My husband and I spent last week in Kanab, UT, home to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The tiny town plays host to 9000 shelter volunteers yearly, and it's no wonder-It was the experience of a lifetime. The shelter is home to about 1,700 animals on 33,000 acres in Angel Canyon. To call this place beautiful is an understatement.
At Best Friends, volunteers participate in a quick orientation, and can sign up to help in one of several animal care areas. We signed up to work in Dogtown, after seeing so many of the pups on the National Geographic show. We started out Monday morning walking dogs through the dusty trails in Dogtown Heights (a gated community).
The first dog they gave us was Kayden (right), a young pitty mix with some wariness around men. They asked my husband to start walking him, and by the time we made it to the dog park, it was a love connection. The boys were chasing each other, playing ball, sharing hugs. While the little guy was definitely unsure about men, he warmed up quickly, offering up lots of play-bows, snuggling up to his new friend for lots of petting and affection, even giving a few face licks in return.
The fun didn't stop there. When Kayden's turn was over, we walked Esme (or tried to as she scarfed down juniper berries on the trail), Valentino and others. We walked, we petted, we watched as beautiful clouds drifted through the clear Utah sky, and Jack Rabbits leaped from shrub to shrub. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch.
Which brings me to the delicious vegetarian buffet and the view from the cafeteria patio. No kidding, this is the view, overlooking Horse Haven:
After lunch, we hopped aboard a shuttle bus (yes, the sanctuary is that big!) to tour Cat World, Wild Friends and more. We met some lovely felines enjoying the sun, waiting for some unfortunate cricket to come into their fully screened patio.
Once the tour was done, we headed back into downtown Kanab, (home to two streetlights, a delicious bakery, and lots of great food)
to look around and catch our breath. We saw a few Sanctuary dogs out there too, as they get to go on outings and overnights with volunteers lucky enough to have dog friendly rooms. Most of the local restaurants had dog friendly patios, and it was common to hear, "Is that your dog, or a sanctuary dog?" or "Is that ___? I walked him yesterday!". So nice to see the city supporting the shelter in such a positive way!
We took a day or so away from the sanctuary to visit the Grand Canyon (which had snow and 40 mph winds!) and Zion National Park. But both of us were antsy to get back to DogTown. Wednesday morning we asked if we could go walk some "purple collar dogs" up in Old DogTown, meaning we wanted to walk some of the pups that might need a bit more experienced handlers. ("red collars" are for staff only, and "green" are for all volunteer levels.)
The first dog I was assigned to was Trapper Don, a polite dog that seemed uneasy when I tried to pet him gently. The handler told me he was a Katrina Dog, which nearly stopped me in my tracks. It surprised me that there are still pets living homeless after the disaster, six years later. It was a humbling experience, but not to be short lived. I walked several more dogs that day that were Katrina Survivors. Jager, in particular, sticks in my mind. Her high energy and agility tricked me into thinking she was a young girl, but she's an older girl that was been bounced between rescues before landing safely at Best Friends, none the worse for wear.
Then there were Bosley and Palmer, run mates that look out for each other throughout the walk, Shannon, Timon, and Dixie. I hope I can manage to remember every one of these dogs, and the way their resiliency has touched me.
And, while I know I'm going to tear up again, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about our visit to Angel's Rest. As Best Friend's makes a life-long commitment to each animal in their care, it occasionally means saying good-bye. Pets that pass over the rainbow bridge are laid to rest here, where staff, volunteers and friends can come place a stone or token of love on their marker. It was truly a moving moment for me to stand in the middle of the cemetery, seeing thousands of tiny glass marbles, toys, and treats carefully placed, alongside notes to the pets. Each and every marker had something placed on it, meaning each and every pet had had someone to look out for them. While these pets may be homeless, they were certainly not without "family". Just thinking about the peaceful song of the dozens of windchimes hovering above them is bringing back the emotion for me now...so I'll move on.
I know you're ready to take a trip to Best Friends to meet the dogs, cats, horses, and pigs there. So here's what you need to know:
- Start by creating a volunteer profile and you can arrange a volunteer schedule with a coordinator. You can volunteer mornings, afternoons, or both, for as many days as you want during your stay. Volunteer shifts do book up though, so you'll want to sign up in advance.
- Best Friends is about 4 scenic hours outside of Las Vegas, and about 6 south of Salt Lake city. You can stay in cabins on site (book early!) or in town. We stayed at the lovely Quail Park Lodge, which does offer dog friendly rooms.
- You'll be hungry after your shifts, so I strongly recommend you get the Deep Dish Enchilada dinner at Rocking V Cafe in town.
- The national parks nearby are almost too numerous. We hit the Grand Canyon and Zion (both could be a half-day or full day trip) but Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon will be our adventures next time. Entrance fees apply, and you'll want to make sure you wear appropriate outdoor wear and walking or hiking shoes.
P.S. Don't think we forgot about Kayden and his puppy play-bows! While our house is at dog capacity now, we promised ourselves that if Kayden is still adoptable when a slot opens up, we'll be in touch! In the meantime,we'll be sending him love across the miles.
