President Mary Melaragno's remarks at A Night for Paws

​2019 A Night for Paws an incredible success
You helped us raise nearly $11,000!

These funds Fur Kids Foundation and the Gillette Chamber Singers will use to support their missions: helping families with pets afford emergency veterinary care, and spreading the joy of music to communities near and far! We could not have done this without you. Thank you for your support!

Photos from the night are available on Facebook. 

Learn more about the Gillette Chamber Singers, and check out their upcoming events, on Facebook.
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If you missed the first A Night for Paws, make sure you read what Fur Kids Foundation President, Mary Melaragno, said in her speech, and check out our videos above. ​​

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Throughout the evening we’ve mentioned that Fur Kids Foundation helps families who demonstrate a need pay for unexpected veterinary care in Campbell County, Wyoming.   

So what does that mean?

We don’t help with routine visits; vaccinations, spays and neuters, dentals, or things of that nature. We do help when that dog escapes his yard, gets hit by a car and breaks his leg.

Every case must fill out an application for assistance.  And if approved, we will help pay a portion of their veterinary costs.

We’ve heard it before. If you can’t afford a pet, then you shouldn’t have a pet. And that couldn’t be further from the truth with many of our cases. You see, they do have a budget for the yearly visits, dentals, and vaccines. They do have a monthly budget for food, treats, and toys.

Then, a large company lays off hundreds of employees in one day. A primary industry sees a decline, and cuts employee’s hours. Illnesses and injuries, separations and divorces happen.

Sometimes life just throws you a curveball. And your dog eats that curveball, gets an obstruction and needs emergency surgery.

I hope that everyone here has had, does have, or will have, a once in a lifetime dog. A cat that soothes your soul. A horse that is there when you need him the most.

Fur Kids Foundation believes pets are family. The pets that we help, that’s what they are to their owners. A dog is the best friend to the senior citizen living alone. A dog is the family member to the single mom working two jobs to support herself and her young daughter. A cat is the support system,“rock” to the young man who just moved for a job and doesn’t have any friends or family.

Too often, if one of these beloved family members get sick or injured, the medical care they need is outside their owner’s budget.

And that senior citizen can’t help his best friend. That mom can’t help the dog who sleeps in the same bed with her little girl every night. That young man can’t help his only family member.

This is why we created Fur Kids Foundation.

I was chatting with a supporter and she asked if I knew why they support FKF. I said “no, why?” She said, "Because you’re helping families who want to do the right thing, do the right thing."

One of our cases recently reached out and told us, because of our help, they were able to give their pet the best care available, when they couldn’t afford to give them the minimum care.

This is what FKF is about.  

Your donations and support help your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.

And from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.