‘It Pays to Spay’: Local organizations sponsor free spay and neuter event in Glassell Park
By Dominic Massimino - October 27, 2020
In the parking lot of the Super A Foods on Division Street in Glassell Park Oct. 24, a coalition of local organizations hosted the “It Pays to Spay” mobile spay and neuter event. From their vehicle, veterinarians from local organization Spay-4-LA offered free spay and neuter services and other low-cost animal health procedures to area pet owners.
The drive itself was a collaboration between many different local organizations, according to Brian Fitzburgh, a local real estate agent and one of the event’s organizers. Spay-4-LA provided the mobile veterinary care vehicle and vets to perform the procedures, Urban Pet provided “swag bags” for people who participated in the drive and Super A Foods allowed the organizations to use their parking lot, as well as providing $200 in gift cards to give out.
Fitzburgh said that spay and neuter events are invaluable because they help solve the problem of overflowing animal shelters preemptively. “When too many pets are born that don’t have a home, it floods the shelter,” Fitzburgh said. “Then the shelter has to find foster volunteers as the band-aid to the problem. So by having spay/neuter events, it’s really attacking ground zero.”
Los Angeles resident Javier Azarcoya brought his two dogs to the event and said the issue of overpopulation was personal for him. “These are my first pets since I got married, so it was our decision to do the responsible things and get them fixed, because the way they came into our life is that their mom was a stray,” Azarcoya said. “Their mom came pregnant to my mom’s house, and my mom took her in and she had seven puppies. And we saw how hard it was to home so many puppies after they come into your life.”
Fitzburgh said offering spay and neutering services for free is important, since many people cannot afford to pay the fees associated with the procedure. “By doing it as a mobile, you’re bringing it to the community, and trying to reach out to underserved communities,” Fitzburgh said. According to Fitzburgh, hidden fees are often what can make the spay and neuter procedures inaccessible for pet owners. “You’ll see where it’s often publicized, that you know, ‘low cost, spay neuter: $50,’ something like that, $75,” Fitzburgh said. “But at first, you’ve got to get a health check. And that’s $75. And then they’ve got to do a blood test. And that’s $40. And then they got to do this and that, and by the time you actually leave with your cat or your dog, it’s $300. And it’s also like an ambush, because you went there thinking it was advertised as $75. So, by being able to bring this into the community, it makes it more available to the people that need it the most.”
By Dominic Massimino - October 27, 2020
In the parking lot of the Super A Foods on Division Street in Glassell Park Oct. 24, a coalition of local organizations hosted the “It Pays to Spay” mobile spay and neuter event. From their vehicle, veterinarians from local organization Spay-4-LA offered free spay and neuter services and other low-cost animal health procedures to area pet owners.
The drive itself was a collaboration between many different local organizations, according to Brian Fitzburgh, a local real estate agent and one of the event’s organizers. Spay-4-LA provided the mobile veterinary care vehicle and vets to perform the procedures, Urban Pet provided “swag bags” for people who participated in the drive and Super A Foods allowed the organizations to use their parking lot, as well as providing $200 in gift cards to give out.
Fitzburgh said that spay and neuter events are invaluable because they help solve the problem of overflowing animal shelters preemptively. “When too many pets are born that don’t have a home, it floods the shelter,” Fitzburgh said. “Then the shelter has to find foster volunteers as the band-aid to the problem. So by having spay/neuter events, it’s really attacking ground zero.”
Los Angeles resident Javier Azarcoya brought his two dogs to the event and said the issue of overpopulation was personal for him. “These are my first pets since I got married, so it was our decision to do the responsible things and get them fixed, because the way they came into our life is that their mom was a stray,” Azarcoya said. “Their mom came pregnant to my mom’s house, and my mom took her in and she had seven puppies. And we saw how hard it was to home so many puppies after they come into your life.”
