Calgary artist creates pet drawings for a good cause

These aren’t your typical pet portraits.

Calgary artist Allisha Pond creates cartoon-style likenesses of pets, and it’s in the name of a good cause.

A portion of the proceeds of every one of Pond’s custom pet drawings is donated to Furball Force.

The small Calgary rescue focuses on animals that are often overlooked for reasons such as age, disabilities, health concerns, or behavioural issues.

Portraits for a cause

Pond connected with the organization through her day job at Riverbend Pet Valu.

“I just became friends with quite a few of the people that work within that rescue. I was super, super impressed with how they run things, how they take care of their animals,” Pond tells Calgary Citizen.

“Every pet, every animal that they've brought into our store has been great with dogs, great with cats, great with kids. They're always really well socialized.”

Pond is hopeful that her pet drawing venture will take off so she can donate more money to Furball Force.

“I’m not donating as much as I'd like to right now, but I’m hoping once I get going and it's more stable, I’ll be able to donate more.”

Thankful for support

Pond says she has been drawing for as long as she could hold a pencil.

“I really, really liked drawing Disney characters and Pokemon and cartoony things as a kid,” she says, adding she never wanted to pursue art in school or as a career.

“I just like doing it for fun.”

Over the years, Pond started drawing pets for people as gifts or for friends whose pets had passed away.

One day, Pond’s manager at Pet Valu suggested she advertise her drawings in the store and she says she’s grateful for the support.

Anyone who wants to commission a drawing can find Pond on Instagram, email [email protected], or visit her Artistree page.