July 30, 2026

Two months ago today, I said goodbye to my beloved twelve and a half year old yellow lab, Aspen. Losing him triggered a cascade of events that led me to create this fundraiser in his honor. I hope you'll join me in this effort to improve the quality of life for dogs in the shelter awaiting their forever homes.

That cascade of events led me to walking through the halls of the Gwinnett County animal shelter (The Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center). There I saw the majority of the kennels had hard plastic platform “beds”, some with rough grooves in them presumably from chewing or scratching. Most of the dogs resting in those kennels were curled up on the hard concrete floor. The only couple of dogs I found resting in relaxed positions were some of the few that had Kuranda type beds in their kennels. After caring for a senior dog who developed arthritis, providing him every comfort I could, it was heartbreaking to see so many dogs with only hard concrete and plastic to sleep on. They are there through no fault of their own and deserve more.

Your donation today will be used to purchase Kuranda beds for dogs in the Gwinnett County shelter. A dog that has a comfortable bed can relax and is less likely to succumb to kennel stress, which can cause several anxiety-fueled behaviors like pacing and barking, shutting down, or even aggression. Sadly, this can happen to the best of dogs after days in a shelter and can then become a barrier to adoption, resulting in even longer shelter stays or worse. Providing Kuranda beds helps prevent kennel stress, provides physical and emotional comfort, and reduces stress on joints. Happy and comfortable dogs look like they belong at home and get adopted first!

(Six year old Nana (#117186) waiting for her forever home. Look her up on the shelter website.)

Aspen wasn’t an official mascot, but he was by my side when I took people out on stewardship hikes and trail maintenance days with the Forest Service, where volunteers logged hundreds of hours taking care of and improving our public lands. I can’t think of a better way to continue our tradition of stewardship than to direct my energy towards helping dogs that need it the most. Since his passing, I’ve been able to donate hundreds of dollars worth of food and medicine to shelter and rescue organizations. Help me continue this spirit of giving by donating today! Collectively we can make a big impact to support the dogs at the Gwinnett County animal shelter.

With much gratitude,

Jessica

Aspen’s Mom

Suggested donation amounts:

$276--- Sentinmental value: US 276 (Pisgah Hwy), the route that led to many of our greatest adventures.

$135---Buys a bed!

$27---Five people donate and buy a bed. Community in action!

Every little bit helps, please give what you can!

(Stewardship hike on the Toccoa w/ Aspen.)