Fitzburgh said offering spay and neutering services for free is important, since many people cannot afford to pay the fees associated with the procedure. “By doing it as a mobile, you’re bringing it to the community, and trying to reach out to underserved communities,” Fitzburgh said. According to Fitzburgh, hidden fees are often what can make the spay and neuter procedures inaccessible for pet owners. “You’ll see where it’s often publicized, that you know, ‘low cost, spay neuter: $50,’ something like that, $75,” Fitzburgh said. “But at first, you’ve got to get a health check. And that’s $75. And then they’ve got to do a blood test. And that’s $40. And then they got to do this and that, and by the time you actually leave with your cat or your dog, it’s $300. And it’s also like an ambush, because you went there thinking it was advertised as $75. So, by being able to bring this into the community, it makes it more available to the people that need it the most.”
Glassell Park resident Vanessa Magaña said that since her vet stopped their mobile program, she had been waiting to spay her cat due to concerns about cost. “It’s cool that this popped up, I’ve been holding out because I don’t have the money to pay for all those bills and stuff, so it worked out,” Magaña said. She added that most people really want to spay or neuter their animals, but usually are unable to afford it, explaining the popularity of this free event. “I think that’s why it’s a big turnout; a lot of us want to do this,” Magaña said. “My kitten tries to get out now, and I’m like, ‘You can’t! You’ll get pregnant!’”
Azarcoya said the low cost of the event will also allow pet owners to invest the money saved on this procedure elsewhere to help animals in need. “What this allows us to do, we will be willing to maybe donate to a shelter, you know, it frees up a little bit of money to actually help,” Azarcoya said. “It’s really a great service to the community, and honestly it would be great if they expanded it countywide.”
While the event was the product of a coalition of many organizations according to Fitzburgh, the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council awarded a $3,000 grant to help fund the event, which was instrumental in bringing it to fruition. “They gave a $3,000 grant to help pay for that spay/neuter mobile surgery [vehicle],” Fitzburgh said. “It’s about $4,500 to bring that truck out here, for the vets, the supplies, to pay for the truck. So this doesn’t happen for free. The community is receiving it for free, but that’s thanks to the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council.”
A real estate agent by trade, Fitzburgh said he took the first step in working to help animals in need, and hasn’t looked back since. “I’m a real estate agent, and I’m an animal lover,” Fitzburgh said. “And I always wanted to try to do something and, like a lot of people, didn’t know what to do or didn’t think I had the time to do it. And at some point I just decided to do something. It always starts with something.”
Azarcoya said the low cost of the event will also allow pet owners to invest the money saved on this procedure elsewhere to help animals in need. “What this allows us to do, we will be willing to maybe donate to a shelter, you know, it frees up a little bit of money to actually help,” Azarcoya said. “It’s really a great service to the community, and honestly it would be great if they expanded it countywide.”
While the event was the product of a coalition of many organizations according to Fitzburgh, the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council awarded a $3,000 grant to help fund the event, which was instrumental in bringing it to fruition. “They gave a $3,000 grant to help pay for that spay/neuter mobile surgery [vehicle],” Fitzburgh said. “It’s about $4,500 to bring that truck out here, for the vets, the supplies, to pay for the truck. So this doesn’t happen for free. The community is receiving it for free, but that’s thanks to the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council.”
A real estate agent by trade, Fitzburgh said he took the first step in working to help animals in need, and hasn’t looked back since. “I’m a real estate agent, and I’m an animal lover,” Fitzburgh said. “And I always wanted to try to do something and, like a lot of people, didn’t know what to do or didn’t think I had the time to do it. And at some point I just decided to do something. It always starts with something.”
December 2, 2019
http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-brian-fitzburgh-rerescue-real-estate-agents-rescue/
Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Fitzburgh.
