Our fair city of Sarasota offers a world of possibility for pet lovers. From dog-friendly restaurants and parks to veterinarians that specialize in feline health and a host of shops offering traditional and holistic products. Naturally, all of those pet lovers generate lots of interest and questions about health and well-being for their beloved pets.
Answering that community appetite for information is Sarasota Pet Magazine, covering local news for pet lovers. Published by Candace Botha, the magazine is now in its sixth year of distribution.
A long-time supporter of the animal shelter and rescue communities, Ms. Botha had an idea this year to support individuals with needy pets and shelters with specific needs in Sarasota and Manatee counties through a new crowd-funding platform: The Sarasota Pet Project.
Crowd-funding calls on interested parties and community members to chip in amounts as small as five dollars. The effect is to raise major dollars from multiple donors – “the crowd.” By spreading the need across a crowd, more people are able to contribute more frequently.
Just three weeks after launch, more than $1,100 dollars have been raised for pets and people in need through The Sarasota Pet Project. Four projects are now seeking funding online:
• Fairy Tail Endings, Inc., a local nonprofit that keeps families and pets together by helping to cover medical expenses, is trying to raise $550 to assist pets suffering from debilitating pain from orthopedic injuries. Surgery for these injuries usually costs between $2,000 and $3,000, which many local families do not have. By helping to fund these procedures, Fairy Tail Endings, Inc., saves the lives of pets that may otherwise be euthanized.
• Brina, the 4-year-old service dog that is the faithful companion of Danni, a 17-year old Bradenton teen with a serious spinal condition, required two surgeries after an obstruction was found in her intestines and she developed sepsis. 
Danni’s mom, a single mother and Army veteran, is faced with escalating veterinary bills that were needed to save Brina’s life. An additional $720 is needed to reach the goal to help pay the veterinary bills.
• Mary Lupi of Safe Haven Animal Rescue of Florida rescued Booty, an 8-year-old dog that is blind. An exam is needed to determine if the dog, 
whom Mary calls “the sweetest Chihuahua God ever put on this Earth,” is a candidate for cataract surgery that could restore his sight. The project goal is only $165.00 to cover the cost of the initial exam.
• Galy, an adorable, 1-year-old Chihuahua owned by Kim Delgado of Sarasota, has a life-threatening liver shunt and a bladder stone. Surgery is required to repair the shunt, remove the stone and, at the same time, spay the pup. The surgery is very expensive, but Kim has scheduled a date. She is hoping to raise $660 that will help pay for the surgery that will save the life of her dog.
If you’d like to “join the crowd” and help support one or more of these financial needs, or to learn more about The Sarasota Pet Project, just click here. If you’d like to submit a project for funding, there is an easy-to-fill-out form online at www.SarasotaPet.com on “The Sarasota Pet Project” page. Or you can send an e-mail directly to Ms. Botha at [email protected].