Lisa tells us, “I’ve been a volunteer with Clatsop Animal Assistance (CAA) for three years. I started volunteering shortly after my two dogs, who were 13 and 15, passed away from old age within a short time of each other. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have any canine companions. I missed them so much, but I wasn’t ready to adopt again. Instead, I threw myself into my new role as a dog walker at the shelter. The sense of community, the physical work, and taking care of 25+ dogs in need helped me work through the grief and heal.

I always worried I wouldn’t make a good volunteer—either I’d want to take all the dogs home or wouldn’t be able to handle the heartache. And yes, there are emotional ups and downs, but the rewards definitely outweigh the tough moments. I’ve learned that there’s someone for every dog; it just takes patience and time. Since our shelter space is limited, we rely on fosters to help when we’re full, or when animals need extra care. That’s how my fostering journey started.

My first foster was an 8-week-old puppy named Mabel, who came to us all by herself and was too young to be in the shelter alone. I brought her home with the plan to foster her temporarily, but that lasted about a month before my husband and I adopted her. Then came Miloh. He was struggling at the shelter, but when we took him on off-site field trips, he showed his true colors—he was great in public, an awesome hiking companion, and just an all-around good boy. Unfortunately, that wasn’t obvious in the kennel where his anxiety was overwhelming him. Shepherd/husky mixes, like Miloh, often need more physical and mental stimulation than what we can offer with our limited shelter resources. We fostered him to give him a break, and the time he needed to find a home, but he quickly became Mabel’s loving big brother.

My final foster fail (and yes, I mean final!) was Gideon, another husky mix. He was completely shut down in the shelter, terrified of strangers, and had stopped eating and drinking. He needed a stable home and a pack to help him heal, so we took him in. I never imagined having three dogs, but now I can’t imagine life without them. These dogs are our family and we take them on all of our adventures.

Even with three of our own, my husband and I still make time for the shelter dogs. Somehow, we’ve found balance in caring for them all, and I can honestly say my heart is full. And when the day comes, far in the future, when we have to say goodbye, I know there will always be more to love.”

~ Lisa, Bryan, Mabel, Miloh, & Gideon

“Clarence was born in the Clatsop County Animal Shelter in October of 2020. At the time he was called Mike. He was one of 11 puppies. Clarence is part Great Pyrenees and part Anatolian Shepherd. He is bred to act independently, to guard livestock and to sound a ferocious, deep alarm when intruders encroach on his property.

We travelled from Colorado to pick Clarence up in February, 2021. He was a big puppy, very cuddly, but also very curious and a little reserved. Day by day he became more trusting and settled into his new home. We took frequent walks into town to help Clarence appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of the other people and dogs. We also took him to puppy classes. These really helped him relax.

We don’t own livestock, but we do live on 40 acres with horses. Clarence enjoys our two daily walks around the property boundary, and lounging outside surveying the horizon. He’s not sure what to make of the horses and he sometimes tries to get them to play, but they ignore him. But Clarence is primarily a family dog, spending most of his time lounging around the house with his sister, an eight-year-old Bulldog, and his brother, a ten-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog. Now fully grown, Clarence weighs about 165 pounds, by far the largest dog we’ve owned, and we’ve owned some large ones. Fortunately, he’s so large that he isn’t comfortable staying on our bed when we’re trying to sleep.

As dogs go, Clarence is one of the most challenging and interesting dogs I’ve ever lived with. He’s not like a lot of dogs that automatically seek your approval. It may sound strange, but he is more thoughtful and independent about situations than most dogs, and you need to build a relationship and earn his respect before he will consider you a close friend. He’s not mean at all, just aloof and observant. But once you gain his friendship, he is very cuddly and playful, and a little dopey. “

Dewey is having the best life in his new home, where he gets to go to work with his mom and spend time playing with her friends’ dogs. Judith tells us, “I really think Dewey has taken a liking to me. He stares so deeply at me all the time and he wants to go everywhere with me. My entire staff gives him so much love when I bring him to the restaurant. He has made some really good doggy friends. He has got to be next to me and snuggle with me all the time. I have been working really hard to try and understand his personality and temperament.”

“I didn’t know how much I needed him. Isn’t that the way it always is?”

Dewey was a favorite at the shelter and we are all VERY happy for him. Thank you, Judith!