Thanks for Helping Us Raise $1 Million for Canine Cancer Research!

Every dog is worth a million. And thanks to your help, we’ve raised over $1 million for canine cancer research through the Orvis Cover Dog Contest!

It all started with a dog named Dylan, whose inspiring story you won’t want to miss in the video above.

Since we learned about Dylan and his fight against canine cancer in 2009, we’ve offered our customers a chance to have their dogs appear on the cover of our Orvis catalog by submitting their photos online. Customers then vote on which photo they believe should win. Each vote costs a dollar, and each dollar funds canine cancer research.

Your response to this contest and to helping us fight canine cancer has been overwhelming and humbling.

So humbling in fact that over the last five years we’ve received 100,000 submissions and countless donations adding up to over $1 million.

As our CEO Perk Perkins said, “In my wildest dreams I had no idea so many customers would send in so many amazing photographs of all types of dogs. It’s been a fun job and it’s been a big job….We’re making a difference.”

You can feel great about where the money is spent. All proceeds go to our partner, Morris Animal Foundation, who allocates the funds in the form of grants to eleven major colleges of veterinary medicine that are studying canine cancer.

Through your support Morris has helped to develop:

• A multi-college program designed to train scientists
• A more reliable test for predicting the spread of cancer
•  A potential new treatment option for tumors that would improve the quality and length of life of companion animals
• Technology that will improve management of brain tumor cases and replace invasive tissue sampling in the brain and elsewhere in the body

While we should all take a moment to pause and enjoy this milestone, it’s important to remember that the fight against canine cancer is not over. One in four dogs will battle this disease in their lifetime, with half of them dying long before their time.

Help us reach our next $1 million. Enter your dog in our current Cover Dog Contest and help us continue the good fight.

Thank you to everyone for participating in this effort!