Dan and Angel and Katherine, pictured from left to right; Angel was rescued by CAP fieldworkers after spending years chained and penned outside 24/7 in rural North Carolina, and she was the first PETA foster animal who Dan and Katherine cared for together.
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Say ‘I Do’ to These PETA Staffers’ Spay/Neuter Wedding Registry Fundraiser!

Before Dan and I had even decided where or when to get married, we knew two things about our future wedding: The vegan food had better slap, and PETA’s Community Animal Project (CAP)—the very reason I moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where PETA is headquartered, thus meeting my now-spouse—and the animals it serves should be front and center.

As we planned to commit our love to each other for life, we knew that we wanted our celebration to include the work that we’ve committed our lives to—Dan as the vice president of legal advocacy for PETA’s investigations division, and me as a fieldworker. Which meant that the animal-friendly attire would need to turn heads …

Yes, those are vegan Birkenstock sandals accompanying Dan’s tuxedo. Credit: © BRIEF PHOTOGRAPHY
The vegan mushroom pintxo was a bride-favorite, as was the red blend whose proceeds benefit a local animal shelter. Credit: © BRIEF PHOTOGRAPHY

… and that vegan wine and tapas were a must …

When in doubt, choose vegan paella! Credit: © BRIEF PHOTOGRAPHY

… and that the entrée needed to wow even the non-vegan guests who attended …

Why would you include you and your fiancé’s faces on your save-the-date when you can include your cats?

… and that our companion animals needed to be center stage …

Luna—Katherine’s family’s adopted matriarchal mutt—stole the show.
Even Leo—Katherine’s late, great “souldog”—was represented on her and Dan’s special day. Credit: © BRIEF PHOTOGRAPHY

… and, finally, that fine china and a monogrammed cutting board were out—and a spay/neuter fundraiser was in!

PETA offers spay and neuter surgeries as well as vaccinations for dogs and cats in four state-of-the-art mobile clinics. Since the program’s inception in 2001, PETA’s mobile clinics have sterilized more than 224,200 companion animals, preventing the inevitable suffering of millions in Virginia and North Carolina. And if someone doesn’t have transportation, Dan, myself, or our coworkers transport the animal to and from surgery at no cost.

Dan pictured with Brandy, a routinely underweight chihuahua who PETA spayed for free; fieldworkers subsequently convinced her neglectful owner to let PETA give Brandy a chance at adoption into a safe home where she’d be showered with love and affection.

So, in place of a traditional wedding registry, we kindly requested loved ones’ help in sponsoring a day-long spay/neuter event that will offer low- and no-cost sterilization of dogs and cats in an underserved area of Virginia.

Katherine pictured with Diamond after she was spayed on the clinic behind them. Diamond is a German shepherd who—at just a few months old—was chained outside 24/7 in rural North Carolina. Shortly after PETA spayed the dog at no cost, Katherine’s fellow fieldworker worked his magic: Diamond’s owner agreed to relinquish the sweet-natured pup and she was transferred to the Chesapeake Humane Society for adoption.

As the donations rolled in, including from generous strangers, Dan and I quickly discovered that our intimate list of wedding invitees weren’t the only ones who love love and hate companion animal overpopulation. And while Dan and I have already been up and down the altar, there’s still time to help us get all the animals altered!

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to our “hitched to fixed” wedding registry fundraiser!