Letter from a Volunteer

submitted by Jan Haley

I have recently become a volunteer at Desert Haven. I've been aware of DHAR for several years and had intended to visit and see if it would be a place, as an animal lover, that I would want to volunteer. I finally dropped in for the Tuesday pot luck, and was pleasantly surprised by my experience. Not only was I warmly welcomed by Eliana and all of the volunteers, I got a chance to tour the facilities and meet the animals. It was immediately clear to me that the animals were very well cared for. In addition to basic needs--food and shelter-- I learned that the dogs were walked, or allowed to run, in the huge fenced enclosure twice a day.


Shadow & Stan

What most impressed me, though, and continues to impress me, is the loving attention that all of the animals receive every day. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, are all attended to with gentle care and attention. Rather than a sad and depressing experience that I'd feared when I imagined the abandoned and homeless animals that I'd see, I felt relieved and grateful. The animals I met that day, and have since come to know, are pampered and loved. While the best possible situation for the dogs and cats, and the obvious goal of DHAR, is for them to go to good homes, these animals are living well while they wait for adoption.


Father Peter, Ralph & Benji playing ball

Soon after I became a volunteer, I became involved in a situation involving two older dogs in my town. They were left alone at their owner's former business location after they divorced and moved away. They had hired a local teenager to feed and water the dogs, but except for about 5 minutes a day, they were alone. These dogs had lived together for about 5 years and got along well except for occasional fights over food or attention. Unfortunately their last fight was a bad one. Emma was severely injured by Sophie, after they both tried to get petted at the same time by the boy who fed them. Sophie was taken to another location in town and penned. Emma lay injured for almost 24 hours, wet from being sprayed by a hose to break up the fight, and unable to get up. I found her in this condition after I was informed of the fight. A friend and I got her to Dr. Cardwell's office. She was there for several days and her previous owner paid for her treatment, but relinquished her to the shelter. She was going to be euthanized within a few days if she wasn't adopted. It was clear that she would not be adopted, and I had a full house and couldn't take any more animals. I appealed to my new friends at DHAR. I knew that if they took Emma, they would be using one of their rare vacant spaces for a dog whose chances for adoption were slim at best. They considered the situation and agreed to take her. When my friend, Steve, picked her up from Dr. Cardwell's office and delivered her to DHAR, a number of volunteers were there to meet her. They treated her like she was a special guest and Emma wagged and smiled her way into the hearts of the whole crew. She was only there for about a week, when a couple who had previously adopted a dog from DHAR, heard about her plight. They picked her up and took her into their home. I've visited her several times since she was adopted and she is one happy dog. She's eating good, nutritious food, walking, playing with the other dog and cat. It was a wonderful ending to a sad story for Emma, thanks to DHAR.


Sophie needs someone to love and to be loved by

Unfortunately, old Sophie was still an issue. She was back at the place where she and Emma had lived together. Now she was completely alone, except for feedings and when I, and a couple of other people, walked her or stopped to talk to her. While she'd had her problems with aggression with Emma, she loves people and would howl with pleasure when I'd come to see her. I tried to find her a home somewhere in town but no one could take her. I finally decided to appeal to DHAR once more and again, after deliberations, they agreed to take her. She is there now and is doing quite well. The volunteers have again shown great compassion for a sad old dog. Knowing Sophie's history, I think I can say with assurance that she is more contented than she's ever been. We are all trying to find her a good home where she can be an only dog. She deserves the same break that her old friend, Emma, has received.

I only spend a couple of hours a week at DHAR at present, but hope at some point I can do more. I'm enjoying the work, the animals and the other volunteers. I'm so grateful for this experience and that places like DHAR exist.

"Thank you, Jan, for your help, support, and writing this lovely letter!"
Camille & the Staff of DHAR