Rescued pets and their people attend LSAR barbecue

Lady relaxed in her owner’s arms as Kim and Bill Wright posed for a photo at the Lifesavers Animal Rescue barbecue on Sept. 16 in the pavilion at Ronan City Park. People who have adopted LSAR dogs were invited to the second annual event.

“It’s an appreciation day for fosters and adopters,” said LSAR volunteer Nancy Hemphill.

She added that more people and dogs attended this year and LSAR plans to continue the event.

Lady was named Toffee, one of the Candy Kids, at LSAR before she became a member of the Wright family. She had brothers Mike and Ike, sister Twix, and another sister. Six months old now, sorrel and white, Lady already knows how to sit and come.

Lady’s mother was a pregnant dog found in Pablo by an LSAR volunteer who’s also a teacher. This teacher put up signs and looked all over for the dog’s owner.

No owner was found, and the volunteer ended up fostering the mom and her puppies when they were born. Now all the puppies have been adopted and so has the mother dog.

“We’re just so thankful for the lady who rescued the pregnant mom,” Bill Wright said, stroking Lady.

According to Hemphill, the organization “adopted out about 200 dogs last year.”

One of those animals was Sadie, Gwen Duhm’s dog.

“I’ve had her for a year,” Duhm said. “She’s very mellow, and she never barks.”

The pair snuggled, and Duhm smiled, “She’s always so excited when I come home.”

Dog trainer Paige Bauer talked about why she became a trainer. She had a rescue dog who was very aggressive and went all the way to Ohio to find a trainer to teach her how to deal with the dog.

Bauer offered a presentation using her dog, Ben, a German Shepherd mix. Before Bauer met Ben, he spent all his time in a kennel by himself. She’s worked with him on obedience and socialization, and his life is much better.

Another LSAR dog who is enjoying a good life and a happy retirement is Maisie. She’s about 17 years old, almost blind, deaf, and a little unsteady on her feet. Maisie lives with George and Ann Sappas and has for about a year and a half. During the barbecue, she nestled in a blanket in the basket on George’s scooter and enjoyed the sunshine.

LSAR volunteers barbecued hot dogs, and offered sodas, water, chips and cookies as dog owners visited and showed off their rescue pups.

The volunteers thanked Super 1 for donating the hot dogs and buns, and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center for donating cookies.

All the dogs and their people who attended the barbecue live out

LSAR’s mission, which is to compassionately shelter lost, abandoned and surrendered pets and rehome those animals into a caring environment, thereby enriching lives through adoption.

For more information on the organization, visit www.lsar.org.