Welfare for Animals Guild

A Local Dog Rescue

W.A.G. Summer 2014

Amy was found wandering a local

Sequim neighborhood in June. She was

horribly matted, flea infested and had a

terrible urinary infection. Her ears were

also so infected that her hearing was im-

paired. Amy was immediately put on anti-

biotics at her foster home, flea medication

was administrated and a vet appointment

was made. Prior to the vet appointment

Amy was taken to Country Paws Grooming

where Shelly Denton did her magic. Folks

thought Amy was a Labra-

doodle (with all the hair)

but Amy is really a 4-5

year old beautiful Airedale.

Once beautified, Amy

had her appointment with

the veterinarian. She re-

ceived all her vaccines,

was micro-chipped and given additional antibiotics for her ears. Amy

also had a tumor on her foreleg that needed attention. A test indicated

that it was a type of tumor that would wrap itself around and through her

tendons, and which, if left alone, would be almost impossible to remove,

leaving her a cripple or worse. She had her spindle cell tumor removed

from her left leg. It was a lengthy and complex surgery. She also had

her teeth cleaned, nails clips, ears checked and hips x-rayed. Her hip x-

ray showed no problems.

She was given antibiotics

for her ears and urinary

tract infection.

Amy is a sweetheart.

She is great with other

dogs but loves people.

Amy went through all the

grooming, poking and

prodding with grace and

love. She didn’t care, she

was with people!!

Serving the Community

since 2001

Home Environment

Staffed entirely by

dedicated volunteers

P.O. Box 3966, Sequim, WA 98382 Message Phone 360-460-6258

Continued on Page 3

WAG was founded 13 years ago to focus

on rescue of Clallam County dogs that were

no longer wanted in their homes, had been

found as strays, were left by owners who had

died or gone to nursing homes or had such

severe financial difficulties that they could

no longer care for their dogs. Today, from

our modest beginning, WAG is a growing

non-profit organization with a reputation for

dog rescue and re-homing that is admired

and supported by people from around the

county and beyond.

Dogs accepted by WAG live in private

foster homes until the perfect families are

approved to become the dogs’ permanent

homes. Adoptive families come from many

places including Clallam County, cities and

towns all over Washington, and several from

other states and Canada too.

WAG’s reliance on foster homes is both a

blessing and a problem. The blessing is that

each dog is in a home. The problem is that

foster homes are often full and no others are

available. WAG then must turn deserving

dogs away. WAG has long hoped to resolve

this unhappy problem and has dreamed of

finding just the right property that would

become a private, temporary home for more

dogs. We will name it the Half Way Home

Ranch.

WAG’s dream is close to a reality

WAG’s Dream

W A G P.O. Box 3966

Sequim, WA 98382

Message phone

360-460-6258

Website wagsequimwa.org

Email welfare4animals@hotmail.com

Officers/Board of Directors

President: Judy Stirton

Vice President: Lizzie Hewitt

Secretary: Linda James

Treasurer: Mary Ann Langan

Director: Joyce Blankenship

Director: Barb Brabant

Director: Nancy McLaughlin

Director: Melanie Marshall

Director: Paula Creasey

Page 2

Marty and Tashi are brother and sister.

They are 1 ½ years old Long haired Dixie /

Lhasa Apso mixes. They were surrendered to

WAG by a gentleman who bought them at a

Tacoma pet store. He was told that they were

Lhasa Apsos. They were 10 weeks old and

had a horrible case of mange. The owner

could not afford to take the pups to the vet so

he gave them to WAG. The mange was De-

modectic mange, not Scarcoptic mange (the

contagious kind). Most puppies grow out of it as their immune system’s mature. Unfortu-

nately for Marty and Tashi their immune systems were terribly compromised and they had

no defenses.

For months they would seem to get better again. With lots of special baths, monthly vet

visits and scrapings, home cooked food (no carbohydrates),special immune system boost-

ing supplements from a canine holistic vet, they started to improve.

They are now healthy and happy. Months went by and all

this time the pups were growing into adult dogs. As they grew

so did their bodies, not taller just longer. They are very sweet

and get along with other dogs and love people. Tashi is the

female and is smaller and more timid. Marty is the brother and

is bigger and a big playful goof. They have been in two pa-

rades this year and loved it!

Marty and Tashi are a bonded pair and will be adopted to-

gether to a very special family.

Marty and Tashi

Honey Update Honey is a four year old purebred Yellow

Labrador Retriever needing TPLO (Tibia Pla-

teau Leveling Osteotomy) surgery on both

her rear legs.

