This week, we’re happy to report that the long-awaited outdoor dog kennels for the Rescue Ranch Adoption Center building are finally in place! We’d also like to once again thank all the donors who contributed to the “New Digs For The Dogs” campaign last year. We can’t thank you enough for your support. It took longer than expected for the “new digs” to reach us, but better late than never, as they say. This week, Rescue Ranch staff are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the new installations.
May 2023 fundraiser made it all possible
Back in May 2023, we told you how much we needed to replace the outdoor enclosures attached to the south side of the Adoption Center Building. The existing panels were worn and tired, some were even rusted through in places. We had received a generous grant of $7500, but we still needed $12,500, so we launched the “New Digs For The Dogs” campaign. Our wonderful supporters not only helped us reach our $12,500 before the month was out, they gave a total of $14,800!
We placed the order immediately in early June and looked forward to installing the new outdoor dog kennels before winter. But it was not to be. Much to our dismay, the delivery was delayed for months.
Pooches Finally Get Their New Outdoor Dog Kennels
The idea was to get the new digs in before winter. We knew they would take a while because the panels are made to order. We didn’t expect them right away, end of August at the latest. We had installed materials from the same provider on the north side of the building the year before and the components were first rate. It was worth the wait if it meant our dogs would be comfortable and secure for the long term. A few weeks wouldn’t hurt. Besides, cooler fall temperatures are perfect for construction work. But August came and went, September flew by, followed inevitably by October, and still no panels.
We waited and waited and waited. Until January 6, 2024, in fact. It was a cold and snowy day but, hey, at least they were here! Yay! And winter would be over soon, right? Right.
Unfortunately, we soon discovered that some smaller pieces were still missing. So we waited. Again. For several months. Happily, they did arrive, eventually.
Finally, last week, the old kennels came down and the new installations went up with the help of Rescue Ranch’s own Marc Oliason. Marc handles all manner of maintenance and building projects at Rescue Ranch. You may recognize him from our video about assembling the sturdy, lightweight Cozy Cube dog houses by Farm & Yard.
When I caught up with Marc, he was installing the first roof brackets for the new enclosures. Along with the panels and gates, the new outdoor dog kennels now also have metal roofs along with metal privacy panels between units. Thanks to our supporters, these new digs will benefit many Rescue Ranch pooches for years to come.
