Call it an online ruffle!
Sean Casey Animal Rescue is hosting an online fundraiser with dozens of prizes to help support the Windsor Terrace no-kill animal shelter.
The “Fang-tastic Halloween Raffle” is live and collecting tickets until the random draw on Oct. 25 at 6 pm, with more than 70 prizes provided by members of the Sean Casey Animal Rescue community. Prizes, which include trips, games, original art, gift certificates, training and grooming sessions for the pup, or toys for your fuzzy friends, were collected after a call for donations on Facebook and through word-of-mouth, according to the event organizer.
“This entire raffle was given to us by our community,” said Maria Bowen. “It was a real community effort.”
While the E. Third Street animal shelter — like many pet havens around the borough — has seen a surge in pet adoptions or fosters during the pandemic, the non-profit still depends heavily on its regular fundraisers to pay for vital medical procedures for the four-legged friends, according to Bowen.
“The rescue has been pretty busy with people adopting and fostering, but there’s definitely a need. Fundraisers are a very important part of the finances,” said Bowen.
The effort has so far gathered almost $6,000 as of Monday, Oct. 12, and proceeds will go to fund the shelter’s Critical Care Program, which pays for the costly pet procedures that can amount to more than $15,000 in bills per month, according to Bowen.
“The rescue takes in cases that a lot of other places wouldn’t take in, and now we need the funds for it,” she said. “I would love for this raffle to cover most of or a month of medical bills.”
The online October drive replaces the annual Howl-o-ween Block Party, a spooktacular tradition that has delighted Terrace residents for years with costumed canines strutting down the street. The organization was also going to celebrate its 20th anniversary in September, but had to call off those events due to the pandemic, according to Bowen.
“We had lots of in-person events being planned, usually fall is very busy for us with fundraisers,” she said. “It’s really about being creative these days.”
“Fang-tastic Halloween Raffle” [online at go.rallyup.com/scar]. Draw on Oct. 25 at 6 pm. Raffle tickets $2-10 each.
