Fur Kids Foundation

09/17/2025

If your pet ever gets into prescription meds, like Duke did (check out Friday's post), check out what you should do to keep them safe! Here’s to keeping our pets safe, healthy, and (hopefully) away from emergencies at the vet!

09/12/2025

Meet Duke, a curious pup who reminded us all that dogs really will try to eat anything. In August, Duke got a little too nosy and managed to get into some prescription medication that was definitely not meant for dogs. (We love you, Duke—but no, those aren’t snacks!)

His family rushed him to the vet, where Duke had his stomach pumped, received fluids and medicine, and was kept under careful watch until the danger had passed. Thanks to quick action and excellent veterinary care, Duke is back to his happy, tail-wagging self today.

At the time, Duke’s pawrent was out of work until school started. They applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help, and because of the generosity of our supporters, we were able to cover $400 of Duke’s bill. Without this community’s support, stories like Duke’s wouldn’t be possible.

09/12/2025

From January 1 through May 31, 2025, Fur Kids Foundation received nearly 60 applications and provided $12,114.78 in emergency veterinary care for dogs, cats, and even a few bunnies.

In the first five months of this year, nearly 1/3 of requests came from families with pets facing serious health issues—bladder stones, tumors, diabetes, or infections that needed ongoing care. About 1 in 5 families reached out because of general illness—things like tummy issues, coughing, or not eating. While these may seem minor at first, they can quickly become emergencies without diagnostic tests. Around 13% of requests involved accidents or injuries—pets with broken bones, being hit by vehicles, or fights with other animals. And sadly, about 12% were for end-of-life care, as families faced the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to their beloved pets.

The families we help often share a common thread: they’re doing their best to get by on a single or limited income. Some are between jobs or waiting for new paychecks, while others are self-employed or rely on seasonal work. Health challenges also play a big part, with many people dealing with medical bills or health issues. Add in unexpected expenses—like higher housing costs, or caring for family—and it’s easy to see why covering a sudden vet bill feels impossible. Whether it’s a single parent, a family with one income, or someone rebuilding after a tough life change, the struggle is real—but so is the love they have for their pets.

Thanks to your support, we can make sure more pets in Campbell County receive lifesaving care when they need it most. The volunteer board will local families with emergency vet care for as long as our funds allow. While we aren’t actively hosting events or campaigns right now, every donation we receive goes directly to helping families cover emergency veterinary costs.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now is the time. The future of Fur Kids Foundation depends on people like you—together, we can make sure no pet goes without care when it’s needed most. Complete our volunteer application in the link in our bio to get started.

08/26/2025

Today is all things dogs! It’s ! Share pics of your dogs in the comments or tag us in your stories. We want to know all about your dog - tell us your favorite things about them, their age, nicknames - we want it all! If they’re a rescue tell us where they are from and help raise awareness for surrounding shelters and rescues!

08/11/2025

This is a great opportunity!

08/02/2025

Fur Kids Foundation is here to help. If you need assistance with vet care, all you need to do is complete the online application, submit the necessary documents, and one of our volunteer Case Managers will be in contact with you.

www.furkidsfoundation.org

New York City’s largest animal shelter hit a sad milestone.

Animal Care Centers of New York City announced on July 18 that its three shelters stopped accepting dogs, cats, bunnies and other critters, except in emergencies.

Even with the shelter practically bursting at the seams, the staff made exceptions. Weinstock said after they made the announcement to suspend intakes, 200 animals were accepted into their shelters that were either a public safety risk or sent by city agencies. The situation is so dire that New York City stepped in Friday with $1 million to help ACC.

In Arizona, animal shelter operators are finding pets abandoned in parking lots or on the side of the road. In Virginia, an over-capacity shelter has taken to social media to call for adoptions urgently. And in Tennessee, one shelter said it is “drowning” in rescue dogs, forced to stack kennels on top of each other to provide space.

