By Britney Wallesch, Executive Director
Last week during what was surely the hundred-thousandth virtual meeting of the year, I asked our board members to spend some time reflecting on the successes of 2020. In a year plagued by, well, the plague - and politics, and social unrest, and toilet paper shortages, it seemed difficult to find and remember the bright spots.
But as our group reflected on what success at BDAR looked like in a year where transport options were limited and fundraising felt both inappropriate and impossible, it turns out that we have an extraordinary lot to celebrate and be thankful for. I and several others left that meeting in tears, overcome with joy and gratitude for the work we’ve accomplished together this year. Work which, as always, could not be done without the help and support of our amazing community.
The list is too great not to share some of it with all of you. Here are the highlights:
Financial solvency - sure this may not be the fuzziest happy thing, but when so many small businesses and nonprofits are struggling to stay afloat, our fiscal responsibility and planning have allowed us to weather this crisis without reducing services, laying anyone off, or reducing hours. We modified our budget early on and are on track to finish the year strong.
Establishment of an endowment fund - this permanent fund will help ensure we are around for many decades to come and gives savvy, long-term donors an option to ensure perpetuity of their bequests and major gifts.
Many individual unique animal rescues and success stories - Some of our favorites:
Providing foster care for some large, young hounds who were confiscated from a cruelty case as puppies. Due to the prolonged case, the puppies were forced to be raised in the animal shelter and by the time they could be adopted out, they were adolescent and had never lived in a home. The dogs were adopted after living for a time with foster care volunteers and are thriving in their new homes.
German shepherd mix Sage was running loose outside Douglas, Wyoming for weeks until a couple of our volunteers trapped her. No owner came forward and she was adopted after several weeks spent recuperating from her ordeal.
Senior lab mix Maya was also running loose in Carbon County. Local officials caught her but after a year in foster care she was transferred here. She was adopted two weeks later.
Alumni Sushi, a young female cat with siamese markings, won reserve Grand Champion at this year’s county fair.
Eugene and Lucy, catahoula mixes, were brought to a local veterinarian by their owner for euthanasia as the owner was moving into assisted living and could no longer care for them. Luckily, the veterinarian reached out for help instead. Young Lucy was overweight and wild. She went to our PACK program where she acquired some manners and basic training. Upon her graduation she was a lean, muscular dog ready for a lifetime of adventures. Both dogs were quickly adopted and immensely loved in their new homes.
For the first time in our history, we had more than a dozen bottle babies, both kittens and puppies, in foster care at once. All but one puppy survived and were adopted.
Provision of COVID-19 resources for pet owners - within just a few weeks of the pandemic, our team launched an online resource with facts and guidelines for pet owners. The site continues to serve as a local resource with reliable information.
Innovative fundraising - we were the first in Laramie County to host a virtual 5k, which saw more registrations than our old in-person race and helped to raise more than $5,000. The first annual WyoGives day helped to raise money for nonprofits across the state. We were second statewide for the total amount raised and first for the number of individual donors!
2021 Drag and Rescue calendar - It’s been our tradition for several years to partner with others in the community for this annual fundraiser. But this year’s partnership with Wyoming Equality is a particular masterpiece. Get yours soon, they are nearly sold out!
And of course - so many facility improvements! - There are too many partners to name here, but suffice it to say that as we add to and develop our building to provide better services for more pets, we are continuously awed by those who step up to make it possible. Some projects completed this year include repairing and replacing parts of our roof, improving drainage and mitigating flood risk, installing air conditioning, and of course, a complete makeover for Kitty City!
Whew! When taken altogether, there really is a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. Like nearly everyone else, our staff and volunteers had to be flexible and adapt to the rapidly changing work conditions. From working remotely to developing new protocols for intakes, adoptions, transports, pet pantry, and more - I’m proud to say we never once had to close due to illness.
On a personal note, I got to foster some really amazing dogs. I’d lost some of my own pack late last year and was slow to open my heart and home again. But mid-way through the summer I brought home the first foster in a while and was reminded again of what a special experience that can be. Hundreds of foster dogs and two decades of fostering might lead you to think that it gets routine, but it rarely does. Each one unique and precious, each story profound, each subsequent adoption a celebration. My recent foster dog Cali has already brought such joy to her family that they just came back today, barely a month later, and adopted a second dog. Every act has a ripple effect.
This Thanksgiving, it seems especially important to practice gratitude for the opportunities and work available to us and for the relationships which sustain us. Reflecting in this way helps to remind me that even though we have all been forced to change, adapt, and be patient - compassion always has a place. And when we give it space, only good will come of it.
Thank you all for your continued support, your strength, your generosity and open hearts. I am grateful for your health, and for the continued health of our team at BDAR, our volunteers, and this community. Together, we continue to shape a better future for our pets and their families.
“Compassion binds us to one another - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” - Nelson Mandela
