Change is Good

After living in Utah for a little over a year now I have decided to take what I have learned and use it for the greater good. In a few short weeks I will be saying goodbye to Best Friends and hello to the next adventure, Mt. Pleasant, MI. That's right I am heading back to where it all began and I couldn't be more excited!!! Life is so funny to me! Discovering the shelter right after starting college was exactly what I needed at the time. Making friends that would challenge my beliefs, push me to work harder and support me through anything lead me to discover my love for service. My love for service combined with a bad ass friend encouraged me to bike across america. Bike and Build taught me to live each day to the fullest and to truly cherish the time that you have with the people in your life. Bike and Build also gave me the courage to let go of the shelter and come out to Utah. Utah has had it's ups and downs but overall it has been an amazing learning experience. Moving 3,000 miles away from everything that is familiar will teach you more about yourself than you could imagine. Seeing sanctuary life has been refreshing and helped me to recharge and learn balance in my life. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I have learned about dogs and their behavior and training since coming here. I have to thank my awesome trainer for that because it has made my experience here a positive one. I also have to thank all of the shy dogs for teaching me about patience and trust. I have to thank the Cecilias of the word for showing me that hard work and determination pay off. She has also taught me that there are few things more rewarding than earning the loyalty of a dog and I will miss her every single day. I have made a few very good friends here and I know that we will stay in touch. But the point is everything has a time and a season. I feel like I have learned enough here to go back and help other places not only reduce euthanasia rates but also improve quality of life for the animals in their care. I'm ready to take what I have learned and help encourage and motivate others to be the best forms of themselves. So I'm taking all my experiences back to the place where it all started. HATS opened my eyes and changed the entire course of my life and I feel like it is my responsibility to help them grow and improve in any way that I can. I am dedicated to helping them achieve a better brighter future for the staff, animals, visitors, and volunteers. So here we go again! Look out Michigan Trinity and I will be back and we are more determined than ever to create positive change and love on as many people and animals as possible :) If you'd like to support our journey and the work that we will be doing you can donate here http://summerduboismovingfund.chipin.com/mypages/view/id/f79064da9a70011f

Can't Shake the Shelter

Since moving to Utah and starting here at Best friends I have learned so much. I've learned about myself, I've learned about the dogs, I've learned about all the things that are possible with a little bit of hard work and a lot of determination. In October I had the privilege of attending the NO More Homeless Pets Conference in Las Vegas. Seeing all of the people from rescue groups and shelters across the country was so encouraging. Being surrounded by all of these people and hearing about their struggles and triumphs on the local level reawakened that piece of my heart that always has, and always will belong to the shelter. It has also helped me become more aware of exactly where my passion for homeless animals lies. For some it's releasing a dog from a life on the end of a chain, http://www.fencesforfido.org/ For others it's tackling the community cat issue, http://www.indyferal.org/ and for so many others it's a specific breed that has captured their hearts, http://www.greatlakesbcrescue.org/. What I have come to realize over the past 9 months is that for me it is the face of each and every dog sitting in a shelter across the country. It's the dogs that will be euthanized for space, for health conditions, and for behavioral problems that have a solution given time and a little bit of training. No matter how hard I try I cannot seem to shake the shelter and I'm not sure I want to. The reality is always with me driving me forward. Pushing me to work harder and learn more and more. To live a life of impact. This past month I had the opportunity to visit out L.A. center fir a week. At first I was nervous about going since I hadn't set foot in a shelter in 10 months. However as soon as we arrived I felt this tinge of excitement. upon entering the facility I was hit by the familiar yet forgotten smell of litter boxes and dirty kennels. It reminded me of the first time I walked into a shelter. So many memories. After a brief tour I walked through the kennel area and looked at all the dogs. As always I tend to gravitate toward the dogs that are spooky baring or running up and down their kennel walls. Spending the week in the shelter setting was surprisingly refreshing! At the end of the week we went to South Central L.A. Shelter to pull dogs. Walking through the kennel at least 80% of the population was some sort of bully breed mix. I was so happy for the dogs that we pulled but I couldn't help wondering if a few of the others that had caught my eye would make it out alive. L.A. was a welcomed reminder that there is still a lot of work to do and I for one do not take that lightly. Some say ignorance is bliss but I believe knowledge is power and I choose to share that knowledge with others. So as I said before, I can't seem to shake the shelter and I'm not sure that I want to.

