How RADAR Is Helping Dogs Find Their Forever Homes
Ken Siegert is one of those truly remarkable people who sees a need to fix the brokenness in the world, and then does something about it. He’s been a dog-lover since the age of two, and after volunteering at a local shelter, he met the dog who would change his life forever. Chloe was a 10 year old German Shepherd from Ohio who had been surrendered, and as a result, was confused and withdrawn. He and his husband quickly adopted her and fell in love with her, and saving dogs in need.
“After adopting Chloe, we heard about a senior dog named Ray. He was in a very rural shelter in West Virginia and he desperately needed dental care. I offered to pay for his dental care, and shortly afterwards a rescue agreed to save Ray! Within a few short weeks, Ray had a forever home! Our experience with Chloe and Ray made us realize that with networking and some funding, a lot of adoptable dogs in very rural shelters might get their second chance.”
Siegert and his husband co-founded Raising Aid For Dogs At Risk (RADAR) in 2012. They focus on helping dogs in rural county shelters in Appalachia and the Southeast, raising money for their veterinarian costs to prepare them for adoption. Using social media posts crafted in the BeFunky Graphic Designer, RADAR is able to raise interest for adoption of each individual dog. To date, they have helped over 1,136 dogs (and counting!) find their forever homes. It’s stories like this that fuel RADAR to keep doing what they do:
“In 2015, we helped a dog named Batman. He had been used as a bait dog and was found by animal control, chained to a fence, sitting in standing water. Why is this a favorite? Because he was rescued by a great organization and had a loving, nurturing foster Mom. His foster fell in love with him, and after about a month, decided that she just couldn't let him go. She adopted Batman and has given him the love that he always wanted and deserved.”
So how does RADAR spread the word about dogs in need? Siegert takes the time to craft a shareable graphic for each individual dog using the BeFunky Graphic Designer. He edits photos of each dog to display as Featured Dogs on the RADAR website, and using the Cutout Tool, he adds RADAR’s logo to each one. These graphics help potential donors know which dogs are in need and which ones have been adopted. All of these tools have helped RADAR succeed in the art of caring for these dogs.
“I found BeFunky when I was searching for a low-cost, but high-quality, functional photo editor and collage maker. I’ve been signed up for more than two and a half years now! We regularly use the Photo Editor and after discovering the Graphic Designer last year, we have been able to create graphics and cover photos for Facebook and our website.”
Ken Siegert has big dreams for RADAR. He would love to be able to increase both the number of dogs they assist each year and also increase the amount of financial assistance for each dog. Of course, this is all dependent on the continued generous support of donations and also adding more wonderful volunteers. He dreams of someday opening a sanctuary for dogs and even farm animals. His advice to other business owner creating their own promotional materials?
“Don't be afraid to be creative and test your creative limits. You might surprise yourself with what you can do!”
To learn more about RADAR and how you can help dogs at-risk, check out their website here. If you want to create engaging promotional graphics and images to help your business stand out, follow the link below:
