Second Chance: Howl at the Moon

28 May Second Chance: Howl at the Moon

Yes, Second Chance’s new dog facility, the Dog Den, is just about complete. That means more dogs than ever before will be rescued and awaiting adoption through Second Chance – which also means a much greater need for more dog adoptions. After reading a blog from a 16-year-old journalist in Nebraska, I knew I needed to promote dog adoptions by sharing some excerpts. I figured readers would begin flocking to the Dog Den to adopt their own “synergy, a compatible energy, that runs through fields and howls at moons”…

Petey

“I have been around dogs for my entire life, and I’ve become an individual who would rather roll in a pile of puppies than be on the Internet, which is actually a huge deal. Dogs have this way of dragging ourselves out of our human forms and convincing us to be free. Not the American democracy freedom, but the generous freedom that isn’t afraid to drool out of our mouths or transform a walk through the park into a journey to one of Saturn’s moons. There is a constancy and loyalty to any relationship with a dog that guarantees them a spot in heaven and a bowl of food in the laundry room, but there is also a distinct reward in becoming a person who keeps lint rollers in their car and a mini pet-sized vacuum in their home.

One of the most special things about dogs is that they notice the details. They can tell when you’re feeling any emotion, they know when you play your favorite Joni Mitchell song on repeat, they know the echoes of the words “I love you” in any wavelength or long distance and they care enough to never care at all. They can see your new zits and your shifting balance on a bad day, and they are bubbling with so much affection that they overlook every single inch of those insecurities. Dogs are discounts on shoes that fit just right. Dogs are aloe on sunburn. Dogs are best friends who spill everyone’s secrets in a language of Milk Bone biscuits and bite-marked collars so everyone and no one understands. They are mind-readers and fun house mirrors that show you what you’re feeling in the blink of an eye and teach you what you deserve to be feeling in the whisk of a tongue.

Dogs beg us to be curious, to want something more from life, to look at the cusp of the universe and plead for it to throw us a ball. I owe so much recovery and discovery to the dogs I’ve met in this lifetime, and I wish I could multiply all the love I have for them by seven. Their devotion ages us and cultivates us into wild creatures that still have manners and snuggling skills, and for that, I will always wish I had a tail to wag in their honor.”

Follow Kamrin Baker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peeta_is_aBAKER.

My name is Petey and I am a most handsome Bernese Border Mountain Collie who is available for adoption today at Second Chance. I am awesomeness on four legs and I embody Kamrin’s favorite quote: “The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too.” 

Kovu the Kat (or Kitten)

And if you want to Meow at the Moon – it is full on kitten season at Second Chance and we have kittens of every color, shape, and size ready for adoption and more on the way every day. My name is Kovu. Come meet me today!

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet 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. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff & friend

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)