Tuesday, NOVEMBER 18, 2025 |
Photo – Saratoga Town Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo
A local nonprofit dog rescue has raised funds to build a new animal shelter for the Saratoga Police Department.
During the August 19th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Police Chief John Moore announced plans to build a new kennel near the town’s dog park at West Walnut Avenue and South 5th Street. Chief Moore said the existing kennel is old and requires extensive repairs. The new facility will feature eight separate cages with a center work area. The police chief said Must Love Dogs Sanctuary, a local nonprofit animal rescue, will help raise funds for the project.
On Thursday, Must Love Dogs Sanctuary founder, Theresa Manley announced on social media that the nonprofit had raised over $22,000, over half of the estimated $40,000 construction cost.
Manley explained that Must Love Dogs Sanctuary was founded three years ago, after the Saratoga Police Department picked up a dog she had hoped to adopt. The animal did not get along with her own dogs, so she helped place it with another owner. Although Manley offered to cover the cost of spaying, the new owner declined, and the dog was later brough back to the police department expecting puppies.
After that incident, Manley established her nonprofit animal rescue.
Around the same time, Manley began talking with then‑Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris about replacing the town’s dilapidated stray dog kennel. Rather than construct another basic structure, Manley proposed building a facility to rival the Rochelle Animal Shelter in Rawlins.
Manley said then‑Chief Mike Morris and current Chief John Moore agreed the town needed a larger, better‑equipped shelter and asked her to help raise half of the $40,000 construction cost.
After three years, Manley secured her share of the funding, with a significant portion coming from Old Baldy Club members, who contributed $7,000 during August’s Embrace the Valley fundraiser at Brush Creek Ranch.
The Bruce and Beth White Family Foundation agreed to match those funds dollar for dollar. Bank of Commerce, Union Wireless, and Karen Youngberg also contributed. Manley said every donation, no matter how small, helped push the project past its goal.
While the design has not been finalized, the new shelter will be twice as large as the existing kennel, with a fenced area and utility hookups. Manley said its location at the Saratoga dog park will give volunteers space to exercise the animals.
Town employees are expected to begin construction this season, but the concrete foundation must be poured by an outside contractor. Because of the weather, that work is unlikely to take place until next spring. Once the facility is complete, the Saratoga Police Department will oversee daily operations, while Must Love Dogs Sanctuary recruits volunteers. Manley requested continued financial support from the community.
Checks can be mailed to Must Love Dogs Sanctuary at PO Box 517 in Saratoga or deposited into the rescue’s account at the Saratoga branch of Rawlins National Bank. We will also include a link to the Must Love Dogs Sanctuary PayPal account in this story when it is posted to the Bigfoot99 website later today.
Manley said the community’s generosity is truly inspiring, and thanks to that support, the dream of building a new animal shelter in Saratoga is becoming a reality.
Must Love Dogs Sanctuary PayPal: PayPal.Me
