LUCY, The PIP Ambassador Announces Her Platform!

Big news, happy winners, and asking little favor from yours truly!

Hello, loyal Friends of Paws in Prison supporters!

Your PIP Ambassador is back with some exciting news from our 2027 Cutest Critter Photo Contest!

Our first-place winner, Nipsey, has received his gift certificate for a professional pet photography session with Sarah Irwin. I have a feeling Nipsey is about to discover his inner supermodel. Watch out, Hollywood!

Our second-place winner, Sprout, a proud Paws in Prison graduate, sent his mommy, Jeri, to meet up with my mommy for a special delivery. And what a delivery it was! A HUMONGOUS gift basket overflowing with dog toys and treats! When Sprout got a chance to inspect his loot, he was kind enough to share the goodies with his big brother, Tater, who is also a PIP graduate. Now THAT’S what I call a good boy!

With all our winners receiving their prizes, I want to give a huge, tail-wagging THANK YOU to everyone who entered, everyone who voted, and everyone who helped make the Friends of Paws in Prison 2027 Cutest Critter Photo Contest our most successful contest ever. You helped make this a paws-itively wonderful success!

And the calendars are still for sale so it's not too late to stuff those stockings, prepare for the New Year, and share "Saving More Than Dogs"!

A Successful Adoption Update and DNA results from Winnie, also known as Ms. December in the 2027 calendar!

Hi! I’m Winnie, a PIP graduate who found my forever family in July. I started my journey at the New Braunfels shelter as a 13-week puppy where they thought I was a terrier mix, possibly a Pumi (a Hungarian herding dog breed). I was quickly rescued by PIP, named Wednesday, and spent months with the ladies being trained, where I learned all the basic skills. (Whether I obey the commands, however, depends on my mood – my trainers noted that I can be a diva.) They also told my new parents that I love to run and do zoomies. PIP described me as a doodle mix due to my curly coat.

I adapted quickly to my new home and a partly wooded half-acre yard where I explore and chase anything that moves. My new parents looked up Pumi dog traits and decided they fit me to a tee: intelligent, lively, needs exercise and problem-solving activities, but can be stubborn and strong-willed. “Loves zoomies” doesn’t describe my need for them, and if I don’t get them, I won’t go quietly to bed until I do. I designed my own agility course through the house that includes flying up over the back of a chair and going airborne between a sofa and chair. In the yard I run around the garden paths and do large figure-8s on the lawn. (I also steal garden gloves and clippers to make sure someone will chase me.) And I bring branches and rocks into the house as presents – even a 2-pound chunk of concrete! Once I dragged a 50-lb sack of sand off a ledge and into the middle of a path so I could chew a hole in it. (I LOVE chewing up plastic bags.)

I was so much like the Pumi description that my folks decided to run DNA tests on me, and what a surprise came back! (You can see my family tree in the picture.)

Scroll to the end of the newsletter to see the test results!

And Now, Lucy's Big Ambassador Announcement!

As the inaugural Paws in Prison Ambassador, I decided it was time to put my paws to work for a cause close to my heart. So, for my 2027 term, I’m taking on a mission that could make a BIG difference for our Paws in Prison family and to get your attention, I had to show off my Halloween costume!

My platform? Encouraging more of our wonderful supporters to become monthly recurring donors!

Now, before you think I’m asking you to give up your treat budget, let me explain. Becoming a monthly donor is easy, and no amount is too small. Even a modest monthly gift can help Friends of Paws in Prison plan ahead and continue its important work.

Right now, we have 978 newsletter subscribers, but only nine are monthly donors. Just NINE! And do you know how easy it was for them to donate? They visited Paws in Prison website (link at bottom of newsletter) and checked the box that says “Make this a monthly donation.” That’s it! A few clicks, and they’re helping support our mission month after month.

A special shout-out to our monthly giving superstars: Eve B., Gale B., Sharlene E., Daniel H., Marcus L., Debbie M., Jennifer K., Shelly R., and Diana S. Thank you for leading the pack! You’re making my job as Ambassador a whole lot easier, and I’m wagging my tail in gratitude.

Will You Join My Pack?

Here comes my big ask, and I hope you’ll hear it with an open heart.

Would you consider becoming a monthly donor with a gift of just $10 a month?

That’s only $2.50 a week — less than many of us spend on a little everyday indulgence. But if all of our 978 newsletter subscribers joined in at $10 a month, together we could raise $9,780 every month! That would amount to $117,360 annually, representing more than our annual budget. Just imagine what that kind of dependable support could mean for Friends of Paws in Prison!

You don’t have to make a huge donation to make a meaningful difference. You just have to be willing to be part of something bigger than yourself. And when lots of caring people give a little, those little gifts can add up to something truly remarkable.

So, will you help your PIP Ambassador make monthly giving the next big thing?

Become a Monthly Donor Today!

Thank you for being part of our Friends of Paws in Prison family, for cheering on our graduates, and for helping make second chances possible. I’m honored to serve as your Ambassador, and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in 2027.



Until next time, keep those tails wagging and those hearts generous!

With lots of love and a few enthusiastic woofs,

Lucy, Your PIP Ambassador

I am not a Pumi. As it turns out, one grandparent was pure Siberian husky and a grandparent on the other side was pure miniature schnauzer! And I have some poodle too, along with bits of 10 other breeds.

The husky traits explain my long legs, need to run, and my strength, even though I only weigh 29 pounds. The terrier DNA shows up in my tendency to chase anything that squeaks or moves, like roaches that make it into the house. My parents can’t figure out why I make my bed on the back of a chair or like to sleep semi-standing.



My family and I are so thankful to PIP and the ladies who trained me for the love and care they gave me and for preparing me for the big, wide world. If only every dog could be so lucky!

Do you need help with your Required Minimum Distribution?

Consult with your accountant, but charitable donations can help you with the required retirement plan withdrawal without tax consequences!

Friends of Paws in Prison is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your end-of- year donation can benefit both of us!

Thank you for helping us save more than dogs!

We are sorry if we omitted any names from those of you who helped us in any capacity this month, but we do not always know the names of our Paws in Prison angels! (Note that Venmo contributions are especially hard to track!)



Thank you to Brian and Dennise C, Carol and Pat C, Katherine G, Carole and Layton L, Abel and Kasey R, and Suzanne W!

Monthly donations, no matter the size, help us know what we can count on each month. Thank you to Eve B, Gale B, Sharlene E, Daniel H, Marcus L, Debbie M, Jennifer K, Shelly R, and Diana S for your continued support!