By RAUL GARCIA
Staff Writer
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — A local raffle to help the Island animal shelter could win you a five-day vacation in paradise.
“There are a lot of prizes to go with it,” said Sherry Pindard, Friends of Animal Rescue director. “The vacation is pretty much taken care of.”
The package includes hotel stays, beach activities like dolphin watches, sand castle building, pirate boat tickets, fishing, and more.
The Fairy Tail Vacation raffle is part of the Friends of Animal Rescue annual Dog Days of Summer raffle.
Except this year, Fairy Tail Vacation raffle will be promoted at the Houston Dog Show which attracts more than 80,000 attendees to the five-day event.
Tickets can also be purchased online at the Friends of Animal Rescue website, by phone or by visiting the shelter located on the Island on Padre Boulevard.
Friends of Animal Rescue operates the South Padre Island Recovery and Animal Shelter and PugHearts of Houston rescues are jointly selling the raffle tickets to raise money for both shelters.
“As a joint effort, we hope to generate $15,000 and split the raffle down the middle,” Pindard said.
Friends of Animal Rescue throughout Texas cares for 700 plus animals per year including dogs, cats, Island wildlife, and shorebirds.
PugHearts cares for the homeless, the sick and neglected pugs by transporting them to the Houston area for medical care and rehab in foster homes.
Their average intake is 30 to 40 pugs per month. Their motto is, “Any Pug, Any Age, Any Condition, Anytime.”
Pindard said PugHearts of Houston is a great resource for the shelters in the Rio Grande Valley.
Friends of Animal Shelter was established seven years ago.
It is open seven days a week and annually organizes a Dog Days of Summer raffle to help their effort to vaccinate, treat and continue to be a holding facility for the dogs, kitties and wildlife.
“We are a voice for the homeless and we take care of the lost and homeless,” Pindard said. “We try to reunite lost animals with their owners.”
WHAT: Fairy Tail Vacation raffle $5 for 1 or $20 for 5 raffle tickets
WHEN: Winner will be drawn on Sunday, July 23 at the Houston Dog Show
WHERE: Raffle tickets may be purchased 4908 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, by phone at 956-772-1171 or www.spifriendsofanimalrescue.com
WHY: To raise funds for the animal shelter. Winners receive 5 day stay on the Island and prizes
