Local Artists Lend Their Talents to Support Shelter Pets!
Recently the adoption lobby at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) was buzzing with creativity, compassion, and community spirit! We hosted our very first Pawsitively Sketchy Fundraiser, and it was an absolute success thanks to an incredible team of local artists, volunteers, and generous supporters.
The idea was simple: submit a photo of your beloved pet along with a donation, and one of our volunteer artists would create a unique, hand-drawn portrait in return. The result? Dozens of heartfelt (and sometimes hilariously whimsical!) pet portraits that brought smiles to everyone involved—and raised much-needed funds for the animals at ASCMV.
Community Talent on Display
A huge shoutout to the local artists from right here in Las Cruces who volunteered their time and talents! Many of them were high school art students, who came out with their teachers to support the cause. We were also thrilled to have a few members of the NMSU Art Club join in on the fun, alongside some of our own regular volunteers who just so happen to be pretty talented artists themselves.
We couldn’t have done any of it without Joneva Barry, who was truly the heart and soul of this event! Joneva not only helped plan the fundraiser but also created flyers, recruited artists, brought supplies, and made sure everything ran smoothly throughout the weekend. We are beyond grateful for her hard work and dedication!
Raising Funds (and Spirits!)
By the end of the weekend, we raised an incredible $720 for the shelter! Every dollar will go toward helping the pets at ASCMV. We want to give a special thank you to everyone who submitted a pet photo and made a donation—your support made this event possible. Some participants went above and beyond, with one donor contributing $200 and another giving $100. Their generosity allowed us to include drawings of some of our long-term shelter residents, like sweet Mabel (who has since found a wonderful rescue partner—yay!).
Many of the pets drawn were ASCMV favorites, and the photos used for their portraits were lovingly taken by our volunteer photographers. It was truly a full-circle moment of our community coming together to celebrate and support the animals we all care about.
Adoptable Pets
These sweet faces are adoptable and currently waiting at ASCMV for their chance at a loving home. Click their portrait to learn more about them!
Community Pets
The heart of this event was bringing people together through their love of animals. Here, you’ll find portraits of beloved pets submitted by their owners, each one a cherished member of a Las Cruces family.
Extra Thanks
We’d also like to extend a big THANK YOU to Domino’s Pizza for keeping our hardworking artists and volunteers fueled during the event!
Missed out on getting your pet portrait? We hope to do this event again, and we need your help! Reach out if you or your organization would like to contribute to the next fundraising event.
