A Thank You Message from Sandy and Doug:

Doug and I would like to send our heartfelt THANK YOU to all who gave so generously in our time of need. We are incredibly overwhelmed, uplifted, blessed, and humbled by the outpouring of love and support we have received from family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and total strangers. We are both very private people, and this fundraising and private support has brought both of us to tears. These funds and gifts are very helpful during the initial recovery and have greatly reduced our stress level.

We are still sifting through the ashes and slowly moving out of our travel trailer to a nearby rental house. After 9 days, we were able to find the remains of our furkids and find closure through their burial. We remain grateful to our neighbors and the firemen for saving and protecting our other dogs that were close to the house.

Fortunately, we have insurance and can build a home again, but material costs have recently skyrocketed (everyone needs to ensure they are not underinsured considering today’s skyrocketing home construction costs). Although no one can ever be made whole after something like this, we are working to get a nice modular home on site and hope to return to a semblance of normality within 9 months to a year.

We plan to repay your generosity by paying it forward to others, especially in the dog community, that find themselves in need.

Again, we offer a humble thank you to all of you.

Sandy and Doug Russell

“She gave the world her dogs, now she needs us.”

On September 4, 2025, Sandy and Doug Russell suffered a devastating loss. While Sandy was 4 hours away at a dog show, and Doug, who had been at home, was at the grocery store, their house exploded in flames and burned to the ground! The house continued to smolder and burn for 5 days. Even more heartbreaking was the loss of 11 precious dogs that were inside the house – a litter of 6-week-old dachshund puppies, 3 Malinois, including a 9-month-old puppy, and 2 older dachshunds! Within an hour of Doug having left for groceries, the roof had collapsed. They now face the overwhelming task of rebuilding from scratch.

Along with the loss of their cherished dogs, they have lost a lifetime of irreplaceable memories – family photo albums, hundreds of dachshund figurines and other dachshund items, original artwork, antiques, their mothers’ recipes and cookbooks, and Doug’s grandmother’s handmade quilt.

Sandy is a beloved breeder and mentor in the Dachshund community. She has spent decades breeding and showing miniature smooth and longhair dachshunds, especially piebalds, of which she produced the first piebald smooth champions. Her dogs have earned titles in multiple events, including conformation, field trials and agility, and she is a field trial judge. She also showed her Malinois, and her sweet 9-month-old had a bright future.

Now, Sandy and Doug need our help to rebuild their lives. If you have ever been touched by one of Duchwood’s dogs—or by Sandy’s kindness and dedication—please consider donating. This fundraiser will go toward covering immediate essentials, expenses for dogs that were not in the house, and replacement of items not covered by insurance. Every contribution makes a real difference!

Thank you for helping Doug and Sandy through this incredibly difficult time! Your support helps them get one step closer on the long road to rebuilding their lives and will help to bring some comfort knowing that so many care.