When you walk through the gate a feeling of peace prevails. Natalie lives in The Dog House with 30 to 40 resident dogs, some available for adoption. The Dog House is a huge building/house with a porch running around the perimeter. Blankets and sleeping mats lay side-by-side with various size dogs napping soundly. Inside, a huge room is filled with more dog beds. Towels are used as carpeting in case of accidents. There is one large bed at the end of the room where Natalie sleeps. Nestled atop her bed are several more dogs. Next to the great room is the puppy room. Mother and puppies stay here until they are adopted or the puppies are old enough to move into The Dog House. Natalie often feeds the puppies if the mother cannot nurse. Surrounding The Dog House are the Kitty Bunk House, a llama yard, a horse stall, geese and chicken pens, a rabbit house, and a chapel. Dedicated to St. Frances of Assisi, the chapel has a doggie door. Entering the chapel there are colorful little tins on the windowsill containing the cremated remains of those animals that have passed. Natalie adopted a border collie that arrived with a raw face and painful mange. The dog was weak from malnourishment, and infested with tapeworms. She rescued a Chihuahua mix with sores all over his body, tail, and ears, and a staph infection. Another rescued animal suffered from an advanced fungal infection all over her abdomen and tail. Her skin was sagging and grey. Natalie’s own dog, Spirit, was found starving at four months old. The stories go on and on. Mary Hunter of S.P.O.T.S. in New Mexico, Inc. (Saving Pets Out There Somewhere in New Mexico) has 57 dogs, 12 cats, and 10 birds, and lives with her daughter just south of Albuquerque on 20 acres. Mary’s own dog died in 1992. She went to a shelter and adopted a new companion. When she took it to the vet for shots, she was told the dog was so sick it shouldn’t be vaccinated. Mary took the dog back to the shelter and it was immediately euthanized. After volunteering for various organizations, Mary began rescuing older dogs, became an advocate for spaying and neutering pets, and now wants to start a spay and neuter clinic to help people who can’t afford veterinary fees. To make her point for spaying and neutering, Mary explains, “For every one person in Albuquerque there are eight animals. A family of four can legally house four animals. To keep up with the overpopulation, every family of four would have to have 32 pets.” If pets aren’t spayed and neutered, they will continue to overpopulate and the crisis will continue. One of her rescued animals was a Dalmatian mix found frozen on the road. She also has a three-pound Pomeranian that was rescued after being left on the roadside with its eyes cut out. S.P.O.T.S. has placed about 1,000 animals since its inception. Mary says, “I am glad the animals can’t talk—I am afraid that I might become violent if I heard their stories.” Ulla Pedersen, a former hospice nurse, recognizes the need to love and honor animals as well as humans. She founded Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary, a hospice for older dogs, horses, and poultry on seven acres of land outside of Santa Fe. When you approach the sanctuary gate, you are greeted by a plethora of barking dogs with wagging tails—all dressed in colorful bandannas. Each dog has a name specifically suited to his/her character.
