9,000

The past couple weeks I have found myself in a state of evaluation and reflection. I still cannot believe that I work for an organization that does so much for animals. The impact that is being made everyday is so real and powerful. However I am under no illusions that millions of others will not make it through the shelter system. Their lives will be cut short as man tries to play God and gets ride of the ones that don't fit in a cookie cutter mold. 9,000 animals are euthanized per day. 9,000. This number horrifies me. The faces of this number keep me up at night. I go back and forth. Back and forth. Although I understand the shelter mindset and why certain decisions are made the longer that I stay here the more I realize that just because I understand it doesn't mean I am any more ok with it. This past week we had a dog fight in my area and as I race up the hill to my building and into the run I was shocked at what I saw. My first thought was of a lion with it's prey. One dog literally dragging another around by it's neck, clearly the proud victor. After separating the dogs and assessing the damage I needed a minute to process what had just happened. The conclusion that I came to is that no matter how much we love these animals at the end of the day they are still animals. They act on predator instinct and it's this same instinct that seals so many fates in local shelters around this country. I also found myself so very grateful that both of these dogs are safe, grateful that instead of being euthanized for their issues we will continue to work through them. I think much too often we reject those that are different. Those that require work and patience. For example I have been working with a dog in my area since the end of February. She was an owner release to a shelter and because of human cruelty she was completely shut down. Afraid to lift her head, make eye contact or even wag her tail. Starlight comes from an abusive past and although I have been working with her everyday for three months and she has made significant progress she still has a long path ahead of her. Our actions have such a powerful impact both negative and positive. For dogs like Starlight and Brady if people had spent the time that they were abusing, loving on these dogs maybe their futures would have been brighter sooner. I find myself wishing that shelters across the country would devote more time to the animals and less time focusing on how imperfect they are or how inconvenient they are. The Vick pits are the perfect example of the impact that time and compassion can have on these dogs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZDWRoNPDdg That's my rant for now until next time, Summer

Climbs & Decents: Life is Like Riding a Bike

The longer I am here in Utah the more and more I learn and as I learn the more convinced I am that life is like riding a bike. After spending a summer discovering the country sitting atop two wheels I find an odd sense of peace and exhilaration each time I take Fiona on a new adventure. Everything about my life here in Utah screams Bike & Build in so many ways but it is also charged with a new sense of maturity and growth. Everyday as I drive to work it feels so wrong and even unnatural to drive the very road that I biked up in June. That climb was gradual and daunting at times, but I conquered it surrounded by my friends and with a determination that I didn't even know I had. I think that's how life is really. It's a series of trials and triumphs and if you surround yourself with the right people you will get through it, you will get to the top of the hill. I found myself reflecting on a specific ride this week as I hiked a trail known as The Beehive. Right away the trail was uphill and very sandy but I wasn't too discouraged. I even remember saying that I like the climb because as challenging as it is there is nothing more rewarding than reaching that top point and surveying just how far you have come before you head downhill on an exhilarating decent. One of my fellow hikers agreed and said that he has a philosophy that life is like riding a bike. You struggle up and up and up when you are going through hard times and it seems almost hopeless. But once you make it past that the good times are truly beautiful and they recharge you. I found so much truth in that so with each uphill I thought of that glorious decent that we took on that one ride and how full of life I felt. I thought about how all of the blood sweat and tears of the summer were worth every minute because of the relationships that I formed, the landscapes that we crossed, and ultimately the lessons I learned along the journey. The hike was by far the most difficult that I have done yet but also the most rewarding. Just when we thought we were to the top and we stopped at an overlook with what can only be described as a breathtaking view. I sat there and pondered life for a minute and thought of all of the places I have been in the past four years and all of the growing I have done in that time. I thought of all of the dreams that have been attained and the new goals I have set for myself. It was an awesome minute. Peaceful and perfect actually. Then Jen discovered what was actually the rest of the trail so we continued upwards. The boys went on ahead and Jen and I took a detour and climbed on top of an awesome rock. Standing on top of that rock was so rewarding! After our rock adventures we began our decent and I couldn't help but smile. Sure I was sweaty and tired but I had climbed and climbed and climbed and stumbled upon some pretty amazing landscape in the process. During the walk back down I found myself again reflecting on this one beautiful day from the summer. There are so many things that I am thankful for and that day is certainly one of them. Today Haylee and I set out to hike the SugarKnoll/Red Cave trail which is a local favorite. Finding the place was a little difficult and involved some risky maneuvers such as hopping fencing and choosing which fork in the road to take. After again cimbing and pushing myself physically and mentally we found the slot canyon. I don't think there is anything cooler than exploring a slot canyon!!!! Such a good idea. After today's hike I was again exhausted and wondering why I push my body so much on my weekends off. Most normal people choose to rest and recover so they are ready for the week ahead. Not me!!! I have discovered that as much as I hate the climb when I am stuck in the middle of it that is where you learn the most about yourself. Hiking is so much like biking and biking is the perfect metaphor for life. I don't think that I could be happier at this moment. I live in Utah. I work at BEst Friends. I have a fur family that loves me. I have a family that supports my crazy decisions. I have friends who love bikes as much as I do throughout the country. I have new friends who invite me to girls night and stick a candle in some raw cookie dough to wish me a happy birthday. But most importantly I am physically able to live an active and rewarding lifestyle and I am just stubborn enough to make sure that I continue to push myself and succeed. All in all life is good. Now I must go ride my bike :) Peace & Love, Summer