Brian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a real estate broker and I’m an animal lover (or maybe a crazy cat guy currently with four cats!) and for the past four years, I’ve been hosting and annual super bowl party for my real estate clients… I really go all out with stilt walkers, jugglers, live band, catered food, pony rides, open bar and on and on… The first year I also had a petting zoo but on the second year I decided to swap out the petting zoo and bring in a few rescue groups with adoptable doggies and kitties with the hopes of getting at least one doggie or kittie adopted and to my pleasant surprise we had four pets find a forever home that day… That got me to thinking, instead of party with only my small group of real estate clients, what if we created a big party and invited the entire community to attend and that’s when we created “Glassell Bark and Meow” and “Eagle Rock Bark and Meow” events…
I live in the community of Glassell Park so, of course, we call our event “Glassell Bark” and we also host another event in the community of Eagle Rock and call that event “Eagle Rock Bark”… NOTE: the official name includes “and Meow” because we cannot forget the kitties but to be honest, it’s the dog owners who really come out and make the party great! When I am inviting someone to attend, here’s my line: “It’s a party for your dog… But you can come too 🙂 ” It turns out that community members REALLY love a party for their dog and we just finished our 3rd Annual Glassell Bark and Eagle Rock Bark events and about 5,500 people attended the most recent 3rd Annual Eagle Rock Bark and Meow on Sunday, October 27th, 2019 and there were a combined total of adoptions and foster volunteers at a record 144 which means that 144 furry little creatures will no longer be homeless 🙂 We really try to make our events a combination of block party and rescue adoption and we do our best to make the party super fun!
At the last Eagle Rock Bark we had the trick-or-treat village with free candy for the kids, pumpkin patch with pumpkin decorating and other kids activities… We had Piper Madison (local singer/songwriter) perform live music along with two other local artists Tom Bishel and Paul Perry, we also had a classic car show and a scavenger hunt that included 65 fun station challenges including the “Shake Your Booty” challenge, the OMG Whoopie-Cushion challenge, rub-a-dub-dub doggie in a tub, doggie yoga, hot dog doggie, tail-wag challenge and sooooo much more… AND we also had the classics: Human Barking Contest, Doggie Costume Parade and the Watermelon Eating Contest Where YOU Compete Against Your Own DOG! Lol 🙂
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Amazingly, the road has been pretty smooth… It’s sort of amazing… When we talk to people about saving rescue pets, something magical happens… People drop their guard, people open up and people are willing to help… I’d say that the struggles have mainly been the shear mountain of work and effort that has been required to bring this mission from an idea and turn that into an existing non-profit organization with our RErescue.org mission to get other realtors involved and our local community Bark and Meow events and now moving into the next phase of bigger city-wide and then to a national level with big stadium events… It’s really exciting for us 🙂
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about RErescue – Real Estate Agents to the Rescue – what should we know?
Growing up, I have always been into many things… Many different sports and outdoor activities, got my pilots license when I was 18, lived in Paris for about nine months and always, I have been an animal lover… Much to my mother’s horror, I was the one that brought home the baby bird that had fallen out of the nest, or the lost kitten/cat/dog/bunnie/turtle you name it… I would even use my bare hand to scoop out bees that had fallen into our family swimming pool and then hold them in my hand while I would nurse them back to health with drops of juice in my hand- much to the surprise of my three older brothers and younger sister, I never once got stung 🙂 Other than that I have always been a driven and curious person with a strong desire to build and invent things… I hold a number or US patents and trademarks and love the whole concept of having an idea for something that exists only in my mind and then, step by step, taking action to get that idea out of my head and bringing it to life through action and effort (and money) so that something new exists in the universe that can have a positive impact on people’s lives AND also can have a positive impact on the lives of homeless animals… I see the work to create RErescue.org and our campaign to raise awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” to be a natural continuation of my nature… This is, by far, the best creation that I have been involved in 🙂 I am so grateful to be on the current path that my team is on 🙂
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
What I am most proud of is the dedication of my team member, Cathie Wang… What she has done to bring this idea into reality is nothing short inspirational… She has worked soooo hard and created soooo much from our logos and websites to our marketing materials and SOOOO much more… I refer to what she does as “WANG POWER” and I am so grateful to be on this journey with someone so capable and so dedicated and such a joy to work with… BIG THANK YOU TO CATHIE WANG 🙂
http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-brian-fitzburgh-rerescue-real-estate-agents-rescue/
Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Fitzburgh.
