Animal Rescue Relay benefit Saturday at the Fairgrounds

Hosted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, the event will feature adoptable dogs, spay and neuter clinic, chipping and a raffle.

And dogs, as long as they are socialized, vaccinated and friendly, are welcome to attend.

The Relay connects adoptable dogs in one community with people who live in another.

Founder Heidi Neilson said she started the project after her sister-in-law pointed out that people who post on shelter dogs often include a note that they would adopt the animal if it was closer.

Kelly Pettit-Lopez said that Shoetree Brewery Co. has donated beer and that Capital Brewery is bringing their trailer to Saturday’s fundraiser.

As of late last week, the group had 25 vendors to participate, up from three just a few days later.

The Douglas Sheriff’s K-9s will be in attendance along with the Posse’s horses.

The event is also a membership drive for the Posse.

The Relay was recently received a $5,000 donation from Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation and Tractor Supply through MuttNation’s Mutts Across America program. The group only selects one recipient per state each year.

“We were really honored to get this,” she said. “Angela, one of our volunteers, and myself wrote a letter. We were in shock when we heard.”

Pettit-Lopez said the donation went to aid some of the Relay’s medically challenged dogs.

The Relay deals with a lot of dogs that are elderly or injured.

One of the major fundraisers was for Bella, who had a broken back.

Pettit-Lopez said the group took her to UC Davis and was quoted $12,000. While they were raising the money, Bella’s foster Michelle put her in the pool and worked with her.

“When we took her to UC Davis, they said she didn’t need the surgery,” she said. “We brought her back and an older lady who lost her dog met Bella, and it was a match made in heaven.”

Pettit-Lopez said that the group really needs donations and people willing to foster dogs while they wait to be transported.

“We have to turn dogs down because we don’t have fosters,” she said. “For every dog that doesn’t have a foster there’s a good chance it’s going to be euthanized.”