SECOND CHANCE: ARFF+ YOGI & GUS

19 Sep SECOND CHANCE: ARFF+ YOGI & GUS

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. Every week, executive director Kelly Goodin will choose to profile two of the many animals from the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving homes. The column will be sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer and partners with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal. Below is Kelly’s second blog.

Once again the Telluride community put its money where its mouth – or dog or cat dish –  is – demonstrating that it takes its passion for making a difference in the lives of homeless pets seriously.

The first annual ARFFF (A Real Feast for Furry Friends) event that took place on September 10-11 in town saw the majority of the 16 participating restaurants packed with furry friend loving foodies. ARFFF Ambassadors who circulated the restaurants greeting and thanking everyone found that a minimum of 75% of patrons were out to eat to support ARFFF. In most cases, the number was closer to 100 percent were there for ARFFF. (A reminder:10-20% of what patrons spent for their meal was earmarked for all of us at Second Chance.)

Throughout the evening, patrons made additional donations to Second Chance. With restaurants still not fully accounted for, early estimates are that the event raised at least $8,000. But much needed funds for operating costs were only part of the win. ARFFF also  raised awareness about our nonprofit, which as many know by now is based in Ridgway but serves San Miguel, Ouray, and Montrose Counties.

The mobile adoptions associated with the event resulted in six pets finding Telluride homes,  a pet’s dream address. For animals like like Yogi and Gus (below) that is the true success of ARFFF: pets found homes and more pets have been rescued to fill their places at our shelter.

We are so grateful for the generosity of all participants: restaurants, patrons, donors and volunteers, all of whom collaborated to make our debut event so wonderful. We thank our lucky stars to be situated near such an incredible community.

This week’s Adoptable Pets At Second Chance Humane Society

YOGI:

Yogi

My name is Yogi; among other things I am good at the downward dog. As an absolutely adorable 8-10 month old Papillion mix you may find it hard to believe that I was found as a stray in Colona!! My Second Chance rescuers believe it though because of how terrified I was about being out on my own. I had been “discarded” by someone and rejection felt awful. Fortunately for me, a nice lady took the time (several days of it in fact) to earn my trust. Eventually I felt comfortable enough to let her catch me. I was severely matted and… had…umm…. fleas…I am not a dog who is supposed to have fleas.

Since arriving at Second Chance, I have been neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped. Amy Saunders of Mobile Grooming Company gave me a nice grooming to free me of fleas, matted hair, and dirt. Phew. Looking gurney (and worse) is just not my thing. So now that I am primped, snipped, and chipped, all that is missing is a new home. Because of my trauma, I can be a little shy at first, so I would prefer a home with older children please…

GUS:

Gus

Hi!! My name is Gus. I am quite the handsome two-to-three-year-old feline. I have extra long fur. (I even have white tufts of fur coming out of my ears…how cool is that?) I was named after the super rad character Augustus in the moving book “The Fault in Our Stars.” I was so honored because the reason I am at Second Chance is through no fault of my own.

Like most stray pets that show up at Second Chance, my history is known only to me – and I prefer to keep it to myself. But also like most strays, the reason I am here is because of a succession of human errors, some intentional and some not, that also will remain a mystery.

In “The Fault in Our Stars” Augustus states, “But it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note, ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.”

My name reminds me that I am a victim of circumstance, but I stand ready to rise above the past and embrace a new future with a new family, which will preserve my awesomely sweet nature.

Are you for me?

I think our being together is in the stars.

Note: Call the SCHS Helpline at 626-2273 to report a lost pet, learn about adopting a homeless pet, or about the SCHS Spay/Neuter, Volunteer, Feral Cat, or other Programs. View our shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.