09/30/2024
Hello Aussie-Lovers! Australian Shepherds Furever a 501c3 non profit is putting together it's 3rd annual Holiday Virtual Craft Fair and Mega Raffle. It will run from October 25 to November 11th. And we need your support! Here's THREE ways you can help.
1. If you are a crafter, maker, artist or artisan and you sell your products online, you can sign up for a Virtual "Booth". We've used my Maple Shade Farm ad as an example. You will work with Jennie Andrews, my colleague, to design your your ad. The entire Craft Fair is linked to the main ASF website. This gives you potential access to 70K+ ASF followers who also love Aussies and support ASF.
The price for participation is one item worth $25 or more - or- a gift certificate for your products for $25 or more. If it is an actual item from your inventory, DON"T SEND IT to us. All we need is a couple of good photos and a description to list it in the raffle. You will be credited as the donor with your web link. We will send you the winner's name so you can contact them and then send the item to them. You might be able to "upsell" a couple of more items while you're at it!
2. You can donate an item or items from our Amazon Wish List. We build packages around a theme. We always need filler items like leashes, collars, toys & treats. LOTS of filler items. If you have Amazon Prime you can have them shipped to me free. You'll find the wish list at
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/146FGKNRPC7TC?ref_=wl_share
OR you can pick out something else in the toys, treats or dog-related items categories. It's up to you! But we need lots of stuff!
3. You can put together your own package and donate it to the Raffle. In the past people have donated jewelry, vintage handbags, leathergoods, and other unused items they want to "regift". Message me with a photo and description of the item and I'll get back to you!
This has been a really horrendously expensive year for Australian Shepherds Furever. We've seen record Owner Surrenders, including breeders who are "downsizing" their breeding stock and surrendering whole litters of puppies that didn't sell. We have seen veterinary bills soar!!! We have taken on dogs with major medical issues and undetected illnesses that have required Emergency Care. Despite the longest "pull hold" in our 13 year history, we've still managed to take in dogs faster than they can be adopted out. We provide vet checks, testing, spay & neuter for dogs over 6 months, and transportation, which adds up to an average of $400 per dog. Our adoption fees barely cover the cost, unless our vet check reveals a medical issue that means we can't cover the bill from the adoption fee alone.
For example, we recently rescued a litter of 6 young puppies from a VA shelter. Our volunteer brought them straight to the vet for their first round of shots. Unfortunately it takes 3 sets of shots to provide immunity for little puppies and all 6 developed Parvo which they had contracted at the shelter. We were only able to save 3 of the 6. But the bill was over $5000 and must be paid even if the pups didn't survive. That's a risk we always take when we choose to save young puppies who have no immunity. But they would have virtually NO chance to survive if we waited to save them.
And that's why we 've had to do so many fundraisers this year. We've already done 8, when we normally only do 6. This Holiday Fundraiser is our last chance to try to finish the year in the black financially. Won't you consider helping out? We need this event to be HUGE! And a HUGE SUCCESS. With LOTS of Winners.
Thank you for your continuing support of ASF!
