Rescue Ranch has always prided itself on being open to the public seven days a week. But the growing number of dogs in need has placed unprecedented pressure on our organization and we must take steps to meet the moment. The good news is that by making just a few adjustments, we can effect great change. The first such adjustment will be to close one day a week, starting Wednesday, March 16. Closed to the public, that is. We’ll still be working behind the scenes.
Ensuring the welfare of a few more Rescue Ranch residents may not sound like much. It’s what we do, after all. But as the numbers go up, new challenges emerge. Taking in more dogs affects facilities, personnel, logistics, operations, transport, community programs and veterinary care, among other things.
If we close one day a week, the team will have a chance to address larger issues
Typically, Ranch staff spends the morning feeding the dogs, moving them to their outdoor yards, and cleaning kennels. In the afternoon they work with the dogs or engage in maintenance and office tasks. The afternoon is also when we’re open to the public. Management, staff and volunteers show dogs, give tours, meet adopters, finalize adoptions, hand out food from the pet food bank, administer vaccines and deal with in-person or phone inquiries. Then there are the inevitable rescue transports, puppy meet-and-greets, emergencies, unexpected intakes and other unpredictable events.
“By closing to the public one day a week, our team will be able to come together regularly to address the new complexities impacting the organization. There are so many more dogs and puppies that need Rescue Ranch today. We have to make some changes, so we can continue to serve the dogs and the community to the best of our ability.”—Laura Finley, board member.
There will also be a few other changes happening at Rescue Ranch, but those will be the subject of future articles. In the meantime, we trust that our community won’t be overly inconvenienced by our new hours. Although we will close one day a week, the adoption center will still be open the other six days from 12 to 4 p.m., including weekends. We can’t wait to see you there! We also look forward to growing our community programs and finding creative solutions to the space challenges we’re facing as more and more dogs find their way to our shelter.