Brian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a real estate broker and I’m an animal lover (or maybe a crazy cat guy currently with four cats!) and for the past four years, I’ve been hosting and annual super bowl party for my real estate clients… I really go all out with stilt walkers, jugglers, live band, catered food, pony rides, open bar and on and on… The first year I also had a petting zoo but on the second year I decided to swap out the petting zoo and bring in a few rescue groups with adoptable doggies and kitties with the hopes of getting at least one doggie or kittie adopted and to my pleasant surprise we had four pets find a forever home that day… That got me to thinking, instead of party with only my small group of real estate clients, what if we created a big party and invited the entire community to attend and that’s when we created “Glassell Bark and Meow” and “Eagle Rock Bark and Meow” events…
I live in the community of Glassell Park so, of course, we call our event “Glassell Bark” and we also host another event in the community of Eagle Rock and call that event “Eagle Rock Bark”… NOTE: the official name includes “and Meow” because we cannot forget the kitties but to be honest, it’s the dog owners who really come out and make the party great! When I am inviting someone to attend, here’s my line: “It’s a party for your dog… But you can come too 🙂 ” It turns out that community members REALLY love a party for their dog and we just finished our 3rd Annual Glassell Bark and Eagle Rock Bark events and about 5,500 people attended the most recent 3rd Annual Eagle Rock Bark and Meow on Sunday, October 27th, 2019 and there were a combined total of adoptions and foster volunteers at a record 144 which means that 144 furry little creatures will no longer be homeless 🙂 We really try to make our events a combination of block party and rescue adoption and we do our best to make the party super fun!
At the last Eagle Rock Bark we had the trick-or-treat village with free candy for the kids, pumpkin patch with pumpkin decorating and other kids activities… We had Piper Madison (local singer/songwriter) perform live music along with two other local artists Tom Bishel and Paul Perry, we also had a classic car show and a scavenger hunt that included 65 fun station challenges including the “Shake Your Booty” challenge, the OMG Whoopie-Cushion challenge, rub-a-dub-dub doggie in a tub, doggie yoga, hot dog doggie, tail-wag challenge and sooooo much more… AND we also had the classics: Human Barking Contest, Doggie Costume Parade and the Watermelon Eating Contest Where YOU Compete Against Your Own DOG! Lol 🙂
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Amazingly, the road has been pretty smooth… It’s sort of amazing… When we talk to people about saving rescue pets, something magical happens… People drop their guard, people open up and people are willing to help… I’d say that the struggles have mainly been the shear mountain of work and effort that has been required to bring this mission from an idea and turn that into an existing non-profit organization with our RErescue.org mission to get other realtors involved and our local community Bark and Meow events and now moving into the next phase of bigger city-wide and then to a national level with big stadium events… It’s really exciting for us 🙂
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about RErescue – Real Estate Agents to the Rescue – what should we know?
Growing up, I have always been into many things… Many different sports and outdoor activities, got my pilots license when I was 18, lived in Paris for about nine months and always, I have been an animal lover… Much to my mother’s horror, I was the one that brought home the baby bird that had fallen out of the nest, or the lost kitten/cat/dog/bunnie/turtle you name it… I would even use my bare hand to scoop out bees that had fallen into our family swimming pool and then hold them in my hand while I would nurse them back to health with drops of juice in my hand- much to the surprise of my three older brothers and younger sister, I never once got stung 🙂 Other than that I have always been a driven and curious person with a strong desire to build and invent things… I hold a number or US patents and trademarks and love the whole concept of having an idea for something that exists only in my mind and then, step by step, taking action to get that idea out of my head and bringing it to life through action and effort (and money) so that something new exists in the universe that can have a positive impact on people’s lives AND also can have a positive impact on the lives of homeless animals… I see the work to create RErescue.org and our campaign to raise awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” to be a natural continuation of my nature… This is, by far, the best creation that I have been involved in 🙂 I am so grateful to be on the current path that my team is on 🙂
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
What I am most proud of is the dedication of my team member, Cathie Wang… What she has done to bring this idea into reality is nothing short inspirational… She has worked soooo hard and created soooo much from our logos and websites to our marketing materials and SOOOO much more… I refer to what she does as “WANG POWER” and I am so grateful to be on this journey with someone so capable and so dedicated and such a joy to work with… BIG THANK YOU TO CATHIE WANG 🙂
Pricing:
- The annual membership fee for RErescue.org members is $250 per year
- Website: www.RErescue.org
- Phone: 818-571-9712
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RErescuePET/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RErescuePET/
Animals Today November 30, 2019: Promoting pet fostering.
