If you’ve ever seen one of the artist-decorated steel dog sculptures around the city, you may not realize it has a backstory.

Sponsored by individuals, businesses and veterinary practices, the steel dogs are the signature piece of the nonprofit Fetch-a-Cure’s annual pet cancer awareness campaign. November is National Pet Cancer awareness month when their focus is on raising awareness and funds for life-saving cancer treatments.

Cancer accounts for half of disease-related pet deaths each year, and it’s the leading cause of death in older cats and dogs.

“We don’t ever want a family to have to say goodbye to their pet because either they didn’t know the warning signs and weren’t able to seek treatment quickly enough or they couldn’t afford cancer treatment costs,” says Kaicee Robertson, Fetch-a-Cure’s director of events and marketing. “Annually, Fetch grants around $170,000 in funds to 60 to 80 families.”

A big part of the nonprofit’s mission is education because most cancer treatments are more effective with early detection. Because of this, Fetch hosts multiple “Lumps and Bumps” clinics around the region. With the help of local veterinarians who donate their time, these clinics allow members of the community to bring their pets for free physical exams where a vet will check for growths, lumps, and bumps, and mark them on a body map for future monitoring or investigation by the animal’s primary veterinarian.

Robertson says it’s not uncommon to hear back from pet owners. After a recent last Lumps and Bumps clinic, Fetch received an email saying, “Dr. Bunting did a lumps check on one of our taproom employees’ dogs at the event. Dr. Bunting recommended that she get one checked and it turned out to be cancer. It’s now all removed and clear, and she wanted to send her a personal thank you.”

In addition to providing education and funding assistance for pet owners, Robertson says the nonprofit offers support and hope. Their monthly virtual pet cancer support meetings give participants the opportunity to share their experience with others who are pursuing treatment for their pet or have been through the pet cancer journey in the past. “Many of our Companions in Crisis grant recipients attend these meetings, as well as individual from across the country, and sometimes in different countries,” Robertson says.

Every month, Fetch-a-Cure works to promote the need to help pets live long, healthy lives, working to raise awareness and further education about pet cancer detection and treatment as well as senior care and aging issues. Through the Companions in Crisis program, they also provide financial aid to families unable to handle the cost of life-saving treatments for their pets when they’re diagnosed with cancer.

The nonprofit hosts and participates in a variety of fundraising events of all sizes including their annual Pets on Parade, the Steel Dog Open, and Fetch Fest, along with give-back nights and special promotions at local businesses.

“The majority of our funds come from individual donations and events, so we’re incredibly grateful for the donors who make it possible for us to grant life-saving funds to families in need,” she says. “Whether it’s a onetime donation or a monthly donation by our Constant Companions members, we really rely on the generosity of our community to help fight pet cancer together.”

For more information visit the Fetch-A-Cure website.