Help us get a cargo van to evacuate our old dogs

Our sanctuary, The Old Mutt Hut, is located in rural El Paso County, Colorado. In recent days, three prairie fires have erupted not far from us. There are certain to be more, as the winter drought is continuing and the spring winds are unusually fierce this year. Most of the dogs, like Lexi, our 11-year-old bloodhound, are large. We can't fit them all into our caregiver's SUV. We need a cargo van. We've been searching all week and expect to pay $25,000, if we're lucky, for one that is seven to 10 years old.

For those of you who haven't met us on Facebook, The Old Mutt Hut is a sanctuary for old dogs who have wound up homeless. We have a large house with a 24/7 caregiver, several sofas for dogs to lounge upon, two decks so they can gaze out across the prairie, and we provide top-notch medical care as well as bushels of love. The dogs are not crated or put in kennels; they meander through the house and in the play yard, and they sometimes choose to nap together. Volunteers provide love and walks along country roads, and they help with fundraising efforts.