By Jen Rinaldi

A simple greeting card is a wish that can do more than brighten someone’s day — it can help save the life of a dog or cat in need. 

Through its recycled greeting card fundraiser, Recycled Cards for a Cause/Friends of Pinal Pets turns donated and repurposed cards into small gifts with a powerful purpose: raising funds to support animals served by Pinal County Animal Care and Control, partnered rescues, and individual pet owners.

Linda Massie and Arlynne Stripling began recycling cards to raise money for a cause that is near and dear to many of us — animal welfare. Their venture not only helps animals, but it also gives new life to beautiful and often expensive greeting cards that people might otherwise throw away. Offered to supporters for donations, each card becomes both a message of kindness and a small act of rescue. Their collection offers something for nearly every occasion, including birthdays, holidays, thank-you notes, sympathy messages, get-well wishes, anniversaries, congratulations, encouragement, and everyday friendship. Whether someone needs a cheerful card, a heartfelt message, or a seasonal greeting, their recycled cards fit the bill while proving that compassion does not always have to begin with a large gesture.

And what better gesture than helping animals.

Friends of Pinal Pets, founded by Mera Laureys, centers on a clear vision for a humane and compassionate future for every dog and cat in Pinal County. That vision guides the organization’s work every day, from helping fund veterinary care and medical equipment to supporting training, pet food, supplies, and related resources that improve the lives and adoptability of companion animals.

The group assists Pinal County Animal Care and Control, rescue partners, and individual owners by helping provide care for animals in their custody. Whether the need is veterinary treatment, equipment, training, or pet food, the goal remains the same: reduce unnecessary surrender and euthanasia by keeping animals supported, safe, and on the path to a better future.

At the heart of Friends of Pinal Pets are values that speak directly to the work of animal welfare: integrity, trust, transparency, compassion, saving lives, respect, and accountability. Those values shape how the organization partners with shelters and rescues, how it stewards donations, and how it responds to the growing needs of animals and families across the county.

As shelters and rescues face ongoing pressure from overcrowding, medical needs, and limited resources, community support becomes essential. A donated card, a dollar at a fundraiser, or a shared post can help provide the supplies, care, and second chances that vulnerable animals depend on.

Across the White Mountains of Arizona, animal advocates know that caring for unwanted pets takes more than one organization or one solution. In that work, we are sisters in the fight — each finding our own way to help. Some raise funds, some run resale stores, some foster, some transport, some collect supplies, some share a post, and some create something as simple and meaningful as a recycled greeting card. Together, those individual acts become a shared commitment to give dogs and cats a chance at safety, comfort, and love.

For Friends of Pinal Pets, the recycled greeting card project is more than a fundraiser. It is a reminder that saving lives can begin with something as ordinary as paper, creativity, and a community willing to care. One card at a time, the organization is helping build a more humane and compassionate future for the dogs and cats of Pinal County. Follow them on Facebook Friends of Pinal Pets, Inc. or visit their website: friendsofpinal.org.

If you wish to donate cards for recycling or buy cards for the upcoming holiday season, Friends of Pinal Pets/Cards for a Cause can be found at the Merry Mountain Market 

251 Penrod Road, Show Low, Arizona 

on Sundays from 11:00 am to 3:00 p.m.