Safe Haven To Hold Annual Open House & Adopter Reunion October 8th

SHAS will be hosting our Annual Open House & 3rd Annual Adopter Reunion on Sunday, October 8th from noon-4:00p.m. at the sanctuary. Admission is free and all are welcome. There will be food, refreshments and tours of the sanctuary, where our adoptable cats and dogs reside. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome. A group photo of past adopters and their pets will be taken at 1:30p.m. The sanctuary is located at 6890 Eagle Road in Las Cruces. If you need directions or have any questions, please call 575-805-5338. Please make plans to come out to the sanctuary, we would love to see you!

Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Ellen Flesher, a volunteer at the Safe Haven Thrift Store, where she has been donating her time for 8 years. Ellen works in the back of the store sorting donations and filling out receipts for the wonderful people who donate to the animals of Safe Haven. Ellen previously had two therapy dogs and wanted to do more for the animals of our community, so she decided to help by volunteering her time to benefit the animals of SHAS. Ellen is a big believer in the SHAS mission and the fact that we are a no-kill shelter. According to Ellen, “our sanctuary is just fabulous!”. She also appreciates that everyone she works with at the store is fun and friendly. Ellen has lived in Las Cruces for 16 years, and while she does not currently have any dogs, she has lots of turtles. She retired from the telephone company after 27 years and worked in security for Target for 11 years. Ellen has a son, daughter-in-law and three granddaughters in Las Cruces, two daughters in Clovis and a son in Midland, TX. When Ellen is not volunteering her time to Safe Haven, she can be found exercising, hot air ballooning, going to concerts and traveling. Ellen says she “loves our United States and wants to see more of it!”.

An Adoption Update From Mickey

By Mickey Franke (SHAS alumnus)

More than ten months ago, my life changed forever: I was adopted. Now, I am not going to write a sob story about my time at Safe Haven. Though you can’t claim your own person or live indoors there, the grubb isn’t bad, and if you really work it, volunteers dole out treats and take turns walking you. Actually, scoring treats and attention was easier for me. See, I have only one eye, so when I cock my head and fold down one ear, I bark “I am vulnerable.” Admittedly, it works better with the women.

Maybe this is why I traveled to most of the off site adoption events and secured kisses, treats, massages, pony break walks, etc. Of course, all the dogs enjoy special treatment from their favorite adoption event volunteers, but my experiences go back years to original staff: Laura, Mina, Pam S., Brenda and Marsha. I do recall Marsha always loving on me, but I definitely smelled three other dogs on her. Too much competition to enter that pack. Then, something shifted. No longer did I detect a male dog scent on her. Fast forward to Christmas Adoption Event 2016, I wagged my way out of SHAS and into my forever home. Maybe it was that jingle bell collar Laura placed on me, but Marsha scooped me up, and off I traveled to the Organ Mountains and my forever home. Life is sweeter now: my own comfy bed, big yard, sofa for TV, grass fed beef (occasionally) and two female dogs (one big, one little). When that big lab nuzzles me, my past stretches farther and father away. However, my pet parent and I endured a period of adjustment.

Apparently, that male dog who used to live here rarely misbehaved. Come on. Didn’t he ever mark in the house? Or hump the females, Mocha and Mya? Puleeze! I guess that dog never killed anything either. After I snatched a baby rat, Marsha shook me to release it, but I just chewed faster and swallowed. Afterwards, she would not let me cuddle with her, but kept muttering something about my baby rat breath. She even buried the other baby rat, the one I did not get to. In a little white case, no less, go figure. Can you say neurotic? Am I a rat terrier/chihuahua or what?

Just when my pet parent thought she could leave me unattended in the yard, she caught me climbing our chain link fence in pursuit of the neighbors’ three male dogs. Now, those rescue dogs need an intervention. They attacked us through the fence, growling and spoiling for a fight. Ask Mocha, she never lies. Nevertheless, Marsha plucks me from the fence and herds me into the house, bemoaning my escape artistry. In time I will earn her trust.

Despite my age and hers, my pet parent and I have grown in love, trust and understanding. I am the only dog she totes to Yappy Hour. I get to meet and sniff other dogs; she gets to sip white wine and chill with friends. Sometimes, I get to nibble on salami from the cheese nosh. Of course, the event champions dogs like me, so we can all find forever homes.

To all my furry friends at Safe Haven, I send my cuddles, barks and licks. A special shout out to Trey, my former kennel mate. A warm woof to all who work or volunteer for SHAS, donate or support the thrift store. You make my story breathe life.