Meet Lenard! We caught up with him to ask him about his journey volunteering with SCARS and this is what he had to say.
“After our last puppy past, I decided I wanted to volunteer with SCARS as I was hoping to adopt a puppy from the rescue at some point. It seemed like the least I could do was give some time in exchange for our new family member. Well that was almost 2 years ago, and its been a life changing adventure. I have volunteered with “Walls for Winter”, adoption events, fundraisers, but mostly as a driver for the “Doggy Rail Road”, which seemed like a good fit as I had a rusty old truck that wasn’t getting much use, and I love the open highways, there is always something new to see.
It didn’t take long to find my new four-legged friend. I remember driving out to Sylvia’s one sunny August morning to pick up a load of dogs, 13 of them. Two bigger dogs in the back, and a mom and pups in the cab plus one that Sylvia sat on the front seat next to me. I think she set me up, because I didn’t make it all the way to Hinton before I texted Terra and Sylvia that I was keeping the puppy she had set next to me, and I was going to call him Buck. Sylvia responded that’s a funny name for a girl…So now my little girl is Paislii Rose. That was one of the best trips, they are not all like that.
Some of the stuff I have seen has been horrible, and that’s one reason I still do it. I feel from the time I pick them up I know it’s only going to get better for them from here on. Then I get the text “Sorry Len we had to put him down, there was nothing we could do for him, it was just his time”. I have only had two out of almost three hundred animals that I have transported that we had to put down. And those are the worst days, and I’ll never forget either of them. Sometimes it’s very disheartening to see how poorly people will treat an animal, but then you see how determined, passionate, and amazing a group like ours is. I’m extremely proud of all the people I have met at SCARS, and to say I’m a member of SCARS.”
Thank you Lenard for all the work you have done for SCARS. Your tireless efforts have saved many animals lives by providing them safe transportation and helping them get the care that they need. We are so honoured to have you part of the SCARS team!