Kanab, Utah: The Begining

So as many of you know I have been pretty passionate about animal rescue for a few years now and I have also been pretty fond of Utah for quite some time. It just so happens that Utah is home to the largest no kill animal rescue in the country, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. This past summer while biking through Utah I fell even more in love with the state and what it has to offer. I mean who doesn't love Zion National Park? And this is just one of the many things that southern Utah has to offer.

So after biking across the country for affordable housing I was feeling rather invisible, like I could do anything that I wanted to, so I decided to apply for a position at Best Friends. I knew it was a long shot but what's the harm in trying right? So here I am almost four months after I applied for the position doing my two week working evaluation for a dog caregiver position!!!! I never thought I actually stood a shot at this whole thing but here I am!

Since arriving I have already learned so much about not only the organization but also about the dogs and the all around kindness of strangers. My first day was spent touring the santuary and learning what exactly it is that they do here at Best Friends. I got to visit the feline luekemia cat house and the old dog area!!! I met my first Vick dog, something I had been dying to do for quite some time. Everyone was super friendly and supportive. Tuesday the real work began. I got assigned to work in The Garden with Deb. The Garden houses close to 30 dogs at any given time. Let's just say I fell in love a lot :) A few of my favorites include Cyrus, an old pit bull boy who absolutely LOVES car rides. His roommate Karina is also a pretty wonderful girl. Super active and too smart for her own good but enjoying life here at Best Friends none the less. Cashmere is a beautiful old english sheep dog that came from a puppy mill situation who is learning socialization and basic obedience skills here. Her roommate is Azure, a spunky mixed breed who was hit by a car and has some spinal and hip issues as a result. Azure would have no doubt been euthanized in a shelter but here she gets to live out her life, healthy and happy. Disability doesn't result in death here and it's so very refreshing!

Thursday it was time for me to move to a new area and train with other people. So I headed up to Maggie's to work with Jackie. Jackie has been with Best Friends for four years and she is a wealth of knowledge. I have learned so much from her in my two short days working along side her. Something I really love about Jackie is that she knows each dogs story and loves to share it with others. Truly a women after my own hearts :) Some of the highlights from my time at Maggie's include doing some agility training in Tara's run and helping (very minimal helping) film a commercial with Gregory Castle, CEO of Best Friends!!!! Some of my favorite residents at Maggie's include Honey Bun a female pit from L.A. She has severe food allergies and a torn ACL but she is making quite the recovery here :) Yoyo is also a female pit she comes to Kanab from Salt Lake City. Apparently she has some issues with other dogs. But boy does she love people!!! This girl will follow you around everywhere when you clean her kennel and when you are finished she rolls over on her bed so that you can rub her belly. One of my favorite experiences so far involves a dog named Tahiti. Tahiti is an aussie mix that is quite possibly the smartest dog I know! I had the chance to take her to Tara's run and do some agility work with her and she tore up the place. So wonderful to see her using her intelligence and athleticism.

So after my first week here I am convinced that this place is magic. It truly caters to each animals specific needs and everyone here believes in make a difference in the lives of other, animal and human alike, through kindness and compassion. This doesn't feel like real life right now!!! I hope week two is as amazing as week one and with any luck I will get the job and be moving to this great state of Utah!

Thanks for all of your support! Now go volunteer or donate to your local shelter or human society or check out the Best Friends website at www.bestfriends.org and sponsor one of these incredible animals.

Summer