Trinity

It's hard to believe a little over eight months ago I met the dog that would change my life, challenge my patience and capture my soul. The first time I met Trinity was on a Saturday. One of the girls had called because they could not get her inside. As soon as I stepped into the dog yard I saw what can only be described as a big black dog shaking in a corner terrified. Turns out Trinity's previous owners surrendered her to the shelter because they did not want to purchase a ten dollar dog lisence. In addition when she was a puppy they decided they didn't want to deal with her so they stuck her on a chain in their yard. Out of sight out of mind. At some point during her stay at the end of the 6 foot chain Trinity managed to injure her left eye. naturally her owners couldn't be bothered with taking her to the vet so she lost sight in the eye. Anyways back to the yard. After talking to her for a few minutes she allowed me to put a leash on and take her back inside. On my way home that day I knew I was in trouble. I have always been a sucker for the underdog and I am always up for a challenge. Over the next two months I fell in love with this big goofy girl. I encouraged her to meet new people and tried to work through the stranger danger issues. However a big black dog that is blind in one eye and has some issues is not high on anyone's adoption list. Then I found out I would be moving to Utah to follow my heart and work with an organization dedicated to the underdogs. I was full of mixed emotions. On one hand I had reached my goal and landed the job I always wanted. On the other hand I knew trinitys odds of survival dwindled without me. So for the next couple weeks I wrestled with the reality before deciding that I could not live without this dog. So on February 15 I adopted trinity. She had adopted me long before that day though. Since bringing trinity home we have packed up our lives and moved 3,000 miles away. We have done basic obedience training as well as some off leash work. We have consulted with a trainer and put together a training plan to help us work through her stranger danger. We have gone through the removal of her blind eye. But most importantly we have lived life together. I am happy to say that trinity meets new people all the time now. She is still cautious around men but she hardly ever spooky barks anymore. She finally knows sit! She gets along great with other dogs, something we did not think possible at the shelter. She has learned how to initiate play with her canine friends. She also loves cats and car rides. She is completely housebroken. She has the most adorable wink I have ever seen. She is an 80 pound lap dog :-) she likes to hike but hates to run. She loves food puzzles and will carry her kong around long after the peanut butter is gone. And she makes more and more progress everyday. Last week she played with a ball for the first time! She is no longer afraid of her crate an just this past weekend she went camping for the first time. And although she didn't love the water I know that with time she can overcome that fear also. Trinity fills my life with so much love and laughter but her story and her progress also give me immense hope. Time, patience, and positive energy heals. Trinity is proof of that. Trinity gives me hope for all the other underdogs sitting in shelters. All it takes is one Dedicated staff member or volunteer. You make a difference. You change their lives. "to the world you may be one person. But to one person you may be the world" mya angelou I know that is true for trinity. Each day I love her more. Each day she makes me better. I may have literally saved her first but she saves me daily. She has my heart.

24 years and 24 lessons

So I just read an awesome blog post and was inspired to copy it. I know my birthday was a month ago but who cares? So before I get started I do have to say that I couldn't have learned these lessons without all of the wonderful people in my life and the not so wonderful so thank you for your pact!!! 1. Laughter is contagious so share the wealth. 2. Everyone has a story. Are you stopping to listen to it? 3. The question is not "is the goal attainable?" but rather "how hard must I work to obtain my goal?" 4. True friendship survives regardless of the miles in between. 5. Happiness is journey not a destination. Keep pursuing! 6. Dance parties are more fun in the company of others. 7. True peace is found within yourself and Shared with others through your actions. 8. Recycling is legit so just do it. 9. Time is precious so live fully in each moment. 10. Passion without pursuit is just a hobby. 11. The higher the mountain the more glorious the decent! 12. It's ok to let loose, you might even enjoy it! 13. Honesty is never overrated even if the truth hurts. 14. The world was meant to be discovered from the seat of a bike. 15. Euthanasia is a reality, not a sob story, and we must do everything in our power to eliminate its unnecessary evil. 16. Always root for the underdog 17. Racism is just ignorance rearing it's ugly head. We should define things by who they are not what we think they are based on genetics. 18. Love is always beautiful. 19. Family is not simply defined by shared genetics. Your family is made up of those people who love, accept, and support you no matter what. The people that know your heart. 20. Cats make everything better. 21. The outdoors is therapeutic. 22. True service is compelled by love not obligatin. 23. Compassion is one of the greatest gifts you can give others. 24. Music heals the soul in a way nothing else can. Well there you have it! Life as I see it. Peace & Love Summer

