Show Dogs Help the Shelter Animals at Bonnie Hays Shelter

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Dedication of New Police Kennels and Food Storage Building at Animal Shelter on February 29

Show dogs may be best-known for strutting their stuff and looking pretty. But "About 230 dogs come here from police agencies every year. Until now, the dogs were left in outside kennels," says Deborah Wood, manager of Animal Services for Washington County. "We did what we could to keep the dogs warm and safe – including wrapping the kennels in tarps and hanging heat lamps. Still, on the coldest nights, our staff would literally risk their lives to come out in the ice and snow in the dark to bring the animals safely inside. The new police kennel annex is heated, and will be a safe and secure place for the animals to stay until our staff comes in the next morning and brings them into the shelter."

The new building will also be a safe place to keep the food for the shelter animals. "We had a cargo container that had become over-run by rodents. This building is rodent-resistant. Because it is heated and has fans to cool it, the food will last longer. In the past year, we resorted to storing all our food in kennels – and often that kennel space was needed for the animals."

This is the biggest community donation to any cause in the history of the Tualatin Kennel Club. "When we formed in 1971, we wanted to sponsor dog shows so we could pursue our hobby. But we wanted to do something more – we wanted to help all the dogs in the community," says founding club member Jim Corbett of Aloha. "When we formed, there were no dog clubs in the Washington County area, and there was no one to represent the dog community in a rapidly growing county. This became a focal point in our formation." He added, "We are so impressed with the work that the Bonnie Hays shelter is doing in the community to help animals, we knew we wanted to help them with this project."

"We wanted to create a safe haven for animals in need," says Tualatin Kennel Club outgoing-president Lisa DuPré, "Bonnie Hays does a wonderful job of caring for animals; they reunite lost pets with their families and find new homes for strays. The Tualatin Kennel Club is excited that show dogs can help shelter dogs." Club members raised money through the entry fees and other fees from dog shows.

The Animal Services Annex dedication ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter in Hillsboro, Oregon, 1901 SE 24th Avenue in Hillsboro (just off the Tualatin Valley Highway next to Lowe's and Home Depot). The public is welcome to attend and there will be shelter tours as well as refreshments.

Please consider making a donation of unopened, high quality dog or cat food in honor of the Annex.

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