Events


Dogs Forever’s annual spring clean garage sale fundraiser
  • Date: Saturday March 22, 2025
  • Time: 10am – 2pm
  • Location: Dogs Forever Shelter Parking Lot 809 Rockford Road SW, CR, 52404
  • Facebook Event HERE
It’s time for our Annual Spring Clean Garage Sale Fundraiser at the shelter!!
Saturday, March 22nd from 10-2pm. (Rain Date: March 29th) You’ll see everything set up and ready for you! Come buy some of our overflow goodies with 100% of the proceeds coming back to the sweet pups at our shelter. Have decent gently used dog stuff to donate to help us? Get in touch!
Even better, our shelter is OPEN for visitors during this time so you can support them at our garage sale, and then go visit them.
Dog goodies from new and slightly used beds, kennels, crates, clothes, collars, leashes, harnesses, accessories, and more! Dogs Forever Merchandise from t-shirts, tanks, hats, and hoodies for humans of course. 
We’ll accept CASH, CHECKS (to Dogs Forever), VENMO with no purchase protection (DogsForeverRescue) and cards if needed. We do get charged a small fee to use cards so we prefer cash, checks, venmo. ALL SALES FINAL

Dogs Forever’s poorly drawn pet portraits mother’s day fundraiser
  • Date: 8AM: Thursday, May 1st – 8PM: Wednesday, May 7th
  • Hosted on our FACEBOOK EVENT: HERE

Do you need a one of a kind Mother’s Day gift for the “mom” in your life? Whether it’s your actual mom, grandma, sister, friend, dog mom, cat mom, bunny mom.. you get it! ANYONE you would love to give a sweet gift to… shoot even just to have for yourself!!
We have THE PERFECT meaningful, handmade, maybe hilarious, maybe amazing gift for you to give them (or yourself)!!
A donation through mail (cash/check) or VENMO gets you an ELECTRONIC Poorly Drawn Pet Portrait! You may get a realistic sketch, a funny rendering, or a portrait done by a volunteer “artist” who really REALLY tried. These are posted on Facebook under your comment or they are emailed to you if you elected that. They are not physical copies. You need to print them off yourself. Our artists are all over the state and some and other states, we are not making them pay postage nor dealing with the hassle of shipping. Print off your photo yourself, please!!
$15 donation for one pet in photo (ONE PET)
$10 extra for each extra pet (over one) in a photo (TWO OR MORE IN ONE PHOTO).
FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU HAVE ONE DOG IN ONE PHOTO IT IS $15. IF YOU HAVE ONE PHOTO THAT HAS A DOG AND A CAT IT IS $25. IF YOU HAVE ONE PHOTO THAT HAS THREE DOGS, IT IS $35. IF YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE PHOTOS OF TWO SEPARATE DOGS IT IS $30.
Comment under the post in the EVENT under the DISCUSSIONS TAB requesting photos when our event starts with your pets name, the photo, which payment method you’ll be using, and whether you’d like us to upload your photo under your comment or email it to you. (You know, in case it’s a secret and you don’t want them to see the drawing!)
We’ll have your drawing back to you ASAP (within three days!!) from one of our volunteer “artists”! You can print it off, frame it and wa-la! THE BEST GIFT EVER! All photos will be back to everyone no later than Saturday, May 10th so you’ll have plenty of time to get THE PERFECT gift together. Again, you need to print off your own portrait.
VENMO:
DogsForeverResuce (personal, not business. NO PURCHASE PROTECTION please, it takes a fee from us and we’ll ask you for the rest.) Last four are 3501.
MAIL:
Dogs Forever
ATTN: Pet Portraits
809 Rockford RD SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Payments by mail must be received at the shelter no later than the final day of this fundraiser on Wednesday, May 7th.
QUESTIONS: Comment in the event or email [email protected]

Dogs Forever’s annual barks n’ bubbles car wash fundraiser
  • Date: Sunday, June 8th, 2025
  • Time: 11am – 2pm
  • Location: Canine Corner & Cats Too – 1201 8th ST NW, CR, 52405
  • Facebook Event HERE
Come support Dogs Forever at our Barks n’ Bubbles Car Wash Fundraiser!
Suggested donation of $10.00. Cash, Check, Venmo are preferred, Cards accepted also.
Sunday, June 8th from 11-2 PM
Located at Canine Corner and Cats too: 1208 1207 8th ST NW, Cedar Rapids, 52405
We’ll have signs on where to pull in, a cashier to give your donation to, and a volunteer to help direct traffic through to Canine Corner & Cats Too’s parking lot.
Watch for the yellow and white DOGS FOREVER EVENT/FUNDRAISER signs along the roadways!

Dogs Forever’s 4th annual Pup Cup Drive-Thru Fundraiser
  • Date: Sunday, August 24th
  • Time: 2-5pm
  • Location: Geonetric – 415 12th Ave SE, CR, 52401
  • Facebook Event HERE

 

Load up your pupperooski(s) and bring them by for a sweet treat to beat the heat all while supporting our 4th Annual Pup Cup Drive-Thru Fundraiser. Donation based drive-thru with all proceeds coming back to the pups at Dogs Forever! Cash, Check, Venmo preferred, cards accepted too.
Pup cups will be good ol’ chilled whipped cream in a cup with a snacky snack treat on top.
All are welcome! (Yesssss even cats too if pup cups are their thing.)
Sunday, August 24th 2-5PM. Located in the parking lot of Geonetric! Look for EVENT signs along the roadways and our bright yellow DOGS FOREVER banner.
We can’t WAIT to see you, and let’s be honest… mostly your pups!
P.S.: This is not a vendor event. Just a drive-thru style fundraiser where you don’t even get out of your vehicle (unless you want to pull over afterwards in the parking lot for your pup to enjoy their treat!). Hosted by volunteers from our shelter and our Fundraising Committee, supporting our sweet dogs. ✌️
A BIG OL’ THANK YOU to KCRG Show You Care for selecting OUR event to benefit from advertising!!
SPONSORS:
Thank you to Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust for being our Top Barker Sponsor!!

