High-risk and Special Needs Dogs in Wake County Benefit from 2024 Triangle Dog of the Year Calendar
RALEIGH, N.C.— Sept. 13, 2023—Sales of a 2024 calendar featuring adopted shelter and rescue dogs will benefit high-risk and special needs dogs in the care of Perfectly Imperfect Pups (PIPs), a Wake County rescue. The calendar will be available for purchase from Wed., Sept. 13, through Thurs., Nov. 16.
The first-ever 2024 Triangle Dog of the Year Calendar was created by Five Freedoms Photography (FFP), a Raleigh-based pet and rescue photographer. Featured dogs were selected from among 70 entries during a voting contest in March. The contest raised almost $15,000 for PIPs. Almost all of the calendar’s dogs were adopted from local shelters and rescues, including former PIPs dogs Lachlan and Earl.
“I wanted to help build awareness about the animal overpopulation crisis in North Carolina, while raising much-needed funds to support the vital rescue work being done here in Wake County,” said Joanne Wetzel, founder of FFP. “People love having professional photos of their pets! So, this was an opportunity to leverage my pet photography skills with a fundraiser to benefit PIPs, and give people amazing images of their pups—it was truly a win-win!”
“When Joanne approached us about the calendar we had no idea how much money it would raise for PIPs,” said Nicole Kincaid, founder and director of PIPs. “The dogs we bring in are not planned. They often need surgery or other specialized services and resources, so having money in the bank is vital to PIPs being able to continue to help the dogs of our community.”
Soon after the spring calendar contest, PIPs rescued two dogs that directly benefited from the funds it raised: Agatha and Bruce.
“Initially, we thought Agatha only needed at-home therapy for swimmers syndrome, which is very easy to correct, but we learned she has very little feeling from mid-spine down,” Kincaid explained. Agatha is now receiving physical therapy, water therapy, and acupuncture to try and help her walk independently.
Bruce, a large puppy, was abandoned at an emergency vet office. “No one would commit to the surgery he needed to remove his leg,” Kincaid said. “But PIPs saw an amazing puppy who would thrive as a tripod. We were able to take Bruce in and provide him the life-saving surgery he needed.”
To purchase a 2024 Triangle Dog of the Year Calendar, visit this link:
https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/fivefreedomsphotography.
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ABOUT FIVE FREEDOMS PHOTOGRAPHY
Five Freedoms Photography, founded by Joanne Wetzel in 2019, is a pet and rescue photography company in Raleigh, N.C. It specializes in vibrant portraiture that celebrates dogs being dogs, and helps pet parents curate cherished, heirloom artwork featuring their adored fur babies. In addition, FFP donates 10% of its sales to a rescue of choice each quarter.
FFP’s mission is to help shelter and rescue animals be seen, valued, and loved through the medium of beautiful imagery. Since its inception, FFP has raised or donated more than $22,000 for animal rescue in Wake County, and photographed more than 475 rescue dogs.
ABOUT PERFECTLY IMPERFECT PUPS
Perfectly Imperfect Pups is a foster-based rescue in Raleigh, N.C. Its mission is to create a better world for at-risk dogs, with a focus on those with special needs, by building a community of like-minded people through advocacy, education, fostering, and adoption. PIPs envisions a world where imperfection is perfection; where all dogs get the love they deserve.