I really Live in Utah: Life's Daily Adventures

I often wake up and pinch myself not believing that this really is my life these days. I still cannot believe that I am working for Best Friends or that I get to wake up to the sun rising over the red cliffs every single day. Lots is happening all the time and for the most part it is all good! Work is going great. I have to send out a big congratulations to Lance, Lucas, Layla, Mya, Ellen, Squeaker and Oscar all former Vick fighting dogs who have earned purple collars and can now interact with volunteers at the sanctuary. These dogs have been through so much and it is so nice to see them recovering more and more every day. I am also extremely proud of some of the dogs in my area. Starlight, one of my project dogs, makes more and more progress everyday. She is still very very shy with new people and places but she comes out of her shell a little more each day and I know that together we will overcome her fears and once she overcomes her fears I have no doubt that she will be adopted in a heart beat! Vegas makes more and more progress with me each day as well. She is tolerating her feet being touched!! Any day now we might be able to trim her nails :) Whoever adopts her is one lucky person because she is one of the most loyal dogs I have ever met. Cecilla is overcoming her reactivity one walk at a time and she has even started going to play groups with other dogs. This girl is very smart and will make a great companion for someone looking for an active and intelligent companion. Bessie is overcoming her fear of humans as well. Several staff members can actually pet her on the head now!!! I can't wait to watch her continue to grow and progress. Meryl has been doing a lot better with her reactivity lately as well. I love her so much. She is the best golf cart rider! And Rexy comes out of his shell more and more each day as well!!! This guy was so shy when I started and now he takes meat balls, comes up for attention, splashes around in his pool, he even came up and flopped down for belly rubs the other day! (I have a soft spot for him anyways, since he is the closest thing I have to a pointer.) My days off have been filled with lots of adventure as well. I have started hiking with some people from work on Tuesdays. Last week we hiked Lookout Canyon and it was so so beautiful. The canyon made me forget that I was in northern Arizona. Green everywhere, birch trees, even some patches of snow that the dogs really enjoyed. We even found rocks with fossils in them!!! This week we hiked Snake Gulch-Kanab Creek Trail which didn't disappoint either. The canyon was breath taking and I found myself more and more excited to discover what was around the next corner. Wildflowers and cacti were in bloom everywhere. But the coolest part of yesterday's hike was that we found cave drawings!!! It was a wonderful surprise and it gave me a crazy connection with our ancestors. Thousands of years ago people were standing in the very same cave that I found myself standing in!!!! Crazy!! I also hiked the Squal Trail last week with Haylee and Pepper and it was incredible. Although parts were a little frightening we persevered and made it all the way to the top. The view was incredible, as is everything here, but neither one of us had cameras so we will have to hike it again when we do. Family. I am learning more and more each day that family is what you make it. I am so very grateful for my biological family and all of their support since the move. Happy birthday again mom! So sorry I couldn't be there in person. Anyways, family is more than just your biological family. I also have my college family, my life group family, my HATS family, and now I have become a part of the Best Friends family. Thank you again to everyone who has supported me since the move. My life would not be the same without you all. I really appreciate the care packages and letters and phone calls! I hope you can all visit soon :) The furry family is doing well also! We just said goodbye to the bunker and hello to our new house equipped with a fenced in cattery. Riggs is in heaven and Oreo and LadyBug are learning to deal with this new found outdoor access. Trinity often gets the zooms and runs from one end of the house to the other. She is also continuing to make great progress with her training. She can sit, lay, and wait just like before but we are also working on her social skills. She is meeting new people everyday thanks to my coworkers and new friends and their willingness to help us! She has also been meeting other dogs and learning how to play! She really loves Pepper, a handsome shar pei and possibly rottie boy. I think they are going steady now ;) It's so great to see her make so much progress so quickly. Every time she meets someone new without any issues I smile to myself and think, people really wanted to euthanize this dog. Wow. So grateful that we found each other and that I can be a part of her transformation from scared, awkward kid to confident, goofy dog. I think the only other thing is that as much as I love this place and am settling in I still think it's weird that I will not be celebrating my birthday with any of the people that are back home. So many wonderful birthday memories from the last 5 years!!! For those of you who have been asking what to get or what you can send I would really love it if you sponsored one of the dogs from my area! Just visit the Best Friends website and click on giving to Best Friends. For those of you who feel you have to send tangible things I would love some honey wheat pretzel rods, mint cookie balance bars, feista ranch dip mix, meijer brand raspberry water, sun screen, socks, and bandanas. All of those things are super useful and most are not carried here. You could also donate to Invisible Children or send me something for the house since I have very few house items! But a phone call would mean just as much as a gift so keep that in mind. Now I must decide what to do with myself in this new place with my new friends to make the day memorable! Challenge accepted.