The rescue placement effort wraps up, though their lives with humans have only just begun.
By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Staff Thanks to the collaborative teamwork of numerous animal welfare organizations from several states, the 144 dogs from Gabbs, Nevada have all been either adopted or placed into rescues, including the 33 least socialized ones from “Camp Reno.” While they are now out of immediate jeopardy, the timid canines are transitioning into lives that include people, as they progress to the day when they may hopefully be adopted.
Best Friends’ Gabbs dogs
Last fall, Best Friends Animal Society accepted five dogs from Gabbs known as the Sunshine Gang;
Gabbs, Cyrus, Peter, Dewey, and
Reno. In December, they picked up another batch of dogs from the remote ranch, including Guardian Angel
Tuffy, senior dog
Tooey, and five puppies -
Fowler, Vansky, Dennett, Hutchens and
Baxt (please note the family resemblance to Poppa Arnie pictured in
Part I). Happily all five puppies have found new homes; Dewey was adopted at a Las Vegas mobile event, and after his wounds had healed Tuffy was adopted to a family in Phoenix.
However, last Monday, March 3, Best Friends also took in the final four, and we are not talking March Madness basketball. These were the last remaining dogs who could not find other placements out of “Camp Reno.” These lucky canines are
Daisy (renamed Pauley), Nosey, Squeeky (renamed Lana), and
Brian (renamed Pirate).
(
Lana, courtesy of Gary Kalpakoff of Best Friends Animal Society)
John Garcia, Best Friends Dog Care Assistant Manager and participant in the
collaborative round-up from January, stayed late to welcome the new arrivals. The next morning the intake process went well and they were all vaccinated, microchipped, had blood drawn, and were inspected to determine whether sterilization surgeries were still necessary.
Garcia notes, “Our admission staff is very good, especially working with shy dogs. So they have been able to coax these guys out of their shells and already we are noticing big improvements.”
(
Pirate, courtesy of Gary Kalpakoff of Best Friends Animal Society)
The males, Nosey and Pirate, are a bit more on the shy side, but are slowly coming around. Nosey was one of the “out dogs,” who lived outside of a kennel, so he has had even less interaction with people than many of the other Gabbs dogs. He has now started coming out of his dog house and begun to show interest in people. Pirate has even started to show initial signs of soliciting attention. The girls have all shown phenomenal improvement. Daisy has been sleeping inside and has no trouble being leashed. Pauley has started to vocalize, now walks on a leash, and Garcia believes she will be ready to go to a foster home soon. Lana is now fantastic on a leash and actually looks forward to walks and attention from staff. Garcia says, “Just this morning, they were bringing Lana out and she just walked right up and said hi to me. She didn’t flinch or anything when I reached down and petted her. She was just very, very happy.”
(
Pauley, courtesy of Gary Kalpakoff of Best Friends Animal Society)
Garcia was very complimentary of the efforts made on behalf of the dogs while at “Camp Reno.” He said, “The rescue groups who were working with the dogs prior to us getting them had done a lot more with the dogs than what they were given credit for.” It had been obvious to him that many of the dogs had never been on a leash in their lives; however, the
Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) volunteers had begun the process, making it that much easier now that they are at the Sanctuary. “For dogs that were living on a property like that, with very little human interaction, these dogs were probably the easiest semi-ferals I have ever taken care of.”
On the success of the rescue effort, Garcia says, “It definitely goes to show how well things go when we work hand in hand with other groups. In the past we have said, ‘Best Friends will solve the problem, give us your dogs.’ Now we are trying to educate and promote people solving their own problems with our help. Our Animal Help Department has done so much with this case, being able to network with other rescue groups.” It is only because of the many organizations working together that all of the dogs have been saved from Gabbs.
(
Nosey, courtesy of Gary Kalpakoff of Best Friends Animal Society)
"We are seeing an increasing number of cases here in the Animal Help Department that involve dozens or hundreds of animals in need of homes," says Liz Finch, Animal Help Manager. "These are all really tough cases to work on because they require a combined effort and because so many animals' lives are at stake. Gabbs really is an ideal example of how a number of organizations can combine their varied skills and resources for the benefit of all the animals in need. We hope to use it as a model approach for some of the other situations we are now facing where a large number of animals need our help.”
Thanks for an effort well done One of the first groups to help take in dogs was the
Yerington Animal Shelter. Of all the dedicated shelter volunteers, none was more so than Kris Brown. She traveled the approximate 2 ½ hour drive to the Gabbs ranch about once a week and even took days off to socialize with the canines. In fact, it was Brown and her live trap who managed to capture the elusive
Eddie only a few weeks ago, making sure that every single one of the Gabbs dogs had the opportunity for rescue.
