On December 26, NGPR will have been rescuing dogs for 15 years. It's the 15th anniversary of our first posting on Petfinder, with incorporation following in 2007. It wasn't an easy decision to go forward as the lines of transport and communication (with no social media!) weren't as clear. We've written a comprehensive telling of those years here.
We had hoped that the situation for this breed would improve as time went on but unfortunately it has only gotten worse. Adoptions hit an annual high of 900 in 2020, but we suffered from a Covid backlash in 2021, with dogs coming back who were adopted out in 2020 and even in prior years. As always, we make room to accommodate them. Backyard breeders continue to pump out dogs, promoting them on social media, claiming the dogs are instant livestock guardians or English cream goldens. A startling number of owners contact us every day or dump their dogs at the nearest shelter. We advise them as best we can but our focus is primarily on shelter dogs. All the kill shelters are packed and for a dog incarcerated in one, any day could be that dog's last.
Social media does assist us in promoting the dogs and fundraising, which is an enormous help. Our first Happy Endings Calendar made its debut in 2009 and ever since then our calendar and our Top Dog Contests have provided hundreds of thousands in funding for Pyr rescue. We have had many caring individuals and two generous foundations who have offered matching funds for the Annual Pyr Appeal through the years and we are truly grateful for the support our year-end appeal receives.
Of course rescue wouldn't exist without the hundreds of volunteers who have given of themselves over the years. We want to thank them one and all. The tasks involved with rescue are many and include intake, fostering, transport, adoption, technical and administrative support, each with many steps and all needing to be recorded. It adds up to thousands of hours in labor every year. Every rescue we know of is in need of more volunteers, not just for fostering but to help with the enormous load of paperwork and management. If you can, please offer your skills to help us or any rescue you choose. We truly appreciate everyone's time and love for the dogs which motivate their sacrifices. At the end of the day, a happy face and wagging tail are all it takes to convince us that our effort and sacrifices through the years make it all worthwhile.
