Shelter Raises Money, Creates Beautiful Artwork Through ‘Poorly Drawn Pets’ Event

What’s fancier than getting a portrait of a family member drawn? Especially a pet? An animal shelter is providing its supporters with this kind of art, though it may not be quite as refined as some other commissions.

The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County in Washington State is holding its annual Poorly Drawn Pets event. Now in its fifth year, it encourages supporters to donate $30, and when they do, they’ll receive a unique work of art based on a photo they’ve shared. These portraits can all be seen in a Facebook post for the fundraiser. There is a warning at the top, though, reminding pet parents that the work may not always be overly realistic.

The shelter wrote, “Be warned! We’re a whole lot better at caring for animals than we are at drawing them. You *might* get one of our super-talented artists, but odds are, it’ll be a charmingly amateur creation.”

The event keeps going until they reach their $25,000 goal. These are funds that help the shelter care for the roughly 10,000 animals that come through its doors each year. The shelter also offers several humane programs and works with animals and pet owners to ensure relationships between people and pets are strong. This popular event supports this work, and it certainly brings a lot to pet owners and the art world, too.

Ashley Taulbee, chief philanthropy officer at the shelter, says, “Our artists don’t promise perfection, but they guarantee unique portraits that leave a lasting impression. Last year, we created over 1,500 masterpieces.”

There’s no cap on donations, so supporters can get as many beautiful pieces of artwork as they’d like. The fundraising post shows portraits with a wide variety of skill, but all with some heart behind them. The volunteers respond from their own Facebook pages with their museum-worthy work. There are cat butts, dogs in hoodies, a pup making a heart shape with their paws, and even a dog looking way too cool in some shades.

As of the writing of this blog, the shelter was nearly to its goal, but once they’ve surpassed it, that doesn’t mean you can’t still check out some of the photos on the fundraising post. You can also find out more about the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County – who say they’re dedicated to “Making Happy Happen” – here.