Animal rescue nonprofits team up for fundraiser
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Two local animal rescue organizations are partnering to fundraise for the medical care they provide to foster animals and their regular expenses.
For Bullies Sake and Animal Advocates of Pearl River County will team up for their annual fall yard sale on Oct. 4, 5 and Oct. 11 and 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. those four days at 43 C.G. Smith Rd., off of Liberty Road.
The organizations began fundraising together three years ago because many of their volunteers overlap, said Animal Advocates President Lauren Fitts. The organizations collect donations together and split the proceeds.
The sale will feature a wide range of items, including clothing, Halloween decorations, costumes for dogs and kids, furniture, housewares, small appliances and doghouses. Volunteers have been working for the last four weekends to sort and display the items, Fitts said.
Animal Advocates fosters large animals like horses, donkeys and goats that the county animal shelter can not house. The nonprofit also takes in animals that need expensive medical care, Fitts said. The nonprofit provides medical care for approximately 12 to 15 animals a year, Fitts said, and medical care for each animal can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000.
For Bullies Sake focuses on fostering bully breeds and is run by Mary Lauvinghouse.
“The big thing with her is, she makes sure the personality of the dog fits the personality of the family,” Fitts said.
The nonprofit often pulls dogs that are heartworm positive and need veterinary care from kill shelters.
“She just really wants to get rid of the stigma bully breeds have, so she focuses on making sure the right dog is going in the right home,” Fitts said.
Both nonprofits work closely with the Pearl River County SPCA animal shelter, Fitts said. Recently the two groups worked with the animal shelter on an adoption weekend, Fitts said. For Bullies Sake brought their dogs and Animal Advocates transported 10 shelter dogs to the event, Fitts said. The event was the first time all three organizations partnered to have animals at the same event, Fitts said.
Yard sales are the biggest fundraiser the nonprofits conduct each year, Fitts said. Donations for the yard sale are accepted throughout the year and can be dropped off at 43 C.G. Smith Rd.