Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Tom Blomquist plays with one of several dogs available for adoption from the Lyon County Animal Services. Blomquist, director of the Silver Springs Spay-Neuter Project, is organizing what he calls a "used dog sale" for Saturday from 11-3 at the intersection of highways 50 and 95A to help increase animal adoptions.
People looking to purchase puppies from a store or private breeder may be barking up the wrong tree, according to activist Tom Blomquist.
"There are so many adoptable dogs at shelters," he said. "They can be phenomenal."
To prove his point, he will be on the Champion Manufactured Home lot at the intersection of highways 95 Aand 50 on Saturday with a litter of puppies and other dogs from Lyon County Animal Services to adopt out. He will also pay the adoption fees.
"It's a hard reality that I almost have to work like a used-car salesman," he said. "It's heartbreaking the amount of dogs that are abandoned."
After his 2-year-old puppy Truckee died in his arms 11 years ago from birth defects caused by being born in a puppy mill, Blomquist and his wife, Lee, have been advocating for animals.
In 1996, they started the Silver Springs Spay-Neuter Project, encouraging residents of Lyon County and other areas to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens, reducing the amount of animals in shelters.
Tom Blomquist hopes that Saturday's adoption drive will lead to a series of weekends where several dogs are available for adoption at once.
"They will have all their shots and be spayed or neutered so they'll be ready to go," he said.
In addition to trying to find homes for animals in the shelter, the Blomquists also take care of 20 dogs at a time at their home.
They provide refuge for dogs that are nearing the end of their stay at a shelter or ones that are suffering from illnesses ranging from diabetes to blindness and deafness and missing limbs.
Lee Blomquist is studying to be a veterinary technician.
"I was one of those kids growing up who wanted to be a vet but some teacher along the way said girls can't be veterinarians, that's only for boys," she explained. "Now I'm working to be a vet tech."
She said people who adopt from their program of Lyon County Animal Services will not be disappointed in their pets, even if they are mutts - or Tom Blomquist's coined term, Indigenous Nevada Trailer Dogs.
"They offer unconditional love," she said. "They don't care if you had a bad day at work. They don't care if your significant other left.
"They just love you."
Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.
