 November 28, 2017—Gillette, Wyoming--In November, the Northeast Wyoming REALTOR Alliance donated $600 to Fur Kids Foundation from its Community Outreach Fund to be used to help local families with pets with emergency veterinary costs.
Since 2009, the Alliance has granted $121,967 from its Community Outreach Fund, and in 2017 it granted $13,135 to 10 organizations in Campbell County, Wyoming. This is the fifth year that Fur Kids Foundation has applied and received money from the Community Outreach Fund. “The Northeast Wyoming REALTOR Alliance has always held a great interest in the well-being of our community. We are grateful to all of the local realtors who donate to this fund, as well as their continued support of Fur Kids Foundation,” says Mary Melaragno, Fur Kids Foundation president and founder. Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of families with animals in Campbell County, Wyoming. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped 463 families and granted more than $73,000 in emergency veterinary aid. For more information, or to read the blog, visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. Find Fur Kids Foundation on www.facebook.com/furkidsfoundation. Follow us on Twitter, @furkidswyo. For Immediate Release Contact: Felicia Messimer furkidsfoundation@gmail.com 307.363.1131
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Kitty Cats and Cupcakes and Holiday Photos are sure to delight pet owners and more!
November 27, 2017—Gillette, WY--Fur Kids Foundation (FKF) announces two fundraisers in December to benefit their emergency veterinary fund: Kitty Cats and Cupcakes; and Holiday Phots with the Campbell County Fire Department. “We’re asking pet lovers to clear their schedules the first two Saturdays in December and come have some fun with Fur Kids Foundation!” says Mary Melaragno, FKF President. Kitty Cats and Cupcakes takes place on Saturday, December 2 from 10:30 am-noon at Alla LaLa Cupcakes and Sweet Things, 204 S. Gillette Avenue in downtown Gillette. At this free event, veterinarians and vet technicians from Animal Medical Center of Wyoming will be on hand to answer cat health questions, and participants can chat with one another about their purrfect pals. Participants are encouraged to bring a photo of their cat—please leave your feline friend at home—as well as wear cat-themed clothing, just for the fun of it. For every cupcake sold on December 2, Alla LaLa Cupcakes will donate 25% to Fur Kids Foundation. Everyone who enters will be eligible to win door prizes, including a signed copy of Jackson Galaxy’s book, Catify to Satisfy, and some fun items provided by KitNipBox, a purrtastic goodie box that also gives back to FKF. “Kitty Cats and Cupcakes was organized as a way for Fur Kids Foundation to better interact with cat lovers in our community,” says Mary. “We are grateful that our volunteer Megan Taylor who thought up the idea, and decided to organize it to benefit Fur Kids Foundation. The Foundation would not be able to raise money or help with emergency veterinary care in our community without the support of our volunteers, and we are very grateful for them.” Holiday Photos takes place on Saturday, December 9 from 1-4 pm at the Campbell County Parks and Recreation Field House (east entrance), 250 Shoshone Avenue in Gillette. Kids and pets are welcome to pose with CCFD Sparky the Dog, Olaf, and/or The Grinch. Proceeds from Holiday Photos are split between Fur Kids Foundation emergency veterinary care program and the Campbell County Fire Department. There are two ways to get a photo taken:
All participants will have roughly five minutes to have a photo taken, and all photos are done on a first come, first served basis. Fur Kids Foundation will also have a booth at the December 16 Gillette Farmer’s Winter Market from 9 am-noon at the Gillette College Technical Education Center, 3251 S. 4-J Road. At the booth, FKF plans to sell the 2018 Pet Calendar featuring local pets from their 2017 pet photo contest for $15, as well as paw print art templates for $5. The Winter Market features local producers and crafters, and booths will include baked goods, vegetables, canned items, locally raised meat, and more. For more information about these events, please visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. About Fur Kids Foundation Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of families with animals in Campbell County, Wyoming. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped 463 families and granted more than 73,000 in aid. For more information, visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. Find us on www.facebook.com/furkidsfoundation. Follow us on Twitter, @furkidswyo. Read our blog. For Immediate Release Contact: Felicia Messimer furkidsfoundation@gmail.com 
On Tuesday, November 28, we ask you to celebrate #GivingTuesday by donating to the causes that matter to you most. Can we count on you to remember Fur Kids Foundation?
FYI: On Facebook, in honor of #GivingTuesday, Facebook and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be matching up to $2 million of the funds raised on Facebook for U.S. nonprofits. Donations made through Facebook's charitable giving tools can be matched up to $50,000 per nonprofit, or made of $1,000 per fundraiser or donate button, until the $2 million in matching funds runs out. The match will begin at 6 am MST.
Fur Kids Foundation is the only organization in Northeastern Wyoming that provides families with pets access to emergency veterinary care when they cannot afford it. Since September 2012, the Foundation has kept more than 463 families with pets healthy and together, and granted nearly $73,000 in emergency veterinary aid. Read about some of the Success Stories we've helped in the last five years here. Help us continue to keep families with pets healthy and happy for years to come. Donate on #GivingTuesday November 28. 
 November 20, 2017—Gillette, WY--In January 2017, Fur Kids Foundation (FKF) partnered with Cancer Crochet, a very crafty group that crochets products (gloves, hats, blankets, and so much more!) to be sold to benefit a variety of charities. FKF volunteer Laura Miller (Wright, Wyoming), who is part of this group and pledged to raise $2,000 by selling any items crocheted by her in 2017. As of November 19, 2017, this group has met their goal, and has donated $2,000 to FKF!
