10/18/2026
🎤 Here’s Alyson’s speech from last night’s 4th Annual Furry Friends Fall Fundraiser for anyone who couldn’t attend or had trouble hearing it during the live feed! We’re so grateful for everyone who continues to support Tails In Transit, from our volunteers and fosters to our donors, sponsors, bidders, and community partners. Again, huge thank-you to Wild Hogs Saloon & Eatery for hosting us! We’re still gathering our final numbers, but we’re excited to share that we’ve already surpassed last year’s fundraising total! 🐾🎉❤️
“First things first, thank you all so much for being here tonight! Whether you’re a volunteer, a foster, a longtime supporter, or someone who came out to enjoy dinner and shop our auction, we’re so grateful you’re here. Events like this wouldn’t be possible without the people who continue to show up for us and believe in what we do.
We’d like to give a huge thank-you to Wild Hugs for hosting us for the fourth year in a row! Thank you for welcoming us and for donating 10% of tonight’s food and drink sales back to Tails In Transit. Your generosity means so much to us.
We also want to thank every sponsor and donor, both businesses and individuals, who contributed auction items or monetary donations. Every single donation helps us continue doing this work, and we truly couldn’t do it without you.
For those who may not know our story, Tails In Transit began in May 2022 while I was living in Texas. I started traveling back to Iowa monthly for transports, and although since moving home and we’ve slowed down a little on transports, we still work hard to help our friends in Texas and Oklahoma. Our mission has grown and evolved, but the heart behind it has never changed: helping animals who need someone in their corner, no matter the location.
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate enough to save what I can only estimate is around a thousand animals. Mostly dogs and cats, but we’ve also helped horses, goats, pigs, and even a cow named Floyd! This rescue has taken me on some incredible journeys, and I’m so thankful for everyone who’s been part of them.
One of the biggest reasons we’re able to do this work is our foster team. To our current fosters, our repeat fosters, those who’ve taken a break and came back, and everyone who has ever opened their home to an animal in need: thank you!
Whether you’ve fostered one animal or dozens, you’ve made a difference. Every foster home creates space for us to help another animal, and we absolutely could not do this without you.
I also want to recognize the people working behind the scenes who help keep this rescue moving forward. That would be our board members who are all very hands on within the rescue.
* Haley R. has taken on so much of our fundraising work and helped us transition this year’s auction to an online format. We couldn’t have put this event together without her dedication and willingness to take on something new. And get me past not liking change.🤪
* Haley M., our Foster Coordinator, is always there to support our fosters, welcome new people to the team, and guide them through the process of becoming foster homes. She’s also my right-hand woman in so many other aspects of rescue life, and I’m incredibly thankful for everything she does.
* Caleb, our Adoption Coordinator, helps us navigate applications, vet potential adopters, and keep the adoption process moving as smoothly as possible. And has also helped with many additional tasks when not asked! That doesn’t go unnoticed!
* McKenzie, our Treasurer, helps us keep track of the financial side of this operation and makes sure we understand what it takes to keep the rescue going.
* Marissa, our Secretary, helps with so much of our day-to-day work, including Petfinder, animal listings, and social media. We also want to congratulate her again on the arrival of her little boy, Easton!
* Jessica may not be here with us tonight, as life has kept her busy, but she remains an important part of our board and helps maintain our website. She’s also attending veterinary school at Iowa State, and we’re so proud of her and excited to see all she accomplishes! ❤️
I also should probably thank my husband and kids for putting up with my rescue shenanigans over the years. This work takes a lot of of my time and energy, and their support means more than they probably know.
And we cannot forget our veterinary partners. There are too many to name individually, but so many of our veterinary clinics go above and beyond for us, including by offering discounts on services. That support makes a tremendous difference, and we appreciate every veterinarian and clinic that helps us care for these animals.
Now, I want to talk a little about why fundraisers like this are so important.
For the first two quarters of this year alone, our medical expenses exceeded $46,000. That’s before considering all the other costs that come with rescue work. Each transport costs us roughly $3,000, and some of the animals we take in need extensive medical care before they can move on to their next chapter.
We’ve helped dogs like Sq**rt, who ne eded a leg amputation; another dog Cinch, who required plates to repair a fractured pelvis; Kimber, the horse who needed a large mass removed from her nasal passage; and Zeke, a local Cedar Rapids stray who came to us severely underweight with significant skin issues and continues to need veterinary care. These few animals specifically cost easily over 10k+.
These are just a few examples. Every one of these animals has a story, and behind every story is a real financial commitment. We never know exactly what the next animal will need, but we want to be in a position to help when that call comes.
That’s what tonight is about. Every auction bid, every donation, every meal purchased, and every person who chooses to support Tails In Transit helps us continue saying yes to animals who might otherwise be overlooked.
Before I wrap up, I want to thank every single person who has donated, sponsored, volunteered, fostered, adopted, or simply shared one of our posts. You may not always see the impact of what you do, but please know that it matters. You’re part of every life we save.
Thank you for being here, for believing in our mission, and for helping us make a difference for animals in need. We hope you enjoy tonight, have fun with the auction, and know just how much we appreciate you.
And now, I’ll stop talking so you can get back to the fun! Thank you all so much!”
And it true fashion we forgot to get a group photo of our help before a few left for the evening, but thank you to each of you for all your help making this event a success!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
