Remember Clarence, the guardian angel who helps George Bailey in the 1946 Christmas classic, It's a Wonderful Life? He had to work awfully hard to get his wings, but if he was in Silver City this year, he'd find out that it's easy to become a Guardian Angel for a homeless dog and it's even tax deductible!
Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary in Arenas Valley, is the first and only €œno kill €, no cage dog rescue in southwest New Mexico, and serves Grant County and all communities throughout 125 miles. PDR rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes abused, abandoned, neglected, unwanted and €œspecial needs € dogs.
Puppy Dog Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, run by a small hand full of unpaid volunteers and funded entirely by donations. Since August 2009, PDR has rescued over 200 dogs, found qualified €œfurever € homes for more than 160 dogs and maintains a 99% adoption success rate by carefully matching the dog's personality and energy level to the adopter's lifestyle.
Currently there are 40 dogs living at Puppy Dog Ranch, which is Laurie West and Kevin Rodriguez', the founders' home. Sometimes it takes only weeks for the right family to qualify; sometimes it takes months, even years. And while waiting, each dog is fed, housed, vaccinated, neutered/spayed, socialized with adults, children and other dogs, leash trained, exercised and loved. According to Laurie West, loving them is the easy part.
Guardian Angels help with the harder parts: €œNot all people want, or can bring a dog into their home. Guardian Angels are kind people who sponsor a dog by making a financial donation either in the name of a specific dog or to all the dogs and supporting the no kill rescue in general.
But loving and caring for the dogs is expensive. Like Doodle, whose first special wheel chair cost $400, his funding was raised with donations. Since living at PDR, he has grown to the point where a second wheel chair had to be built.
For a young, healthy dog as an example, this is what a Guardian Angel's contribution will cover:
$30 - The first veterinarian exam or to feed and care for a dog for one month;
$40 - A dog's first necessary vaccines;
$75-$90 - The cost of having a dog spayed or neutered (which is mandatory at PDR)
$95 - One exam, two necessary vaccines, rabies vaccine, mandatory county license; and
$140 - The care and food for one month, one vet exam, all necessary vaccines, tags and the cost of spay/neuter surgery
Some people become ongoing Guardian Angels and contribute every month, either for a specific dog or for any of the dogs living at the Ranch temporarily or permanently. Angels can also make their donation in the name of a loved one or friend.
This Christmas season, should you hear a bell ring, you will know that a dog lover has helped to save a dog's life and just received their wings. That person can be you!
PDR is open by appointment 10-5 Tuesday-Friday and 10-1 Saturdays. The Rescue is located at 27 Twin Sisters Creek Road, Arenas Valley, NM 88022. If you would like more information about Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue, contact Laurie West at (575) 313-7232 or visit their website at www.puppydogranch.org.
( €œAngel holding Dog € illustrations were painted by and are the property of Kelly Schneider, a 5 year Board Member and volunteer at Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue)
Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. We operate out of our home Ranch and are Open By Appointment: Tuesday--Friday 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm. Our Tele #: (575) 313-7232; our Address: 27 Twin Sisters Creek Rd. Arenas Valley, NM 88022. Since 2009, we have rescued more than 200 dogs and have found homes for over 160 dogs. Our adoption standards ensure we continue to maintain our 99% adoption success rate.
http://www.puppydogranch.org http://www.facebook.com/puppydogranch.