On a tour of the hospice sanctuary, you see Buddhist prayer flags hanging over the duck and geese area. A picture of the Dali Lama watches over the chickens, and Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Buddha are present for all who live at Kindred Spirits. In many of the flower containers throughout the grounds lay the ashes of beloved animals that have passed. The large breed dogs live on one side of Ulla’s house under a covered patio; the small dogs live on the other side, also with a covered patio and fence to keep the little ones out of harm’s way. Netting covers the small dog patio area to keep out any prey. Inside the house, Ulla holds Tico, a 22-yearold teacup Chihuahua dressed in a warm, red sweater. Tico, who had been a show dog, was rescued from a large pack of dogs running the streets. Tico was covered in fleas and had no teeth. When the couple who owned him divorced, one of the partners had his teeth removed. Ulla speaks with great love and compassion for her charges. In the Hospice Room, there is a little dog snoring softly in a warm bed. Heidi has heart problems and is coming to the end of her life. An altar table with an incense stick and a lit candle holds photos, mementos, and letters to the treasured companions that have made their transition. Ulla provides educational workshops on how to care for senior companion animals at home and offers support on coping with their death. Ulla values her volunteer help. Among those who help with various chores, she has an animal communicator, massage therapist, groomers, and people who come to “brush and cuddle.” Her animals live longer because they are wanted, loved, and cared for. Watermelon Mountain Ranch is a 10-acre rescue facility located in Rio Rancho. The Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah is the model for this successful operation. Directed and founded by Sophia DiClemente, with the help of husband Lee, Sophia works all week as director and on weekends mops and cleans animal cages. Sophia and Lee have found animals in dumpsters. One dog, with an infestation of ticks, was thrown out of a moving car. Another was rescued with a logging chain around his neck and had been left outside. This poor creature had all of his skin worn off to the bone. Four puppies were found in a box in a landfill—three had been shot. One dog was kicked so hard his organs were pushed into his throat—he couldn’t eat or breathe. Sophia and Lee occasionally hear about an adopter not taking proper care of an adopted animal. When this happens, Lee goes to the residence and re-rescues the animal. Watermelon Mountain Ranch is building a sanctuary and also plans to build a spay/neuter clinic. The ranch relies on volunteer help to foster the animals until adoption. Watermelon Mountain Ranch works with the juvenile justice system, taking teens at risk to help with the animals. Disabled children attending school in the Albuquerque school system also help and learn from the animals. Both programs have been exceptionally successful. Since the shelter began, more than 7,000 animals have been rescued. Over 2,000 dogs and cats have been adopted with the help of Petco and PetSmart this year. It costs approximately $227 to get a dog ready for adoption. Veterinarian bills run as high as $81,000 per year. All of the sanctuaries mentioned are no-kill facilities, 501C3 organizations, allowing any contributions to be tax deductible, and all promote spaying and neutering animals. All of the women who operate these facilities work tirelessly to save and protect animals. There are many other rescue groups, some focused on specific animals or breeds, such as German shepherds, greyhounds, horses, and ferrets. The Directory of Animal Services provides a list of rescue organizations. Denise Wilcox, Associate Director of Environmental Health/Animal (Control) Care Center in Albuquerque, is determined to make a difference. Denise says, “I am implementing animal evaluations and other programs based on a Denver, Colorado model, to classify animals for a more accurate resolution. For nonadoptable animals, we will partner with vets and other rescue facilities.” Denise needs foster care for puppies, kittens, as well as sick and/or injured animals until they can be adopted. She is also planning a behavior hotline to offer additional resources to those needing advice on how to understand and care for their animals. The statistics for Albuquerque Animal Control from fiscal year July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, are approximately as follows:
Euthanized animals were reported to be aggressive, sick, severely injured, or victims of animal cruelty. Nearly 10,000 owners surrendered their pets because they were moving, gave no reason, or because of animal illness or behavioral issues. Additionally, 20 percent of Albuquerque Regional Shelter intakes come from five jurisdictions outside of Albuquerque.
Teaching children to be kind to pets is a priority. Kindred Spirits, Heart and Soul Sanctuary, and Watermelon Mountain Ranch all have programs to help educate children. The rescue facilities operate on contributions but all of the women who operate these facilities have used personal funds or assets to do their work. Their efforts show that people working together for a common purpose can make incredible progress with what appears to be an impossible task. Taking responsibility for your pets can and will have a profound effect on the animal population. Spay and neuter your pets.
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Salvador is a sweet old pit bull. From his scars, injuries, and disabilities, it is believed that he was used as a bait dog in fights. Salvador arrived with a ravaged body, unable to walk, and a broken spirit. After a few weeks, he began to come back to life. Through love and affection, and good veterinary care, he is now able to walk a bit. 
Intakes: 29,490 
In 1999, Elisabeth Jennings, Executive Director of Animal Protection of New Mexico, reported that laws were changed in New Mexico, making animal abuse a felony. Abusers can and will be prosecuted. To stop animal abuse, the public needs to become aware, and report offenders. Contact your local animal control facility or the sheriff’s department to report mistreatment. 
Beth Donahue is a solutionsoriented counselor/hypnotherapist in private practice and can be reached at (505) 248-9700or via e-mail at NMWBeth