North Valley non-profit aids dogs

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~7/20/2011

There are a variety of different ways in which dogs have earned the title of man’s best friend.
From working in law enforcement and search and rescue to visiting patients in hospitals or serving as guide dogs canines serve in a number of roles.
At The Fetch Foundation, located of Joy Ranch and 24th St. in the North Valley, animals are trained for two distinctly different programs.
One of them is called from homeless to heroes. The Fetch Foundation works closely with kill shelters rescuing dogs they believe have the opportunity to become search and rescue dogs.
“A lot of the rescue dogs are either labs or shepherds, but most rescue dogs are mixes,” Sherry L. Krueger the Director of Marketing for the Fetch Foundation said. “What you need most for search and rescue dogs is high energy, high drive dogs that love to work.”
After getting two weeks of initial training from volunteers of The Fetch Foundation animals go through eight weeks of training to see if they are capable of successfully being search and rescue animals.
Last year the group placed eight dogs in various outside organizations and several of the volunteers have others dogs they’re trying to place.
Another program the foundation is involved with is placing dogs with veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
“It has been medically proven that a dog can calm down a person suffering from post traumatic stress disorder,” Krueger said. “A lot of times they are able to calm down soldiers to the point where they have fewer panic and anxiety attacks.”
In their first full year of the program they’re hoping to place upwards of 15 dogs by the end of the year.
“We have high hopes of growing that program over the years,” she said.
The other main effort by The Fetch Foundation is one to supply fire departments from around the state with what the group calls a FIDO Bag.
The bags, valued at $225, include a variety of items to aid animals that fire personnel are able to use at an emergency whether it be a fire or a car accident.
FIDO bags provide firefighters rescue tools from oxygen masks specifically designed for animals and burn blankets, medication specifically designed for victims of smoke inhalation, among others. They also include simple items such as collars, leashes
and muzzles as well as thick gloves to keep firefighters from being bitten or scratched
by frightened animals.
The Fetch Foundation also attempts to coordinate a two-hour training session with the fire department put on by a veterinarian that takes them through how to
use the equipment.
“We’ve put together quite a few not only here in Arizona, but also in Utah,” she said. “We’ve had other states contact us too. Fire fighters call us constantly asking for these bags, because they don’t have these things.”
One of Krueger’s big missions is to find sponsors willing to finance the purchase more of the bags. She said there are many ways people can get involved with The Fetch Foundation.
“We’re always interested in adding volunteers,” she said. “Whether it’s directly working with animals or doing administrative work we welcome people that want to help animals.”
For information on The Fetch Foundation go to the fetchfoundation.com, email info@thefetchfoundation or call 602-617-2656.