Search This Blog

Friday, April 11, 2014

What's My Name

Just finished up with another play yard session and it was great. Every dog in the kennel got to go out for some social time and to burn off some stress. The new program is running great, but we still need some more volunteers. While in the yard, Rachel and I were having a conversation about one of our dogs named Toast.

Toast is a little mixed breed pup around 8 months old. He came to us with 2 of his siblings from the Valencia County shelter in Los Lunas, New Mexico. They were all shy at first, but started to warm up in a couple of days. They were all neutered, and within one week the siblings were adopted. Toast however is still here nearly 6 weeks later. The question is why?

He is a great little dog, with lots of redeeming qualities. He plays well with all the dogs in the yard. He has been roommates with 4 or 5 other dogs, and is easily paired. Being 8 months old, he is very energetic, and would make the perfect trail dog for any Durango resident. It is hard to understand why he is still here.

I think the answer lies in his name.It's just not a great name. Can you picture yourself in the back yard calling out "TOAST, come here TOAST". The neighbors would think you had gone bonkers. If I heard someone hollering for toast, I would yell back "go make your own breakfast". Not to mention the word toast has other meanings in our society. Saying something is toast, implies that thing is done. For example, If Peyton Manning gets injured, we might say" the Broncos are toast without Peyton".

So we are giving him a new name. Rachel has been saying he is as cute as a rubber ducky. I am not sure what that means, but it actually fits him. He is small, cute, and sort of yellow, just like a rubber ducky. He also bobs around the play group like he is caught up in the tide, like a rubber ducky. So it is official, the dog formerly know as Toast, is now Rubber Ducky. RD for short.

If my theory is correct, he should get adopted in a day or two. So if you hear  your neighbor in the back yard calling for their rubber ducky, you don't need to call the authorities. It probably means that they fell in love with this cute little dog and took him home.

Fingers crossed for little RD, and more on naming animals at the shelter in my next post.


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Taking Our Dogs to Utah

On April 25th and 26th, we will be in St. George Utah at a super adoptathon sponsored by Best Friends Animal Society. Last year at this event, over 150 animals were adopted in 2 days. We are hoping to empty out our kennels, and take around 20 dogs with us. This is a great chance to get them seen by people who normally wouldn't see them, and find them their forever homes.

The trip however, won't be inexpensive, it is a 7 hour drive to St George, and we will need a place to stay for a couple of nights. Best Friends has given us $200 to start a fundraising campaign to help cover the travel costs. This is where you guys come in. I am asking for your help in funding this opportunity to find some local dogs a chance at a new life. We need some fuel cards, or cash donations to help cover the cost of getting there and back again. Remember, every little bit can help, so donate $5, $10 or $20 dollars and we will soon have enough to cover expenses. Follow the link below to donate, or stop by the shelter and make a donation.

One more thing, while we are on our way to Utah, we will pay it forward to dogs in need at other shelters. We will transfer in at least as many dogs as we take if not more, from one of the shelters to our south. Remember, these other shelters are fighting a daily battle against overpopulation, and many of the animals there are in need of transfer. So please help us get to Utah, and help other animals in need at the same time.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Come Be A Part Of Our Successful Play Yard

I just got in from spending time with some of our dogs out in the play yard. It is a wonderful experience to say the least. Watching 20 dogs playing and socializing together, and burning off the stress from the kennel, is a lot of fun. The play yard is fast becoming one of the most valuable enrichment tools for the dogs in our care, and for the shelter staff. In the morning, we are able to get all the dogs out of the kennel, which greatly reduces the time needed for cleaning, and provides the dogs with a chance to burn off some built up energy from the night before. We need the help of volunteers to make this work to its fullest potential.

  Starting on Tuesday April 8th we will be emptying out the kennels every morning and afternoon. This is where the volunteers play a vital role. It takes us around 30 minutes to get the dogs out to the yard, and we need volunteers to act as runners to help get them to the yard. We are looking for at least 2 people every morning at 8 am and 2 more at 1 pm to help get the job done. After we get all the dogs out, stick around and join us in the play yard, or take one of the dogs who isn't ready for the yard for a walk. If you would like to help, and are already a volunteer, then follow the link below to sign up.

 https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=45889

If you are not a volunteer, and would like to become one, check out our website or give us a call at 970-259-2847.
Please join us in the play yard, and help all our wonderful dogs enjoy their stay at the shelter. It is just like summer camp for dogs.