If you’ve been practicing for any amount of time you’ve likely seen the devastation that comes when a family pet is diagnosed with, or succumbs to cancer. You’re probably also aware that as our pets live longer the incidence of this disease is on the rise.
At Crossroads Animal Hospital, we’ve decided we want to be part of the solution to this problem, instead of just reacting to it. We’re joining forces with FETCH a Cure, a local non-profit that raises money for a cure and provides resources to owners with pets who are currently undergoing cancer treatment.
We’re doing this by becoming a sponsor of the FETCH a Cure Steel Dog Project—a fun and innovative way to raise funds and bring awareness to the cause. Steel dog sculptures are sponsored by local businesses and individuals, who ask or hire local artists to decorate them. The dogs are then placed in high-traffic locations throughout the community. These eye-catching works of art start a conversation about pet cancer, reminding people to check their pets for early warning signs and to make them aware that FETCH a Cure is there to help.
Veterinary hospitals and clinics like yours are on the front lines of the fight against pet cancer and know the lives lost. That’s why we’d like to challenge your hospital to become part of the fight and sponsor a steel dog.
SPONSORSHIP IS $2500 AND INCLUDES:
“Naked” Steel Dog (for an additional stipend of $500 we can include a local artist to decorate, or you can find your own)
2 Tickets to Pets on Parade (June, 2020) in Richmond, plus a 1/2-page ad in the event program (500+ printed)
Lunch & Learn event presented by FETCH a Cure at your location this summer
50 Holiday Bone Treats in December, customized with your logo and holiday message
Logo and link on fetchacure.org, Partners Page
Social media cross-promotion and recognition on FETCH a Cure’s platforms
At Crossroads Animal Hospital, we’re throwing down the gauntlet and challenging you to a little friendly competition! Join us in sponsoring AND decorating a steel dog to support FETCH a Cure. Then put your decorated dog to a public vote at Dog Fest at IX Art Park in September. The winning artwork not only gets bragging rights, but a special prize too. May the best dog win!
FETCH a Cure volunteers will be responsible for transportation of the steel dogs to and from any events and exhibits.
You’re on the front lines, just like we are—so won’t you meet our challenge and sponsor a FETCH a Cure steel dog of your own? For more information or to sponsor a dog, email sarahm@fetchacure.com or call 804-525-2193.
Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you at Dog Fest this September!
When families apply to our Companions in Crisis program, we ask them the submit a story about their pet and his or her diagnosis. For the Citron family, Brutus insisted on sharing his story in his own words. We are thrilled that we were able to provide funding for a portion of Brutus’ cancer treatments. Although his journey isn’t over, his mom says he’s doing great. We are so thankful that our financial gift had a part in helping Brutus’ family make the decision to treat their four-legged family member, instead of saying goodbye too soon.
On behalf of Brutus and the many stories like his, we will continue to work hard to carry out our mission of providing greater access to treatment for pet cancer. A dollar amount should never stand in the way between you and additional healthy, quality years with your pet. Please consider making a generous, tax-deductible year-end donation to FETCH so that we can save another best friend like Brutus.
Hi, I’m Brutus.
Ever since I was picked up from the shelter in Ohio when I was three months old, I could never get enough of people, petting, peanut butter and picking up errant crumbs that those people would drop on the floor. But, it’s harder to lick my people’s faces and hands. It’s a harder to get petted by my people and it’s way harder to get those crumbs off the floor. I can’t leap up on the sofa and cuddle, because I have had this crazy plastic cone on my neck for way too long. And, it’s way harder to eat peanut butter because I’m sick from something called a Mast Cell Tumor.
Who would think that the last visit to that humiliating grooming place in August, where I would put up with being anchored in a tub of water, soaped and washed and dried….would end up with me in the hospital in October, having a bump removed from my leg….the same leg, attached to the same paw I always counted on to use when I would meet and greet the people I was telling you about. The same leg I counted on for long walks?
The groomer had nicked a bump on my leg and the next thing I knew. I was in the hospital getting the bump removed. Wow, I loved licking that bump. Couldn’t get enough of that either! That’s when that cone was on and it has remained a wall between me and my people. Not to mention the crumbs and the bump. But I am 100 per cent trusting of my people. If they took me to the hospital, if they put that cone on me…I’m good with it. After all, it’s my people we’re talking about here!
But I can hear. I understand people talk. Don’t I get a toy from the toy basket when asked? Don’t I know when to sit, know when I’m going for a walk, know when I need to go potty? And, by the way, that cone is making it impossible to play tug with the toy. Just between you and me…don’t tell my people……I understand EVERYTHING I hear!
