BILLINGS — Dee-O-Gee and Rez Dog Rescue Montana are holding a dog adoption event Sunday, August 28 in Billings. The goal is to help find homes for stray dogs on Indian Reservations.
Every year communities around Montana are overrun with wild dogs, many of which are malnourished, and sometimes can become dangerous.
Jody Sulser and her family are no strangers to the problem.
“There’s more dogs than there is food, and there’s not homes for them,” Sulser said.
The Sulser's have happily owned Chey, a dog they found near a gas station in Pryor, for about eleven years. When they found her and her litter, they were quite skinny and licking bugs off of the bumper of their truck.
“I was on a family girl’s weekend and came back to three puppies,” said Sulser. “They were pretty ill actually, pretty skinny. So, by the time I nursed them back to health, of course I was attached to one of them.”
Helping dogs like Chey find food, a home, and a second chance at life is the mission of Rez Dog Rescue. Co-Director Allison Baker said the program is "constantly bringing in strays."
“It’s a massive problem out there. Like I said, we take in hundreds every year and a lot of times it doesn’t even feel like we're making that much of a difference,” Baker said.
On Sunday, an event hosted by Dee-O-Gee in Billings will look to put a dent into the problem. Julia Carroll, the director of community outreach at Dee-O-Gee, said the event "couldn’t be more important."
“The shelters are so full all throughout Billings, that the Rez dogs really, really need homes,” said Carroll. “They’re going from such despair to such a loving community of people and we’re so excited to do this.”
The event will also feature some extra benefits when a dog is adopted.
“Dee-O-Gee is throwing in some dog food, and some adoption goody baggies, so they’re going to be spoiled right away,” Baker said.
For Rez dog owners like Jody Sulser, it’s easy to recognize the importance of events like this one.
“I think giving those pets a home, as many as we can, is obviously the greatest thing for all of them. I don’t think they’re the same animal in the wild that they are in a home,” Sulser said.
Regardless of if you plan to adopt or not, Baker encourages people to come see the dogs on Sunday.
“The puppies love the socialization, and our biggest need is adopters and fosters. It would still be great for them if they’re interested in fostering to come down and talk to us,” Baker said.
If you do visit Dee-O-Gee during the event, it might be hard to leave without a new member of the family.
“They’re so friendly, it’s hard to really walk away or turn them down when you actually see them. So, getting the dogs out into those public places and having these events, I think is pretty helpful,” Sulser said.