“Fur Kids Foundation is honored that our volunteer worked so hard to crochet items to benefit us in less than a year!” says Mary Melaragno, FKF President. “Fur Kids is ran entirely by volunteers, and Laura’s hard work and dedication to our mission never waivers. We are incredibly lucky to have her on our team.” Cancer Crochet began two years ago as a way to support My Peak Challenge, which helps to raise money for Bloodwise in support of blood cancer research. The group also supports World Child Cancer USA, which helps children in other countries who could not otherwise afford care and Bathgate Regal Cinema Theatre, which provides a program of music, drama, film and dance in the form of performances and classes. You can learn more about them on Facebook. About Fur Kids Foundation Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of families with animals in Campbell County, Wyoming. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped 463 families and granted more than 73,000 in aid. For more information, visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. Find us on www.facebook.com/furkidsfoundation. Follow us on Twitter, @furkidswyo. Read our blog. For Immediate Release Contact: Felicia Messimer furkidsfoundation@gmail.com  Look at this handsome devil, Jax. He’s a 3-year-old unaltered (or not neutered) boxer who started acting a little off. He wasn't responding to his parents like he usually did, had no appetite and wasn't drinking water, and was vomiting a white foamy substance. They took Jax into the vet to find out what was going on with their buddy, and learned that he had an inflamed prostate.
Most un-neutered dogs will, at one time or another, suffer discomfort or pain due to the prostate gland. In fact, dogs that are neutered between the ages of 6 and 14 months old have very little issues because the prostate gland does not develop. And, if a mature dog is neutered later on in life, the gland will shrink. Symptoms of prostate issues in dogs include:
If your dog is showing some of these symptoms, please take them to the vet. The most effective and recommended treatment for this issue is to neuter the dog. Jax comes from a family of four. His mom recently went back to school, so his dad is the only one making money in the home. They didn't have the funds to pay for something unexpected like this, so they applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Jax was given some medication for the issue, and is expected to make a full recovery. His parents are also saving some money so that they can get Jax neutered so his prostate isn't a continuing issue. Fur Kids Foundation was recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Banfield Foundation® to be used to help the Gillette, Wyoming charity with their emergency veterinary assistance program. This funding helped the Foundation grant money to help Jax’ family with the vet visit. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories. Meet Leo. A 10-year-old mixed breed who got into a scuffle with his Boxer sister, and injured his eye. His mom watched it for a few days and kept it clean, but when it started to swell instead of heal, she knew she had to get him to the vet. When he was being examined, they also learned that Leo had some some puncture wounds on his body, some that were infected.
Bite wounds may appear small, but they can spell major trouble for your dog. Some may seem small, but in fact the wound may be deep--extending through the skin into tissues and muscles. Because of this, there is a high risk of infection with bite wounds because of the numerous bacteria that are in an animal’s mouth. So, when the wound heals on the surface, it could trap bacteria inside--causing an abscess. (And we’ve helped a lot of pets with abscesses.) See, bacteria that is trapped underneath the skin can do permanent damage to the kidneys and other internal organs if not found and left untreated. So, if your dog gets into a scuffle with another dog, or cat, or another animal, it’s best to take them directly to the vet to get checked out. Leo's mom is a single mom with two young boys who lives paycheck to paycheck, and Leo’s emergency vet visit was not expected or budgeted for in the family. They reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for help, and we were happy to provide it. Luckily, Leo made a full recovery and didn't lose his eye! Fur Kids Foundation was recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Banfield Foundation® to be used to help the Gillette, Wyoming charity with their emergency veterinary assistance program. This funding helped the Foundation grant money to help Leo's family with the vet visit. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories. Hey Pack! Our pawsome volunteer Tara Beard has teamed up with the Coffee Beanery to do a fundraiser for Fur Kids Foundation. Coffee Beanery offers a vast selection of coffees, teas, cocoa's and gift baskets, and it’s just in time for the holidays! These sets make great gifts! And the best thing about it is that 40% of the sales will come back to Fur Kids Foundation. The fundraiser is open until November 27, and it will take ruff-ly two weeks to receive your items. The prices are as advertised (check out the pictures below, click on them to make them larger). No tax or shipping is added. If you’d like to participate in this fundraiser, please contact us and we’ll send you Tara’s information. Coffee Beanery Fundraiser Facts:
Cocoa (click on the picture to enlarge)
Coffee (click on the picture to enlarge)
 Tea (click on the picture to enlarge) 
If you would like to become a volunteer and help your community and animals, head on over and complete a volunteer application.
In October 2017, Fur Kids Foundation had 10 families with pets apply for assistance, and we were able to help five of those families—granting $1,417.89 in emergency veterinary care. In 2017, FKF has granted more than $15,000 to 90 families in Campbell County, Wyoming. Below is a rundown of the cases we helped:
Fur Kids Foundation was recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Banfield Foundation® to be used to help the Gillette, Wyoming charity with their emergency veterinary assistance program. We are grateful for the dedication of Fur Kids Foundation volunteers and supporters who have helped these families stay happy and healthy, and together! When you volunteer, attend an event, or help us raise money by supporting the businesses that support us with promotions, these families and pets are who you are helping. Thank you again for all that you do for the Foundation, and for families with pets in Campbell County, Wyoming. Please take a minute to check out our Success Stories and read more about the families with pets that we help. The Fur Kids Foundation board of directors work very hard to make sure that the majority of the money we raise helps local families; in 2016, more than 75% of the money we have raised was spent on emergency veterinary care. Please consider a donation to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families stay healthy and happy in Campbell County, Wyoming. |
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Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of animals in Campbell County.
Your donation saves lives. It goes to work helping animals in Campbell County receive adequate veterinary care during a time when their family may not be able to afford it. Please contact the Foundation to learn more or donate now using PayPal.
AuthorThe Fur Kids Foundation blog is written by board member and Founder Felicia. If you have ideas that you would like to see published in the blog such as concerns about pet-focused topics in the community or a funny story, please contact the Foundation. Enjoy! Archives
January 2019
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