I know the word, ONCOLOGIST. Since the bump had spread that’s where I ended up after extensive, expensive tests. (Not to mention expensive surgery on that bump) I’ve got one cancerous lymph node that I must get rid of. The borders of the bump still have cancer. My people and my doctors (who I love to lick also) have decided I have two choices, Go to Doggie Heaven in a few months OR have chemo and radiation and stay in the house, healthy and happy, with my people and my floor crumbs for more years. Apparently, I am the poster dog for having just the right amount of cancer, contained just enough, to get the results every oncologist hopes for and works for. I’M IN!!
But, as I told you, EXPENSIVE is the word I hear over and over and over. Give me a break here.
Besides CANCER, MONEY (actually the lack of it) is the evil monster lurking in my future and standing between years of living and loving or months until my death. I’m sure everybody has a sad story of a loving dog and lack of money. But my people have a story worth listening to and worthy of help.
My mom and dad, Syndy and Jordan, are part of a very exclusive club of people who made a conscious, humanity-loving choice of professions to fulfill the mission that every living person is supposed to accomplish. HEAL AND REPAIR THE WORLD! Jordan is a teacher in a middle school that serves a large piece of the county’s underprivileged students. Syndy is a social worker with Fairfax County. She helps identify those, birth to three years old, who need early intervention for all kinds of developmental concerns. I’M PROUD OF THEM!
But I’m mad at them. Why don’t they make enough money to keep me alive? Why do two people doing the right thing have to make me suffer an early death? But I don’t just love MY people. I love ALL people. I am trusting that someone of the people who live outside my home will help me pay for what I desperately want and need. I’m counting on it. After all, Taylor, my six-year-old person and BFF in my house, will crumble and be devastated by my early and unnecessary death, just because her parents had to make the gut-wrenching decision to let the evil twins CANCER and MONEY, stand between me and her!
But, I’m lucky. I’ve sniffed a few four leaf clovers in my day. I’m hopeful for an answer. I CAN LIVE WITH!!
Comments Off on Companions in Crisis Highlight: Zoe Petty
Courtesy of Dorota Petty, Zoe’s mom:
We first met Zoe back in December of 2011 at our annual trip to drop off a food donation at the animal control (Madera County Animal Control, CA). At that time, she was estimated to be approximately 5 and a half months old. After learning that all pit mixes are being put down at 6 months and she is almost at the cut off age – we knew we had to adopt her and save her. Our other dog, Cali (currently 12) immediately fell in love with her and adopted her as a sister. Zoe has been with us through the birth of two kids (including one born prematurely last year) and the big move across the country to Richmond, Virginia.
Zoe is very friendly and social, loves everyone and is really patient with kids. She loves to go on walks, splash in the water and just run around the back yard. Approximately 3 weeks ago, we noticed that she is limping. Knowing her playful personality, we assumed that she just sprained her leg and took her to the vet. On Monday Oct. 29th, 2018 we learned that Zoe has a bone cancer (osteosarcoma) and our life has been put on hold. The cancer diagnosis shocked us, but without hesitation we decided that we want to fight for her. Not only improve the quality of her life, but also prolong it – we want to have more time with her. She sleeps in our kids’ room, she is always greeting us at the door, warning of the mail coming – we are just not ready no give up on her. Even though we have some big expenses coming up (surgery for our preemie on Jan. 18, 2019), we know that we do not want to give up on Zoe. We HAVE to save her again, just like we did back in California 7 years ago.
We are planning on using credit cards and any savings for the diagnostics and the immediate surgery but would appreciate any help with further treatment (chemotherapy) to help offset some of the cost. Zoe is really healthy and still young, we believe that she has many years ahead of her and her prognosis seems promising, as long as we implement the treatment plan as soon as possible.
As a family we are very active and love to participate in various events, we would love to become a voice for FETCH a Cure to help raise awareness and funds to bring hope and support to other families, like ours, who were blindsided by this devastating diagnosis.
Update on Zoe (11/28/18)
Zoe is now 4 weeks, 3 days since her diagnosis; 3 weeks post amputation and 1 week since her 1st round of chemo. We did her blood work this morning and it is just slightly below normal. Hopefully white blood cells count will go back up and we will be cleared for the 2nd round scheduled on Dec. 12th. We’ll be doing a cbc (complete blood count) follow up in a week.
She is doing great, her amputation site is healing well, almost covered with fur. Zoe enjoys being spoiled (allowed on her human sister’s bed, homemade food, extra treats) and able to take short walks around the neighborhood.
More updates to come! We know you can beat pet cancer, sweet Zoe!
