Rosalie, a dog from the Espanola Valley Humane Society, joined runners and walkers at the 26th Annual Dog Jog April 28. Rosalie was a big hit with both humans and other dogs. She is still available to go to a loving home. Courtesy photo
BY WENDEE BRUNISH
Chair
Los Alamos Dog Jog 2023
The wind held off until most of the runners and walkers and their eager dogs completed the 26th Annual Dog Jog on April 29. This year’s Dog Jog raised over $17,000 for Friends of Shelter and Companion Animals. Friends of Shelter and Companion Animals (FOSCA) is a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to abandoned animals and to pets and their owners in northern New Mexico. Our catastrophic care program pays for veterinary care for sick or injured animals that have no owners or whose owners cannot afford the treatment. Our spay/neuter program provides grants to our partner organizations, including the Espanola Valley Humane Society and the McKinley County Animal Shelter so that they can provide low- or no-cost spay/neuter services to their clients. FOSCA also encourages responsible pet ownership and promotes adoption of shelter animals through education and outreach.
We would like to thank our top sponsors this year, Ridgeview Veterinary Hospital, and Pet Pangaea, and our other major sponsors, Jeremy Campbell/Ameriprise, Blue Window Bistro, and Kristy Ortega/ReMax. We would like to thank our other sponsors, Century Bank, Lou Santoro State Farm Insurance, and Hartway & Breshears for making our event possible. We would also like to thank Los Alamos Doghouse LLC, Atomic City Roadrunners, Los Alamos Medical Center, and Arthur B. Montoya Jr., DDS, and for their donations. Prizes were generously provided by Pet Pangaea, The Running Hub of Santa Fe, and the Los Alamos Cooperative Market.
We are grateful to all the individuals and families who made a donation in order to have a dedication or memorial to friends or furry companions included on our t-shirt. And a special thank you to fifth-grader Alyssa Sanders who designed this year’s Dog Jog logo.
A special thanks to Marcus Kolman for requesting a shelter dog to run with, and to the Espanola Valley Humane Society for supplying awesome shelter dog Rosalie for Marcus to run with. Marcus and Rosalie made an awesome team and were first over the finish line. We hear that Rosalie is still looking for that perfect home so if you want a smart, beautiful, kid- and dog-friendly companion, please call EVHS at 505-753-8662 right away!
Finally, we would like to thank everyone who participated in our 17th Annual Dog Jog. Thank you for running or walking, thanks for bringing friends, family, kids, and dogs. Special thanks to the walkers and runners who ‘rented’ a shelter dog and allowed them to participate in the fun; they had a blast. Thanks for joining in our post-race prize ceremony and thanks for supporting Friends of Shelter and Companion Animals and our efforts to make life better for our less fortunate animal friends. We hope to see you again next year!
Sincerely,
Wendee Brunish
Chair, Los Alamos Dog Jog 2023