145 Dogs in Remote Gabbs, Nevada Need Homes NOW

Dogs left behind in desert need your help

By Liz Finch, Best Friends Animal Help Specialist

Once upon a time, the remote desert community of Gabbs, Nevada—about 150 miles Southeast of Reno—probably seemed like an ideal place to house rescued dogs.There would be no neighbors to be annoyed by the dogs' barking, no zoning/pet limit laws to worry about, and plenty of space for the dogs to roam.

But there would also be no one to care for the dogs or adopt them if the worst happened—and for these dogs, the worst did happen. In May, their rescuer/caregiver died suddenly, leaving them to an uncertain fate.

Luckily, the rescuer's relatives have refused to give up on the dogs. They've continued their care and have been able to place a handful into homes. Now winter is fast approaching and these dogs need to leave Gabbs for safe, indoor homes of their own.

There are some GREAT dogs—like Argonaut, Zelda and Nookie, who love showing their smiles for the camera, and more serious dogs like Spot, Polly and Duchess. Then there are the shy dogs, like Colin, who is not sure what to think now that the human he trusted is gone...

145 dogs.

The number sounds overwhelming, and the middle of nowhere is so very, very far from real homes...

But by concentrating on one dog, and then another, it is possible to help these orphaned canines. Thus far, Best Friends has been able to move a bonded group of 5 dogs to our sanctuary, including two that are special-needs, and we are pursuing options for the rest.

What You Can Do
If you know someone who would like to adopt a Gabbs dog, or if you are familiar with an organization able to take a few of these pooches into their rescue program, please contact Liz at lizfinch@bestfriends.org for more details. Even if all you can do is spread the word, that may be enough to make a difference for these dogs.

Posted by Julie Snyder, Best Friends Network