Oreo's Animal Rescue is hosting its annual "For the Love of a Pet" fundraiser today. The event begins with a champagne social at 5 p.m. and banquet at 6 p.m. at the Days Hotel Grand Dakota Lodge in Dickinson.
"We always have a silent auction throughout the evening," said Debbi Wilson, Oreo's board president. "It's a wonderful event we do every year. It's always on Valentine's Day."
Wilson described the banquet as Oreo's biggest fundraiser.
"Every year it gets bigger," she said.
A limited number of tickets remain available at the door.
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"We sell balloons and have a big balloon pop with a chance to win a prize," she said. "Last year, we sold 380 balloons. The kids that are there really love it. The banquet is family-friendly. We have a lot of kids who come every year."
After dinner, there is live music and an auction featuring artisan items.
"It's items people have donated throughout the year. It could be something to do with pets or not," she said.
Funds are used throughout the year-- food and animal care expenses.
"It's for anybody who has pets, or loves pets or fosters for us. We have lots of foster families," said Wilson.
Wilson grew up around animals and learned to love them.
"I moved here from northern California four years ago. Through my sister, I discovered this organization and fell in love with the enthusiastic people who are a part of it," she said.
Oreo's Animal Rescue has one mission -- to help homeless pets in Dickinson and southwestern North Dakota. It was organized in 2005 and incorporated in 2005.
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Oreo's has a listing on the Web site -- Petfind
er.com -- where pets are available for adoption.
"It has current day-to-day listings," she said.
Matches are made in a variety of ways -- through the Web site, the "Pet of the Week" published in The Dickinson Press, a bulletin board at Wal-mart and Facebook.
Wilson credits the volunteers who keep the organization going. The dogs are fostered out, but the cats are housed at West Dakota Veterinary Clinic.
"During the week, the staff is here; but weekends, volunteers feed and clean the cages," she said. "We are always open to foster families. There's never a time when we don't have animals in need."
The Wilsons obtained a rescue dog, Coco, when Pet Connection closed in Bismarck.
"He's wonderful. He's a great addition to the family," she said.
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Lisa Fichter, who is a West Dakota veterinary assistant, serves as another foster family. Describing herself as a foster flunkie, she's taken in Smokey, a blue heeler.
"My kids have fallen in love with him," she said. "He's an older dog, almost 12 years old. He was at the pound to be euthanized because his owner passed away."
"He bonded with me and he started to eat," she said.
"I was hooked and I brought him home," she said.
For more information, call Wilson at 701-590-1468.
