June 19, 2024 |
Photo – Charlie is on the pavement and Toby is in the room – Courtesy Rawlins Rochelle Animal Shelter
Rawlins animal control officers are encouraging people to adopt one of the many dogs housed in the city’s animal shelter.
The Rawlins-Rochelle Animal Shelter contains seven dogs and 12 cats. Animal Control Officer Roberto Valdes said roughly three weeks ago, the shelter received an older pit-bull mix. Valdes affectionately calls the dog Mama because it’s clear that she’s had puppies in the past. The animal control officer said Mama was abandoned at the TA Travel Center on Higley Boulevard. Despite being jumpy around other dogs, Valdes said Mama is very affectionate towards people.
Valdes said aside from a few physical signs of her age, you would never know that Mama is as old as she is. The animal control officer said if he could, he would adopt the dog himself.
In April, Bigfoot99 spotlighted two other dogs in the Rawlins Animal Shelter: Bandit and Toby. Valdez said Bandit, a 15-year-old Australian Sheepdog mix, was taken by a senior dog rescue in Jackson Hole. Toby, however, is still at the shelter. Valdez said the 4-year-old pit bull requires a very specific type of owner.
Toby has been at the shelter for two years. Valdez said Toby is very sweet once he gets to know a person, but he has a very strong protective instinct.
Valdez also wanted to bring attention to another dog at the shelter named Charlie. The animal control officer said Charlie is a shy, but affectionate eight-year-old Catahoula Hound mix.
Back at the beginning of April, Bigfoot99 featured a story about Charlie. At the time, Charlie’s caretaker Cindy Kessler asked someone to adopt the dog before she had to give him up.
No one adopted Charlie, forcing Kessler to relinquish the dog to the town. Rawlins Animal Control Officer Valdez said because Saratoga doesn’t have a long-term animal shelter, Charlie ended up in Rawlins. Despite being a little skittish at first, Valdez said Charlie quickly warms up to new people.
Valdez said Charlie has a benign fatty tumor called a lipoma on his right shoulder. The animal control officer asked for donations to get Charlie the surgery he needs to have the lipoma removed.
On top of the seven dogs currently housed in the Rawlins-Rochelle Animal Shelter, nine more are enrolled in the Cage to Save Program at the Wyoming State Penitentiary. Dogs in the Cage to Save Program are trained in basic obedience by specially vetted prison inmates. The animals are also spayed and neutered, and up to date on their shots. Valdez said the prisoners teach the dogs very well.
For more information about Mama, Toby, Charlie, or any of the other animals at the Rawlins-Rochelle Animal Shelter, call 328-4534 Monday through Friday between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00pm. Adoption fees are $25 for cats and $40 for dogs.