DECEMBER 8, 2019 BY PETER SPIEGEL
Peter’s guest is Brian Fitzburgh, a Los Angeles based real estate agent who heads up Real Estate Agents to the Rescue (ReRescue.org). This non-profit organization spreads the positive message about the value of being a foster parent to animals in need. Since real estate agents are accomplished networkers, there are many opportunities to spread the message on the value of fostering.
Peter’s guest is Brian Fitzburgh, a Los Angeles based real estate agent who heads up Real Estate Agents to the Rescue (ReRescue.org). This non-profit organization spreads the positive message about the value of being a foster parent to animals in need. Since real estate agents are accomplished networkers, there are many opportunities to spread the message on the value of fostering.
Open Line Radio Interview with Brian Fitzburgh & Tami Heide
REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO THE RESCUE
ANNOUNCES “EVERY DOOR 2024 MOONSHOT MISSION”
Non-profit on a mission to grow the rescue-pet foster volunteer community
with national awareness campaign
Los Angeles, Calif. (October 8, 2019) – RErescue.org, the non-profit organization dedicated to growing the foster-volunteer community, is stepping up its activities with a national “moonshot” campaign to reach out to every homeowner in the USA by the end of 2024 and share this lifesaving message: “fostering saves rescue pets.”
Every Door 2024 is a “moonshot mission” that RErescue.org and its founder, Brian Fitzburgh, are basing the organization’s activities around as they plan community activities and a focused membership drive. As a coalition of real estate agents who love animals, they are raising awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” at their open houses and local public events, RErescue.org is aiming to grow its national membership to be 24,000 strong and reach out to every homeowner in the USA by the end of 2024 in order to grow the foster volunteer community.
“That’s about 80 million homes!” says Fitzburgh. “Just imagine that kind of widespread awareness that ‘fostering saves rescue pets’ and saving thousands and thousands of homeless animals. That’s our moonshot! We’re stepping it up, stepping up big, to really make a difference.”
Seeking only to raise awareness, and not asking anyone to actually foster, adopt or donate, RErescue.org is a uniquely altruistic organization driven purely by passion for pets, and led by a real estate agent who has made this non-profit a full-time passion project. Brian Fitzburgh, the principal of Fitzburgh Realty, is an unstoppable force of nature whose dedication to save rescue pets is his obsession. He is literally like a dog with a bone. Fitzburgh attends real estate conferences not to increase his real estate business, but to create a “Rescue Pet Lounge” and personally walk around the exhibition floor as a human billboard promoting RErescue.org and talking to other real estate agents about how they can help make a difference.
“Realtors are uniquely qualified to spread awareness, because they meet a lot of people,” says Fitzburgh. “They are great at social media, and spreading positive messages comes naturally, so incorporating this cause into their business is a no-brainer. Agents talk to people who are buying and selling homes and they share details about their family, their kids and pets. As agents we connect with people on an emotional level and that makes our message of awareness so powerful.”
The Fitzburgh Realty Team is based in the Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) neighborhoods of Glassell Park, Highland Park and Eagle Rock, where they are already considered local heroes for their tireless work in their community to raise awareness that fostering saves rescue pets and do their best to help reduce shelter kill rates. “With the help of foster volunteers, homeless animals are no longer locked up in cages, instead, they live happily, out of harm’s way, in the homes of foster volunteers,” says Fitzburgh. “Did you know that you can foster for just a few days? That’s an eye-opening concept that most people don’t know.”