Honey is doing great after her first surgery

done on May 7. It is a very long rehabilita-

tion and it isn’t easy keeping a young lab re-

stricted from walking, running and playing.

The first two weeks she had to be kept com-

pletely quiet and only walked with help to go outside to go potty.

Two handlers from WAG’s dog training program at Clallam Bay Cor-

rections Center are taking care of Honey during her rehabilitation. She was

only allowed to walk short distances so she was wheeled into CBCC on a

soft bed, inside a crate bottom.

Her handlers have done an outstanding job with her post-op care and

she is getting lots of love and attention.

She’s walking on her leg now, has mus-

cle tone and is much stronger. Honey is

scheduled to have her second surgery on

August 2 and will go back to CBCC for

her rehabilitation.

A special thank you to those who do-

nated towards her surgeries. You have

given Honey a wonderful gift for a full,

active life once she’s completely healed.

Tashi and Marty waiting to be picked up after grooming

Tashi

Garage Sale Fundraiser

This years garage sale was the biggest

ever and a huge success. Thanks to our

shoppers and supporters, WAG raised

over $26,000 to help with food, spay/

neuters and medical care for the rescue

dogs.

Our volunteers are incredible and

worked non-stop to make this happen.

Thank you everyone!

Page 3

(WAG’s Dream continued from Page one)

We have found a property that is perfect for creating

Half Way Home Ranch where dogs can live comfortably

while waiting for their forever families. It is the former

McComb Nursery situated between Sequim and Port An-

geles on two-and-a half acres. There is a nice house for a

live-in caretaker, wonderful outbuildings, a small pond

area that is a nice place for a memorial garden/meditation

space, excellent outdoor dog play and socialization areas,

and great possibilities for places where volunteers can

interact with the dogs, work on WAG projects, and meet

prospective adopters. WAG has seen a few other proper-

ties that might have suited our vision, but they all had problems we didn’t want to tackle. The McComb property is abso-

lutely perfect because of its location between Sequim and Port Angeles and its move-in ready condition. We are currently

in escrow, making a substantial down payment and ap-

plied for a conditional use permit. Now we must ask the

public for help us raise enough money to make our dream

come true.

We need $280,000 to complete the sale, and we need it

by September 1, 2014. All donations are tax-deductible.

The need is real and urgent. We are asking for financial

donations to WAG, or other forms of help that will allow

us to meet our goal. Benefactors will be recognized with

appropriate signage at the Ranch. For detailed informa-

tion about ways to help, call WAG’s Treasurer, Mary

Ann Langan, at 683-0932. Please put “Ranch” on the

memo line of your check. Thank you for your help!

All donations are greatly appreciated. For your donation:

Up to $200

$200

$500

$1,500

$5,000

$10,000

$25,000 +

Written thank you

Sponsor a dog

4’ x 4’ wooden fence post branded with your initials or dog’s name placed on Ranch

12” x 12” engraved donor tile displayed on donor wall in the Large Dog Bunkhouse or Memorial Garden

(your choice)

Park bench with engraved plaque

Special plaque of recognition displayed at Half Way Home Ranch Entrance

Name a structure at Half Way Home Ranch

Volunteer of the Year

Clallam Bay Corrections Center Barbara Brabant received the Volunteer of the Year Award at Clal-

lam Bay Corrections Center for her time and effort devoted to WAG’s

Dog Training Program. Barb is on the WAG Board of Directors and

is the Prison Coordinator and Trainer for the dog program. She travels

to CBCC weekly for training sessions with the dogs and handlers.

Barb was presented her award on June at the Department of Cor-

rections, State of Washington, Annual Agency Awards Ceremony

held at Department of Labor and Industries in Tumwater, WA.

Congratulations Barb! We’re all very proud of you and thank you

for your dedication to the dog training program at CBCC. Barb and Superintendent Mike Obenland, Clallam Bay Corrections Center

If you would like to help WAG get Half Way Home Ranch and save

more dogs, please contribute to our “Ranch” campaign. Please put

“Ranch” on the memo line of your check. Thank you.

Please make checks to WAG , envelope provided.

Your generous contribution is tax deductible. Non-profit # 91-2132797

We Need Your Help

Thank you for your support

100% of your contribution goes to the dogs ….for food,

toys, spay/neuter, vaccinations , medical care and occasional

boarding fees. We have no paid positions, all of our funds go to

the support the dogs.

501(c)3 non-profit organization since 2001

Staffed entirely by volunteers

Your Contribution for Half Way Home Ranch ….

Check out our WEBSITE @ www.wagsequimwa.org News, Photos, Events. PayPal available