Vote for Your Favorite Pet Portrait in the ARL Contest

From the desk of the STRAYZ newsroom: Callie, Seymour, Mama & Yebba reporting live!

Last Updated: 6/28/2025

BERKS COUNTY, PA — Greetings from the STRAYZ Cat Collective Newsroom — Callie, Seymour, Mama, and Yebba reporting! We’re purring with excitement to announce that the ARL Berks Pet Portrait Contest is officially live, and the race to the top is on. This one-of-a-kind fundraiser features dozens of hand-painted portraits of adoptable and beloved pets, and now it’s your turn to vote for your favorite. Each vote is cast through a donation, directly supporting the rescue animals at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County. The stakes? The winning pet gets their face featured on a custom bag of Reading Coffee Company coffee — turning whiskers into wide-eyed morning icons.

🚨THE RESULTS ARE IN: These 10 Pet Portraits Just Raised $30,000 for Shelter Pets

Animal Rescue League of Berks County pet portrait contest

😱 WAIT. YOU CAN PUT A CAT ON A COFFEE BAG?

You heard that right, hoomans. This year’s 1st place winner in the ARL Berks Pet Portrait Fundraiser gets immortalized on the official Reading Coffee Company bag. That means every morning you sip your brew, you’ll be staring into the eyes of a four-legged legend.

Yebba thinks it should be her…. She doesn’t even drink coffee.

It’s not too late to vote. Even if you missed the art exhibit at the beautiful Miller Gallery, you can still view all the portraits online and cast your vote until June 22 at 11:59 PM.

And yes, every vote = a donation that helps animals like us.

1st Place: Your pet or artwork featured on ARL’s coffee blend with Reading Coffee Company

2nd Place: Your pet or artwork featured on ARL’s tea blend

3rd Place: Mini pet photo shoot with Lindsey Hart Photography

Adorable cat portraits from the ARL Pet Portrait Contest: VOTE NOW!

🌟 HOW TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PET PORTRAIT

The ARL has made it foolproof (even Seymour figured it out):

Step 1: Go to the gallery: View the portraits here

Step 2: Browse the portraits. (Warning: major cuteness overload.)

Step 3: Click on your favorite pet’s portrait page.

Step 4: Cast your vote by making a donation!

Want to find a specific pet? Use the search bar, and type in their name. It’s like sniffing them out, but with fewer noses.

A view of the Pet Portraits Portal on the ARL’s website: View the portraits here

👊 WHY THIS MATTERS TO STRAYS LIKE US

Every dollar raised in the ARL’s Pet Portrait Fundraiser helps:

• Feed shelter cats and dogs

• Provide medical care to rescues

• Keep the adoption program thriving

Mama says:

"If I hadn’t been rescued, I’d still be eating trash and judging strangers from alleyways."

This isn’t just an art show. It’s a life-changer.

You’re not just voting. You’re giving hope (and maybe a home) to an animal that desperately needs one.

Berks County residents ponder in awe at community pet portraits

🔗 WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU VOTE

Don’t just click and ghost us.

After you cast your vote:

• Share your favorite portrait on Instagram or Facebook (tag us @strayzcatcollective)

• Encourage friends to vote—cat lovers unite!

• Visit our main site to download our Free Cat Parent Starter Kit and support even more rescues.

• Check out the available animals up for adoption at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, PA!

Click here to view an array of cats up for adoption at the ARL!

"Behind every pet portrait is a shelter story waiting for a happy ending."

Before you close that tab and go cuddle your resident floof, don’t forget — this isn’t just a catwalk. The ARL Pet Portrait Fundraiser features animals from all corners of the rescue world: pups with big hearts, rabbits with big ears, and even the occasional guinea pig with main-character energy. So whether your vote goes to a whiskered icon or a floppy-eared hero, you’re helping real pets find real homes. And trust us, from four rescues who’ve been there — that kind of love deserves a spotlight (and a coffee bag).

Vote now. Share loudly. And give a furry face the spotlight it deserves.

Written with paws and pride by the STRAYZ Cat Collective News Team.

Explore more at straycatcollective.com

Alvernia University Hall display of community pet portraits

Ready to cast your vote?

Click the button below to view the entries and vote for the furry (or feathered) face that stole your heart. Your vote helps raise awareness for local rescue pets! 💜