San Carlos Dog House Project

 “Rez dogs”, free-roaming pets of the San Carlos Apache reservation have been a part of tribal life for generations.

Pets on the Rez live outdoors year-round. Fences are uncommon and feeding times are inconsistent and irregular. The odds of survival for Rez dogs are slim. They
face the elements, wildlife in rural areas, moving traffic, the lack of food and
limited availability of water.

In recent decades, the Rez landscape has changed. And with these changes, new
threats. Rabid wildlife, contagious diseases, polluted lands, tick infestations, and
an increasing poverty level in an already struggling population. There is also a lack of animal care options for loving pet owners. The San Carlos Apache Reservation
is an animal resource desert:

·       No veterinarians

·       No pet supply stores

·       No groomers

·       No animal welfare infrastructure.

A group of San Carlos women want to make the lives of San Carlos animals better. The Geronimo Animal Rescue Team (GART) was founded in 2016 by a group of female community members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. GART’s mission is to improve the lives of animals living in San Carlos by providing education on pet and animal care, assist with veterinary needs, and help find foster, transportation, and adoption for animals in need. GART has identified the need to build approximately 400 dog houses for the pets of the San Carlos Tribal area, and need YOUR help to make this a reality! 

A doghouse is a refuge:

·       Provides safety and refuge from the unrelenting summer sun, sparing dogs and puppies blisters and soreness of sunburn.

·       Provides protection against summer monsoons, lightening and driving rain and is a safe haven from the pain of hypothermia in the winter

·       Provides privacy for momma dogs to care for her pups and a warm place for them to grow big and strong.

Dog Houses Will Help Reduce Animal and Human Disease Risk

Ticks are everywhere on the San Carlos Tribal Community lands and COVID has exacerbated the tick problem in San Carlos. Visiting spay/neuter clinics have been suspended, numbers of stray and unwanted Rez dogs has spiraled, and resources have been allocated elsewhere to address more pressing issues.

Pets covered in ticks are more likely to contract Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), a bacterial disease that infects ticks. And infected ticks can infect pets, and people. In fact, the San Carlos Health Department determined that most cases of RMSF in humans are contracted from their pets. Left undiagnosed or untreated, RMSF can result in death, for both animals and humans. Importantly, however, the sequelae from RMSF can last for decades and cause devastating morbidity in individuals and communities where rates are high.

A doghouse creates a tick-safe zone:

·       Cedar is a natural repellant for ticks (and fleas). Cedarwood oil as a sealant is pet friendly and repels ticks

·       The design lifts the pet off the ground

·       The doghouse site is cleared of tall grasses, brush, and trash.

·       A pet protected from the elements inside a doghouse is not seeking relief in areas where ticks survive and thrive

GART ensures the project’s goals complement and align well with the tribe's traditional values and practices including:

·       Permission from tribal leadership

·       Approval of all public communications about the project to ensure the most appropriate, culturally sensitive dissemination of information about this work, the tribe, and their relationship to companion animals

·       Community sign-up for Phase I of the Project: Phase I is the pilot for the first 25 doghouses

Phase I aims to build 25 dog houses which will be transported and/or built on the reservation with assistance from the Project Team. The Project Team and GART will work closely with the pet owners to evaluate the effectiveness of the original pet house design. Based on the pilot outcomes, the design may be modified for Phase II to meet the challenges of the Rez conditions.

Phase II of the project will begin following feedback on the dog house design. Dog houses will be built on a rolling basis of 10-20 dog houses at a time, so that community members are served as quickly as funds allow.

A One Piece of Plywood Solution

The dog houses we will build as a part of this project use just one sheet of plywood! Insulation will provide protection from both the summer and winter elements and will sit off the ground to protect it from moisture. We have chosen a design that is cost-effective, practical, and easy to build.

Your Donation

Every dollar donated for this project will go to purchase supplies for the dog houses and to transport those supplies to the San Carlos Tribal community. This goal is ambitious, but so very possible with your support.  The pets of San Carlos need you! Please step up and make a donation of any size today to help us make the world a little bit brighter for San Carlos Rez Dogs and the humans who love them!

Thank you!