Spay & Neuter Win-Win

Photo of Tuff sticking his tongue out


One of the happy hazards of working at an animal shelter is being the first person to rescue and connect to an animal formerly living a vulnerable life. We met one of these humans, Colt, during a recent trip to Eagle Butte and let’s just say he tends to bring his work home with him!

Photo of Tuff and Cam Tuff wasn’t sure about kids when he first came home, but now he and Cam are thick as thieves.

Colt sees a lot of dogs and cats in his line of work, but one in particular turned him from rescuer to adopter. He remembers calling Meagan during a shift and saying, “There’s a really cute dog in here.”

Meagan immediately recognized the “persuasive” tone he was using as Colt continued with, “Just come see this dog. He’s just cute and he’d be a good dog for Cam.” Cam’s Head Start graduation was approaching and Colt thought a puppy would be a great surprise for a young boy moving onto the big school as a kindergartener.

Clearly the puppy captured Meagan’s heart as well and was soon welcomed into the family after Colt paid the required adoption fees. The pointy eared pup with four white socks, and a face of both black and white was named “Tuff."

Since Colt was the first person that Tuff bonded with back at the shelter, Tuff stuck pretty close to him — even sitting on his lap when they’d go for car rides.

Photo of Tuff laying beside Meagan The pointy eared pup with four white socks, and a face of both black and white was named “Tuff."

Tuff wasn’t sure about kids when he first came home, but now he and Cam are thick as thieves. Cam enjoys playing tag with Tuff. “He never catches me!” Cam proudly boasts. Cam always welcomes waking up to Tuff leaping on him and licking his face.

PWNA’s Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) program supports Animal Welfare projects in both the Northern Plains and Southwest. The Wakpa Waste (Good River) Animal Shelter is located in Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Wakpa Waste is one of the many partners supported in the Northern Plains and Southwest to receive supplies helping to ease the operating costs of running a facility responsible for maintaining a healthy four-legged community.

Stray and homeless animals are defenseless to predators, exposed to changing seasons, and susceptible to diseases that can only be eliminated through medication and tender loving care (TLC). Our Program Partners work hard to make sure that the three “R’s” — Rescue, Rehab and Rehome — are done by committed individuals who are compassionate to the plight of a stray or neglected animal. Colt is one of many people on reservations dedicated to making the lives of animals brighter and safer. His family supports him and his love for animals.

Even though Meagan knows that training a puppy might be a little Tuff, she still intends on answering the phone with the possibility that Colt is on the other end saying, “Hey, come down here. There’s a really cute dog here.”

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