Matters of the heart: love and service

Recently I have started to receive several compliments about my work ethic again. For those of you that know me you know how awkward I am when I recover them and you also know how much a I enjoy them. Anyways it has gotten me thinking about my life. To me there is absolutely no need to thank me for doing the right thing or doing my job to the best of my ability. Those things are ingrained in me. There are three overarching themes that I try to live my life by. The first is love. Love guides everything that I do be it work, volunteering, or just hanging out. For me love is the only logical choice. The second is compassion. In my experience love combined with compassion for others goes so much father than hatred and judgement. So I do my best to be kind and compassionate towards others. I think when you come from a loving and compassionate place it is only natural that you also approach things with a peaceful mind set. It is my goal to keep peace with others and continue to seek inner peace for myself. Once you understand that these three things govern my life you can begin to understand why I am like I am and why I do what I do. I love animals and people alike but my connection to animals is far more intense. I fall in love daily and I love deeply. My heart breaks for the injustices that theses creatures have to face and the cruelty that uS humans dish out so easily. So I choose to love them with everything I have and to work as hard as humanly possible to aid in there recovery. I work to build trust and heal old wounds with kindness and. O compassion. And I work as hard as I am able to because I don't know how to work any differently. Helping animals is what I wake up wanting to do everyday. It is something I never get tired of. It is what I was made to do. Many think that statement is extreme and maybe it is but I have never been more certain of anything else in my entire life. But aside from helping animals I also think its my duty to help people. Too often we let pride rule our lives making us to embrassed to ask for help. I have watched many friends struggle through it and excepting help isn't easy for me either but I have co E to realize that we are meant to live life together. The good the bad the ugly. So when I see a need I try to meet it. Sometimes that's talking to a friends for hours, sometimes it's moving furniture, sometimes it's holding back someone's hair as they vomit. Whatever it is I am always happy to help. I think far to often people are not both willing and able when it comes to helping. The concepts of being both willing and able combined with my passion for service and heartbreaking reality of the world we live in are what drove me to ride my bike across the country for affordable housing. My heart breaks for those struggling to keep a roof over their heads. The faces of those without homes living on the streets of Detroit are not just faces to me. They each have a name a story. So for me not helping is not an option. Helping is all that I know. It's who I am and it what I want to do with or with out the thank yous. Sharing your deepest passions is suh a difficult task and often times the words are not enough. I hope that I have done an adequate enough job sharing my heart, my passions, and my duty with you all. I hope in some small way it might encourage you to share yours with others or perhaps even pursue them. I help because I was made to. I work hard because its the only way I l ow how to work. And I love because I am one of those crazy people that truly believe love and compassion can heal the world one person or animal at a time. Peace & Love Summer

Starlight's journey

Starlight is a two year old sheperd heeled mix who came to the sanctuary after being surrendered to a shelter. This girl was over corrected as a puppy and as a result came to best friends completely shut down. When I started in feb all it took was one look at her sweet face and I knew that I was going to help this dog learn to trust again. At first she was so timid all I did was sat in her kennel and talked to her for about 3 weeks. Once she got more comfortable she started sniffing me and we worked our way up to petting. Once she got more comfortable with me we started working on leash skills. The first time I came into work and got a tail wag I was ecstatic! We continued to work on meeting new people and in the beginning she would simply shake and hide. Over time she has started shaking less. Each day she trusts me a little more so I. Decided to foster her. I figured it would be good for her to get used to going places and doing things but I was worried my very obn obnoxious dog might be too overwhwlming. As soon as they met they loved each other! Trinity immediately licked starlights face and tried to play. The girls are inseprabable T home. They eat together, they sleep together, they chew stuff together. But perhaps my favorite thing is that they play together! Starlight confidently throws trinity on her back and. Bases her throughout the house. Today she chased her tail and played with a toy for the first time in months. Last week she had enough confidence to chase a golf cart!! She barks at cars passing by the house! Each day she makes more and more progress. I could not be more proud of her! But our work is not done yet. I cannot wait to see what strides she makes next. It is an honor to see the dog she is becoming, the dog she was meant to be all along. To sponsor starlight and support her progress please visit www.bestfriends.org and find her in the adorable adoptables section. Together we can save the world one dog at a time.

Unexpected Endings

Where to begin. Today is the one year anniversary of Christina Gencko's death. I went for a bike ride today and reflected on the whole experience. I knew when I signed up for Bike & Build that riding was dangerous but hearing news of Christina's death was shocking. It was a much needed slap in the face. It really put things into perspective. It made me evaluate the things that are important in life. You truly never know when your last day will be. That reminds me to make every day count. Don't leave things unsaid. Don't go to bed angry. Love passionately with your whole heart. And pursue the things that make you happy even if they will never make you rich. Christina was passionate about affordable housing and that is a passion that she carried until the day she died. Her death has impassioned me to fight harder for cyclist safety and road laws. Her life has forever impacted mine. Today I road for Christina and it was a beautiful ride. Ironically enough yesterday was filled with tragedy as well. I received news that during one of our staff meetings two of our dogs got in a dog fight and Stella, a newer deaf pittie mix who reminded me so much of Sahara from the Michigan shelter, died. Again the news of her death was shocking. It wrecked me actually. What I can say is that I am glad that I had the honor of knowing her. I am glad that she was healthy and happy for a while and I hope that she knew just how much I loved her. I may have only known her a short time but in that time she captured a piece of my heart and it will forever remain hers. Stella's death, tragic as it may be only reaffirms the importance of the work that I am doing here. Many of these dogs have been damaged by us humans and I am more determined than every to shower them in love and compassion. To be patience and positive. To be a part of their healing instead of their brokenness. One thing that is very clear to me these days is that every life has an impact. Every life is significant animal or human. We must choose how we want to live. We must choose how we want to impact others and then we must have the courage to live that impact out in our daily lives. I hope that my impact is to be loving and compassionate,to seek peace and pursue passion, to leave the places I go and the people and animals I meet better than when I started. So I will continue to love until it hurts and then love more. And Stella will forever be a part of me just as Hoss remains. Peace & Love, Summer