In their local area, RErescue.org has already established popular “Bark and Meow” events such as Glassell Bark and Eagle Rock Bark, welcoming thousands of local residents and visitor for a festive outdoor experience featuring pet-focused fun, including food and Halloween candy, costume parade for kids and dogs, a human barking contest, a doggie kissing booth, local artists, live music performances and much, much more, including adorable, adoptable doggies and kitties. The “3rd Annual Eagle Rock Bark and Meow” takes place on Sunday October 27 from 1-4pm.
RErescue.org is also promoting initiatives that people can participate in across the country.
The Be A Hero Challenge asks people to watch and share a 1-minute explainer video about fostering.
Simply watch the video and challenge three other people to watch and share with three others too.
The Shake Your Booty Challenge asks real estate agents to create a video of themselves doing the “happy doggie dance” by shaking their bootie while saying “Fostering saves rescue pets!” And then they challenge three other realtors to do the same. Shake Your Bootie Challenge will be launched at Eagle Rock Bark on October 27.
Plans are also underway for a massive LA Stadium Community Dog Walk in 2020 and a “National Community Dog Walk Day” as well as a national “Fostering Saves Rescue Pets Awareness Day,” among other events that will enable people across the country to get involved.
While the outwardly facing mission is to grow the foster volunteer community, the RErescue.org team realizes that “fostering is a band-aid to the underlying problem that too many homeless pets are born because they are not spayed and neutered,” says Fitzburgh. If RErescue.org is successful in attracting 24,000 real estate agents, he says part of the organization’s efforts will be focused towards sponsoring spay/neuter events.
RErescue.org is proof of the power of community activism, demonstrating that anyone can be a hero in their own neighborhood. Every Door 2024 might seem like an impossible goal but “I believe in my heart we are actually going to pull it off,” according to Fitzburgh. “You don’t have to be an astronaut – or a world leader – to have a moonshot,” he says. ”All you need is a vision and the conviction and determination to see it through.”
About RErescue.org
RErescue.org (also called Real Estate Agents to the Rescue) is a national coalition of real estate agents who are animal lovers on a mission to grow the foster volunteer community and help save the lives of homeless animals. RErescue.org members have been raising awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” at their open houses and community events. RErescue.org is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded by Brian Fitzburgh and The Fitzburgh Realty Team in 2017 with the belief that real estate agents have a special skillset and a dedication to community that makes real estate agents a powerful force to raise awareness, make a difference and save the lives of homeless pets.
ANNOUNCES “EVERY DOOR 2024 MOONSHOT MISSION”
Non-profit on a mission to grow the rescue-pet foster volunteer community
with national awareness campaign
Los Angeles, Calif. (October 8, 2019) – RErescue.org, the non-profit organization dedicated to growing the foster-volunteer community, is stepping up its activities with a national “moonshot” campaign to reach out to every homeowner in the USA by the end of 2024 and share this lifesaving message: “fostering saves rescue pets.”
Every Door 2024 is a “moonshot mission” that RErescue.org and its founder, Brian Fitzburgh, are basing the organization’s activities around as they plan community activities and a focused membership drive. As a coalition of real estate agents who love animals, they are raising awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” at their open houses and local public events, RErescue.org is aiming to grow its national membership to be 24,000 strong and reach out to every homeowner in the USA by the end of 2024 in order to grow the foster volunteer community.
“That’s about 80 million homes!” says Fitzburgh. “Just imagine that kind of widespread awareness that ‘fostering saves rescue pets’ and saving thousands and thousands of homeless animals. That’s our moonshot! We’re stepping it up, stepping up big, to really make a difference.”
