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New Mexico Dog ‘RezQue’ Operation Saves 30+ Dogs Near Highway

  Only one year ago, three dogs were living on a property within the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Today, that number has rapidly multiplied resulting in approximately 30 dogs facing life-threatening obstacles from conservation officers and oncoming traffic on US 70.

 

AnimalVillageNM (AVNM) has partnered with the Mescalero Apache Reservation in several missions this summer to save as many dogs as possible by providing emergency medical care and spay/neuter to control the population. However, finding adequate financial support for this “Mescalero Highway RezQue” has prolonged the efforts.

 

After the conservation officers highlighted the urgency to find a solution and threatened euthanasia as the answer, national animal welfare nonprofit, BISSELL Pet Foundation, stepped in to provide the financial support AVNM needed to start saving the animals.

 

"I’m thankful BPF could join Animal Village of New Mexico to help these animals before any more lives were lost," said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “We responded without hesitation because these dogs were starving and running wild near the highway. They deserve the safety and care of a loving home.”

 

“Equally important to the story of this rescue, is the systemic problem of unfixed dogs and cats on the loose in reservations,” said Jo Dee Walsh, Volunteer Devolvement Coordinator at AVNM. “We’re grateful for BISSELL Pet Foundation’s grant that helps cover some of the spay/neuter costs to prevent situations like this in the future.”

 

This rescue will double the adoptable dog population at AVNM, so animal lovers are encouraged to adopt from their shelter. As the dogs enter AVNM, they’re receiving Apache names to honor their reservation birth. 

 

“We have already made significant progress such as building kennels, providing food and vaccines, as well as purchasing tarps to protect the dogs from 100-degree temperatures,” said Sunny Aris, Director of AVNM. “But, there are still several dogs that need rescue relief.

 

AVNM encourages donors to participate in their campaign to match BISSELL Pet Foundation’s $7,500 grant. To make a contribution to assist with the ongoing rescue, sheltering, medical and other care expenses, visit AnimalVillageNM.org.

 
About ANIMAL VILLAGE NM: 
AnimalVILLAGENM is a private 501(c)(3), no-kill, all-breed, life-saving shelter and adoption center. Since our establishment in 2010, we have rescued over 1,300 dogs and cats of all ages. Innocent pets are continuously abandoned to municipal animal control facilities with low live exit rates. Often found in hoards, abusive residences and puppy mills, they come to us skittish, frightened and confused. AVNM regularly rescues mature dogs, knowing that behavioral challenges in abandoned, older pets are all too common. Mature dogs are often untrained, unsocialized and have likely been chained, starved or abused. Pets with this wretched background often require years to become home-ready. We work tirelessly, yet successfully, to find suitable homes for cats and dogs.

About BISSELL Pet Foundation: 
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, microchipping and foster care. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Homecare, Inc. Up to $10 for every pet product purchased helps fund the foundation’s mission. 

About BISSELL Homecare, Inc. 
For more than 140 years, BISSELL Homecare, Inc. has developed innovative floor care solutions that make cleaning up after families and pets easier. BISSELL supplies households across the globe with many products that are specifically engineered with pet families in mind; offering solutions for stains, odors, pet shedding and accidents for those who love their pets, but not the mess. For more on the complete line of BISSELL products, visit www.bissell.com.