Wild at Heart 2026: A Party for the Animals

3rd Annual Online Benefit Auction | Richmond, Virginia

GET FERAL FOR A GREAT CAUSE!

The William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation invites you to go Wild at Heart and help make a difference in the lives of animals throughout the Richmond community!

For the third consecutive year, Grindstaff's Auction Marketing Group and Auctioneer Anne Grindstaff are proud to partner with the William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation to present the Wild at Heart Auction, benefiting Furbish Thrift and its lifesaving animal welfare programs.

The annual Wild at Heart gala takes place Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Thalhimer Pavilion at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond. 

 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220

THE GALA IS SOLD OUT, BUT THE ONLINE AUCTION IS OPEN TO EVERYONE!

You don't need an event ticket to participate. Browse the auction catalog, place your bids, and help support an incredible cause from wherever you are!

Discover Something Special and Help Save Lives!

This year's online auction features a wonderful assortment of donated items and experiences, including restaurant gift cards, unique home furnishings, decorative antiques, museum memberships, and other special finds.

Whether you're treating yourself, shopping for a memorable gift, or supporting a cause close to your heart, every bid helps make a difference.

Prefer to give directly? Look for special donation lots that support essential animal welfare services, including pet food assistance and spay/neuter programs.

Your Bids Make a Real Difference

Last year's Wild at Heart Auction raised more than $20,000 for Furbish Thrift's animal welfare programs!

Proceeds support initiatives including:

• Fixin' to Go Home: Provides spay/neuter surgeries and basic veterinary care for shelter animals, helping them become adoption-ready and find loving homes faster.

• The Big Fix: Funds spay/neuter services for community and colony cats, helping prevent unwanted litters and reduce feral cat overpopulation.

• The Mark W. Burkett Scholarship Fund for Veterinary Education: Supports tuition assistance for students pursuing veterinary and veterinary technician education.

• Community Outreach: Helps distribute more than 6,500 pounds of pet food and animal supplies each month to animals and families in need.

Every bid, every purchase, and every donation contributes to a better future for animals in our community.

Auction Dates & Details

ONLINE BIDDING: Open for approximately one week leading up to the event.

BIDDING CLOSES: Saturday, October 24, 2026, beginning at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.

WILD AT HEART GALA: Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 6:00 PM. Event admission is sold out.

EVENT LOCATION:

Thalhimer Pavilion

Science Museum of Virginia • 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220

Guest parking is available through the Science Museum of Virginia parking areas near the Thalhimer Pavilion. Please see Lot 1 for the event parking map and directions.

Item Pickup

Gala Attendees: Winning bidders attending the event may take their purchased items home that evening.

Online Bidders: Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

Pickup Location:

Furbish Annex
2843 Hathaway Road
Richmond, VA

Located just a few doors down from Furbish Thrift in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center.

Bid Generously. Give Wildly. Save Lives!

You don't have to attend the gala to make a difference!

Register to bid, explore the catalog, share the auction with friends, and help us make the third annual Wild at Heart Auction our most successful yet.

Presented by Grindstaff's Auction Marketing Group and Auctioneer Anne Grindstaff in partnership with the William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation, benefiting Furbish Thrift.