Now that all of the dogs are gone and the hay bale houses are being dismantled visiting the ranch is strange to her. Absent are the many running, jumping and barking dogs who had previously been everywhere. She states, “Now it’s just quiet.” Though she knows they are now all safe, she says, “It was bittersweet, but I’d do it again in a minute.”
(
The dismantling of one of the hay bale homes at the Gabbs, Nevada ranch, courtesy of Kris Brown of Yerington Animal Shelter)
Her personal Gabbs experience is far from over. She still has two Gabbs dogs, Nelda and Turtle, at her home. Though they originally started as fosters, she is now reluctant to say they are available for adoption and believes they have now become permanent members of her own family.
“Thank you to everyone who helped out and I hope all the doggies find a good life,” states Brown. “I think it’s a really rewarding experience because when you first get them, they are frightened, unsure, and very shy. Then you get to see them over the months; just to see their whole being change. It’s good to see the progression in the dogs and I would encourage anyone to adopt a Gabbs dog for the change from almost feral to a lap dog.”
(
Former “Camp Reno” residents, courtesy of Kris Brown of Yerington Animal Shelter)
The most thankful participants in the rescue effort have to be Linda and Shane Bailey, niece and nephew to Dama Wirries, the woman who had maintained all these dogs before unexpectedly passing away last May. Linda notes, “Actually it was really overwhelming at the start, but once everyone finally got together to help, it went really well.”
“For me personally, it would have been devastating to me if we hadn’t been able to get help like we did. I don’t know how I’d have dealt with it. We appreciate everybody’s help so much,” says Linda. While she is extremely thankful to all of the organizations who helped with the rescue effort, she wanted to specifically note two individuals; Kris Brown and Robin Wenham, for their hands-on approach to making it happen.
Linda also commented that in addition to the 144 dogs, two unexpected animals were also helped during the rescue. When she visited “Camp Reno,” the
The Nevada Humane Society had a raven and a mink. Linda transported the injured bird to
Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care, where it is expected to be rehabilitated and released. The lucky mink was taken in by the Wild Friends Department at the Best Friends Animal Society Sanctuary. Two more living creatures who owe so much to the Gabbs rescue effort.
Though truly impressed and pleased that all of the dogs were placed, she still has some feelings tinged with sadness. Once Eddie was captured, the hay houses and kennels began to be dismantled, and she says “Soon no one will even know that they were there.” Though the future plans for the ranch are not firm, she believes the land will be put up for sale.
(
Former “Camp Reno” resident, courtesy of Kris Brown of Yerington Animal Shelter)
Like Brown though, Linda still has living reminders of her part in the rescue effort. She adopted both Bubba and Girlfriend and they are both an integral part of her family. Bubba still continues to proudly carry his pink baby doll and Girlfriend no longer paces and now believes that people are not so bad, particularly when they share French fries. Linda states, “They’re just as happy as can be.”
Linda sums it up well, when she states, “It’s amazing how it all worked out.” Truer words were never spoken.
How you can help:• While all the dogs are now out of Gabbs and “Camp Reno,” there are still many who need loving homes. This rescue could not have been possible without the assistance of numerous organizations. Many groups still have dogs available for adoption and all of them would certainly appreciate support.
• Organizations involved in the Gabbs rescue effort:
Best Friends Animal Society,
The Humane Society of the United States,
United Animal Nations,
Cirrus Ranch,
Yerington Animal Shelter,
Dog Town Canine Rescue,
The Nevada Humane Society,
El Dorado County Animal Control,
Contra Costa County Animal Services,
The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA,
The Sacramento SPCA,
The Solano County SPCA,
Olympic Animal Sanctuary,
Seal Beach Animal Care Center,
SPCA of Northern Nevada,
Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation (WARF),
Placer County Animal Services,
Grateful Dogs Rescue,
Santa Cruz SPCA,
City of Sacramento Animal Care,
The Canine Club,
Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado,
The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe,
Pet Network,
Yolo County SPCA, and
High Sierra Animal Rescue.
For more information: •
All 144 Gabbs Dogs on the Road to New Lives Now – Part I•
Shannon Asquith’s blog on “Camp Reno”•
From Hay Bales to HomesPhoto credits: lead photo of Pirate peeking out from behind a dog house, courtesy of Gary Kalpakoff of Best Friends Animal Society.