Seeking only to raise awareness, and not asking anyone to actually foster, adopt or donate, RErescue.org is a uniquely altruistic organization driven purely by passion for pets, and led by a real estate agent who has made this non-profit a full-time passion project. Brian Fitzburgh, the principal of Fitzburgh Realty, is an unstoppable force of nature whose dedication to save rescue pets is his obsession. He is literally like a dog with a bone. Fitzburgh attends real estate conferences not to increase his real estate business, but to create a “Rescue Pet Lounge” and personally walk around the exhibition floor as a human billboard promoting RErescue.org and talking to other real estate agents about how they can help make a difference.
“Realtors are uniquely qualified to spread awareness, because they meet a lot of people,” says Fitzburgh. “They are great at social media, and spreading positive messages comes naturally, so incorporating this cause into their business is a no-brainer. Agents talk to people who are buying and selling homes and they share details about their family, their kids and pets. As agents we connect with people on an emotional level and that makes our message of awareness so powerful.”
The Fitzburgh Realty Team is based in the Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) neighborhoods of Glassell Park, Highland Park and Eagle Rock, where they are already considered local heroes for their tireless work in their community to raise awareness that fostering saves rescue pets and do their best to help reduce shelter kill rates. “With the help of foster volunteers, homeless animals are no longer locked up in cages, instead, they live happily, out of harm’s way, in the homes of foster volunteers,” says Fitzburgh. “Did you know that you can foster for just a few days? That’s an eye-opening concept that most people don’t know.”
In their local area, RErescue.org has already established popular “Bark and Meow” events such as Glassell Bark and Eagle Rock Bark, welcoming thousands of local residents and visitor for a festive outdoor experience featuring pet-focused fun, including food and Halloween candy, costume parade for kids and dogs, a human barking contest, a doggie kissing booth, local artists, live music performances and much, much more, including adorable, adoptable doggies and kitties. The “3rd Annual Eagle Rock Bark and Meow” takes place on Sunday October 27 from 1-4pm.
RErescue.org is also promoting initiatives that people can participate in across the country.
The Be A Hero Challenge asks people to watch and share a 1-minute explainer video about fostering.
Simply watch the video and challenge three other people to watch and share with three others too.
The Shake Your Booty Challenge asks real estate agents to create a video of themselves doing the “happy doggie dance” by shaking their bootie while saying “Fostering saves rescue pets!” And then they challenge three other realtors to do the same. Shake Your Bootie Challenge will be launched at Eagle Rock Bark on October 27.
Plans are also underway for a massive LA Stadium Community Dog Walk in 2020 and a “National Community Dog Walk Day” as well as a national “Fostering Saves Rescue Pets Awareness Day,” among other events that will enable people across the country to get involved.
While the outwardly facing mission is to grow the foster volunteer community, the RErescue.org team realizes that “fostering is a band-aid to the underlying problem that too many homeless pets are born because they are not spayed and neutered,” says Fitzburgh. If RErescue.org is successful in attracting 24,000 real estate agents, he says part of the organization’s efforts will be focused towards sponsoring spay/neuter events.
RErescue.org is proof of the power of community activism, demonstrating that anyone can be a hero in their own neighborhood. Every Door 2024 might seem like an impossible goal but “I believe in my heart we are actually going to pull it off,” according to Fitzburgh. “You don’t have to be an astronaut – or a world leader – to have a moonshot,” he says. ”All you need is a vision and the conviction and determination to see it through.”
About RErescue.org
RErescue.org (also called Real Estate Agents to the Rescue) is a national coalition of real estate agents who are animal lovers on a mission to grow the foster volunteer community and help save the lives of homeless animals. RErescue.org members have been raising awareness that “fostering saves rescue pets” at their open houses and community events. RErescue.org is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded by Brian Fitzburgh and The Fitzburgh Realty Team in 2017 with the belief that real estate agents have a special skillset and a dedication to community that makes real estate agents a powerful force to raise awareness, make a difference and save the lives of homeless pets.
California Real Estate
November/December 2018 Issue
November/December 2018 Issue
