River Wins! The 2026 ARL Pet Portrait Fundraiser Raised a Record $40,000
Published On: 7/13/2026
Last Updated On: 7/13/2026
By Callie, Seymour, Yebba, Tucker, and Mama and our Hooman Ashley!
BERKS COUNTY, PA — The votes are in — and River is the top dog.
The Animal Rescue League of Berks County (ARL) has crowned River the Grand Winner of its 2026 Pet Portrait Fundraiser, with a jaw-dropping 3,472 votes.
River's portrait, drawn by artist JP Gaskill, now earns the sweetest prize of all: River will become the face of ARL's next exclusive coffee blend with Reading Coffee Company.
But here's the number that matters most.
Together, this community raised more than $40,000 for lifesaving care at ARL.
That's a record. Last year, the same event raised over $30,000. This year, Berks County blew past it by ten grand.
Who won the 2026 ARL Pet Portrait Fundraiser?
River, drawn by artist JP Gaskill, won the 2026 ARL Pet Portrait Fundraiser with 3,472 votes. As Grand Winner, River becomes the face of the Animal Rescue League of Berks County's next exclusive coffee blend with Reading Coffee Company. Altogether, the community raised more than $40,000 for shelter pets in Berks County.
The Final Top 10
Every one of these pets earned their spot — and the race stayed close right down to the last vote.
🥇 River — 3,472 votes (Grand Winner, art by JP Gaskill)
🥈 Birdie — 2,593 votes
🥉 Kiara — 1,680 votes
4. Baloo & Peeta — 1,600 votes
5. Coleman — 1,530 votes
6. Hudson — 1,040 votes
7. Toby — 1,000 votes
8. Jack — 960 votes
9. O'Dell — 900 votes
10. Harvey — 849 votes
And since we can never resist a shout-out to the felines: Baloo & Peeta, Coleman, and Jack all clawed their way into the Top 10. Cats holding three of the ten spots? We're not surprised. 😼
Where the Money Goes
It's easy to see "$40,000" and move on. But at a shelter, that number has a body count — the good kind. The saved kind.
The Animal Rescue League of Berks County is Greater Reading's largest animal shelter. Founded in 1952 and sitting on ten acres in Cumru Township, ARL cares for more than 5,000 animals every year.
That $40,000 turns into things animals need to survive and get adopted:
Spay/neuter surgeries and microchips
Vaccines and emergency vet care
Food, warmth, and safe kennels while they wait
The daily cost of simply keeping a scared animal alive long enough to find its person
Every $2 vote was a small act. Stacked together, they became lifesaving.
More Than a Number
Here's what a fundraiser like this really is.
It's a volunteer artist giving up an evening to turn a phone snapshot into something you'd frame. It's a pet parent commissioning a portrait not because they need more wall art, but because it helps. It's thousands of neighbors voting $2 at a time for a face they love.
As ARL put it in their announcement, supporters helped "raise more than $40,000 to provide lifesaving care."
That's the part no spreadsheet captures — the heart of it.
To every artist, every commissioner, and every last person who voted: this is what community looks like in Berks County.
What's Next: River's Coffee Debut
The celebration isn't over. ARL and Reading Coffee Company will unveil the new blend with River's portrait on the label — the same tradition that's turned past winners into local coffee-shelf celebrities.
2026 Pet Portrait Coffee Unveiling
We'll update this post the moment ARL announces the details.
How to Help ARL Berks County
The fundraiser's done, but the animals' needs don't take a season off. Here's how to keep the momentum going:
Adopt or foster. ARL always has cats (and dogs, and the occasional barn buddy) looking for homes.
Donate directly at berksarl.org — every gift funds the care above.
Volunteer — dog walking, fostering, community outreach, and more.
Follow along on ARL's Facebook so you catch the coffee unveiling.
Grab the blend when it drops, and know your morning cup is helping shelter pets.
SCN continues covering: the coffee-blend unveiling date, River's big reveal, and more ways to support ARL Berks all year long.
FAQ
Who won the 2026 ARL Pet Portrait Fundraiser?
River, drawn by artist JP Gaskill, won with 3,472 votes and becomes the face of ARL's next exclusive coffee blend with Reading Coffee Company.
How much did the 2026 Pet Portrait Fundraiser raise?
More than $40,000 for the Animal Rescue League of Berks County — a record, up from over $30,000 last year.
What does the winning pet portrait get?
The Grand Winner's portrait becomes the label art for ARL's exclusive coffee blend with Reading Coffee Company. Top-10 portraits are also displayed in ARL's lobby.
How does the Pet Portrait Fundraiser work?
Pet parents commission a portrait of their pet from a volunteer artist, then the community votes for their favorites at $2 per vote — with every dollar supporting ARL's animals.
How can I support the Animal Rescue League of Berks County?
Adopt, foster, donate at berksarl.org, volunteer, or follow ARL on Facebook — and watch for River's coffee blend when it launches.
One last thought.
River's portrait will end up on a coffee bag, and that's wonderful.
But the real picture is the one you can't print — thousands of people in one county deciding, two dollars at a time, that a shelter animal's life is worth showing up for.
That's the masterpiece.
Thank you, Berks County. 🐾
— Ashley, with Callie, Seymour, Yebba, Tucker & Mama