Read more: nbcnews.app.link/wsl7vA4rnVb

07/09/2025

When it comes to the heat, your dog is not as tough as you think.

Dogs are vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads of their feet. In as little as 15 minutes, dogs left in hot cars can suffer nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage, or even death. On hot days, please leave your dog at home.

07/01/2025

To Our Fur Kids Foundation Friends, Donors, and Volunteers,

Since 2011, Fur Kids Foundation has been powered by LOVE. You’ve donated, volunteered, and stood with us to ensure pets in Campbell County, Wyoming get emergency veterinary care when their families need help most. Together, we’ve made a difference in the lives of hundreds of animals and the people who love them.

In March 2025, we shared the difficult news that the Foundation Board had made the decision to dissolve the organization. It wasn’t a decision we made lightly. We’re all volunteers who give our time, money, and passion to this mission. But after years of giving our all, we’ve felt the very real strain of burnout—something many small, all-volunteer nonprofits face.

That said, your outpouring of care and support has made us pause. We're now slowing down this process to reassess what the future of the Foundation could look like, especially if new energy and fresh leadership come forward.

Here’s What You Should Know Right Now:
- We are still helping Campbell County residents with emergency vet care and will continue to do so until every dollar in our fund is used. This process may take several years.
- We’re not actively hosting events or campaigns, but if you choose to give, please know your donations will go directly to helping local families pay for emergency veterinary care.
- We will keep you updated quarterly on social media and our email so you can see exactly how these funds are being used.

But we can’t do this alone anymore. We need your help. Over the last few years, we've put out multiple calls for new volunteers and board members. Sadly, we've had little response. The truth is, we must have new people step in if this work is going to continue. We’re asking again—more sincerely than ever—for compassionate, committed people to raise their hands and join us.

Here's how you can get involved:
- Take Applications: Help families in crisis navigate emergency vet care with kindness and confidentiality.
- Lead or Create Events: Bring your creativity and leadership to life by reviving old fundraisers or imagining new ones.
- Volunteer at Events: Once we have event leadership in place, we’ll need extra hands to help make it all happen.
- Join a Committee: Share your skills in marketing, fundraising, grant writing, or finance.
- Write Grants: Help us access new funding streams to keep helping animals.

We also want to acknowledge something important: the decision to dissolve wasn’t taken lightly. It was the result of long discussions, countless hours of soul-searching, and deep emotional weight. Some of the feedback received was unexpectedly harsh. Please remember—we are just like you. We’re your neighbors, fellow pet lovers, and volunteers doing our best. Many of our board members have served for far longer than most nonprofit terms—two, six, even more than ten years. We hope you understand that this isn’t about giving up—it’s about making room for others to carry the mission forward.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now is the time. Whether you have professional experience or simply a big heart for animals, we’d love to talk to you. Please fill out our volunteer application or email us at [email protected] to start a conversation. The future of Fur Kids Foundation truly depends on people like you. Let’s make sure that no pet goes without care when it’s needed most.

With heartfelt thanks,
Your Volunteer Board of Directors: Cody Friedlan, Mary Melaragno, Felicia Messimer-Shannon, and Robynn Nehl

06/30/2025

Did you know that more pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other day? Even your easy-going pet can get scared of fireworks, so it's important to make sure they have updated identification tags and their microchip is up-to-date as well. There are also many medications that your vet can prescribe that will help with anxious dogs, be sure to visit with them about your options.

Here are a few things you can do to help keep your pet safe:

- Block outside sights and sounds by lowering the blinds and turning on the television. Play soothing music in the background to counteract the cacophony during the "rockets' red glare.

- If your pet seems overly anxious, spend some time with your pet, speaking soothingly to help them to relax.

- Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

06/15/2025

Happy Father’s Day to all the pet dad’s!

05/28/2025

What is your pet’s real name and the name you call them?

05/11/2025

Happy Mother’s Day! 🥰