Help Dawn & The Doggie Den survive!!

There are people you meet on this journey that come & go...then there are people that stick it out (for the Dogs!) no matter what. Dawn, her family & their crew at The Doggie Den are the latter. I can honestly say, there is no one else like Dawn Rivas, she puts EVERYONE else first..every single day. But most important to her are her Family & the Dogs in her care (all homeless or rescued of some sort). Ive never known Dawn to ask anyone for help, so I butted in (shocking!) & asked if I could do it for her. I was given her blessing! Thank Dog (Dawn is incredibly stubborn!) because friends...Dawn needs our help & she needs it now. Please contribute what you can, SHARE with your friends (email, msg, text them the link - you never know & it all adds up!) Please continue to read for lots more info... or you can just stop here, donate & pass it along :) THANK YOU!!

 

Dawns generosity & kindness over the years seems to have worked out great for everyone...except for Dawn :( Local Rescues in our community, Shelters & others in need. Veterans & truck drivers going into the hospital, family pets whose homes have burned down, animal victims of domestic violence who have had to flee for their lives & many others for whom there are no funds but have nowhere else to go - these are the ones (just to name a few) that Dawns giant heart has sheltered over the years, asking for nothing in return. So much goes on behind the scenes in Rescue - truly its mindboggling! The Doggie Den (boarding & grooming) has taken a major hit over the past year & a half (thx COVID mandatory business & travel shut downs & thanks to those that have taken advantage). It is time for Dawn to make a MAJOR transitional shift, now IS the time. Seriously, she needs to put her samity & longevity first to ensure she can continue to help & Its OUR turn to give back. Dawn is a good Human who has given so selflessly to all of us AND OUR DOGS for so many years.

 

Thats where we all come in & why I started this GoFundMe! & let me just say here....IF YOU OWE THE DOGGIE DEN MONEY FOR BOARDING PLEASE PAY IT NOW! I know of one group that owes $35k (yes, thirty five thousand dollars) & that is just unacceptable. But again, she wont put those Dogs on the street (well, not until December anyway when she has no choice because she can no longer pay the rent, make the needed upgrades/repairs, nor sign a new, more expensive lease).

 

Dawn needs accessible funds in order to achieve the following goals QUICKLY: Please give.

 

1) Finish building all weather, safe & secure kennels at her home residence (properly zoned & permitted by the County) so she can continue to provide a loving, secure temporary place for a limited # of (paying!) Rescue Dogs. There will be 24/7 care by a paid caretaker & Dawn will be able to spend more 1:1 time with the Dogs once they are on her own personal property (owned by Dawn, no landlord!) & thats a plus for everyone! Theyve been working their butts off at home getting the location ready....& its time to finish the build before it gets too cold. All kennels will have (heated/cooled) indoor areas w drainage built in, individual outdoor access & seperate play yards to rotate through during the day.

THIS IS CRITICAL FOR RESCUE DOGS WHO HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

For real, if we were to lose Dawn as a temp option completely, it will cost us all dearly. Dawn has a way with the Dogs that are a little "extra", like no other kennel owner I know. She passes these standards onto her staff. Their service is truly a gift & should be treated as such. The Dogs know it...thats why they do so good in her care.

 

2) The Doggie Den lease is up in December & Dawn will be going MOBILE with her grooming services!! Let me emphasize what a blessing Dawns grooming services are - she has a way with the scared babies, the extra matted, stinky & first time bath babies...better than anyone. She is already working with a seller, who has agreed to hold their fully converted mobile grooming unit for her while she secures the balance & picks it up. This is a VERY COOL van & I, for one, cant wait for her to get mobile & leave the stress of the building behind her. As always, Dawn will continue to make the Rescue Dogs a priority, as she has done for so long for many groups, donating much of her time - NMDOG, Animal Humane NM, Bernalillo County Animal Care Services, Viva!, Siberian Husky Rescue NM, PACA, just to name a few. This is a win/win for everyone. I honestly dont know how Dawn has managed to hold it together for so long. But I am 100% positive she does it all for the LoVe of Dog.

 

3) Most of you probably dont know (Sorry Dawn, Ill ask for forgiveness later) Dawn has been dealing with multiple physical issues over the past few years. & for the most part.....you never hear her even mention it, much less complain. On top of the ulcers & tummy issues, 10 days or so ago, she had (a second) surgery on her forearm/elbow area...basically to rebuild her elbow from the damage done by grooming for 30yrs. Dawn powers through each day in pain most of the time, she also watches her grandkids, nieces & nephews while making sure her own (grown) kids & her sisters are all ok. A little over a year ago, her oldest daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer & has been undergoing treatment since. Earlier this year, they discovered metastasis & she underwent 911 brain surgery. Thankfully, precious Dymond is a fighter just like her Mama & she continues to kick cancers ass!! I am honored to know this whole family & they are all exceptional kids....that should tell you a lot about their Matriarch & the kind of person she is.

 

I have come here to humbly ask for your support in these efforts. Efforts to help Dawn bring it all together so she can continue to provide her invaluable services to the groups that deserve them & all of our adopted Dogs....for many years to come. Please consider a donation - whatever amount you are able to give will add up to make an incredible difference, just give something please = $1, $5, $20, $100, 1 million bucks!! Every cent will be spent to ensure many Dogs in need continue to have a good place to go until they can move onto their next step & Dawn can continue giving to the rescue community through her mobile grooming services.

 

My name is Angela Stell, I run the local non profit NMDOG. Funds will be processed for this fundraiser through my personal bank account & all monies will then be issued to Dawn in the form of a personal check. Donations to this fundraiser are not associated with NMDOG & are not tax deductible. I nominated Dawn for the KOB "Pay it Forward" award, but have not heard anything back. I was hoping they would award Dawn with $400 for all of her good deeds! Instead, I decided to kick off this fundraiser with a $400 donation of my own. I quit smoking this year & have been saving my cigarette money since...BOOM!

I cant think of a better splurge, she certainly deserves it.

I challenge each of you to splurge in your own way too!!

Do it for Dawn, do it for the Dogs....I double DOG dare you!!

 

Please SHARE this GoFundMe everywhere, thank you!