Dogs Forever’s annual end of summer garage sale fundraiser
  • Date: Saturday – September 6th
  • Time: 10am – 2pm
  • Location: Dogs Forever Shelter Parking Lot 809 Rockford Road SW, CR, 52404
  • Facebook Event HERE
It’s time for our Annual End of Summer Garage Sale Fundraiser!!
Saturday, September 6th from 10-2pm (RAIN DATE: Saturday, September 13th same time; same place). You’ll see everything set up and ready for you! Come buy some of our overflow goodies with 100% of the proceeds coming back to the sweet pups at our shelter. Have decent gently used dog stuff to donate to help us? Get in touch!
Even better, our shelter is OPEN for visitors during this time so you can support them at our garage sale, and then go visit them.
Dog goodies from new and slightly used beds, kennels, crates, clothes, collars, leashes, harnesses, accessories, and more! Dogs Forever Merchandise from t-shirts, tanks, hats, and hoodies for humans of course. 
We’ll accept CASH, CHECKS (to Dogs Forever), VENMO with no purchase protection (DogsForeverRescue) and cards if needed. We do get charged a small fee to use cards so we prefer cash, checks, venmo.
ALL SALES FINAL.

Dogs Forever’s 5th annual chili cook off fundraiser
  • Date: Saturday – October 4th
  • Time: 11am – 2pm
  • Location: Geonetric – 415 12th Ave SE, CR, 52401
  • Facebook Event HERE
Dog Forever is hosting our 5th Annual Chili Cook Off Fundraiser with a Silent Auction and Bake Sale!
$5 suggested entry donation to come on down and taste some of the best chili recipes in town.
Saturday, October 4th
11-2 PM

Located at Geonetric. (From parking lot go in the glass door next to the garage door.)
We need YOUR help to choose!! Bring your family and friends and sample a wide variety of home-made chili.
Our chili cookers COULD win up to $500!!!
Judge’s First Place Winner: $400!!
Judge’s Second Place Winner: $60
Judge’s Third Place Winner: $40
People’s Choice Award Winner: $100!!
REGISTRATION LINK TO PARTICIPATE FOR $30 PER ENTRY: https://www.signupgenius.com/…/10C0D48A5A82DAAFFC25…
Guest Judges:
 #1: COMING SOOOONNN!!!
 #2:
 #3:
Silent Auction Items:
COMING SOOOOONN!!!
Sponsors:
Thank you to GreenState Credit Union for being our Happy Tails Sponsor!
***********************************
With your $5 suggested donation for entry, you’ll receive one ticket to vote for your favorite chili for their chance to take home the People’s Choice Award.
Your choice of milk or water with your taste testing ticket and we’ll have baked goodies for sale, and some sweet Dogs Forever merchandise.
We’ll have some great silent auction items for you to bid on while you’re perusing the chili, too! Mark yourself GOING to our EVENT on Facebook for rules, updates and insights!
(Humans only please, no pets.)

Dogs Forever’s 14th annual holidog bazaar
  • Date: Saturday, December 6th, 2025
  • Time: 9am-4pm
  • Location: Geonetric – 415 12th Ave SE, CR, 52401
  • Facebook Event HERE
Our 2025 Dogs Forever Holidog Bazaar is coming!! Back at Geonetric again and we are so excited!! There is something for EVERYONE. Stop by and get your holiday shopping done early!
This is NOT a vendor event, rather all items have been sponsored or donated so all proceeds come directly back to the care of our sweet puppers! If you ARE a vendor, you are more than welcome to make up a full raffle basket that we’d be happy to accept and promote your business!
Saturday, December 6th from 9-4pm. Located at Geonetric: 415 12th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Christmas themed items, dog themed items, apparel, gifts, jewelry, bake sale, grab n’ go gifts, and of course – our infamous RAFFLE BASKETS!!!!! Feel great knowing all your purchases come directly back to the sweet dogs that we care for at our shelter. They said thank you in advance!
We’ll also have our Holidog Christmas mini photo sessions from 930-345pm during the event! These are prepaid and pre-scheduled photo mini’s, no walk ins.
This year we have Jess from For the Love of Paws again gracing us with her time and talents!! $45 per slot for photo minis – make sure you read the instructions before selecting a time slot. Sign up will be live here soon!!
A BIG OL THANK YOU to KCRG Show You Care for selecting OUR event to benefit from advertising!!

Other upcoming events:

BOOTH at Eastern Iowa Pet Expo: Saturday, April 19th

TATTOO Fundraiser: Sunday, April 29th Downtown CR – more details to come!

BOOTH at Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival DOCK DOGS – Pending their dates – Possibly June 29th

BOOTH at CR Pride Festival – July 12th

We’ll have a few Canvas for Canine Paint Night Fundraisers throughout the year, too!


Meet & Greet Open House

Every Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Come meet our adoptable dogs, learn about volunteer opportunities and check out our selection of apparel! Our dogs can’t wait to meet you!  Visit us at 809 Rockford Road SW, Cedar Rapids. Two blue buildings behind the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Stadium scoreboard. The left building is the mail office. Please park in our parking lot or on the sides of the street when you come to visit us.