Fun, Raffles, and Vendors at 3rd Annual Dog Days of Summer - Saving Animals in Need, One Life at a Time

Cindy Monaco with Aster, an adoptable dog

Cosmos with his foster family

Six of the current Safe At Last adopable dogs. (From the left) Yoko, Lupine, Dahlia, Astro, Cosmo, and Jack Jack 2

By Lei Rowan

MIDDLEBURGH – Safe at Last (SAL) hosted its 3rd annual Dog Days of Summer on Saturday at the Middleburgh Winery. The non-profit rescue is dog focused, occasionally taking in a cat. A variety of vendors set up at the event. SAL alumni dogs along with 7 current fosters eligible for adoption all made an appearance. A raffle was hosted, with 25 different prizes to try to win.

SAL began in September of 2009, founded by Cindy Monaco. She works in tandem with Lisa Connor, the North Carolina coordinator who takes in dogs, helps find fosters down south and then sorts out transportation for rescue dogs coming to New York. Monaco and SAL team member Jillian Smith search for eligible fosters and forever homes for each and every dog up north. Applications and references are required to foster and adopt to ensure that the dogs are going to quality, loving homes that help them thrive. The rescue is a non-profit 501c3 organization and receives no state or federal funding; SAL runs on adoption fees, community donations, and dedicated volunteers.

The rescue has seven current fosters eligible for adoption: Nora, a 9-month-old spayed female retriever/German shepard/LGD mix, Jack Jack, a 9-month-old neutered male chihuahua/corgi mix, Yoko, a 5-month-old Australian shepard/German shepard/spaniel mix, along with Cosmos, Aster, Lupine, and Dahlia, which are 18-week-old Australian shepard/hound mixes from the same litter. Cosmos and Aster are male, Lupine and Dahlia are female.

Cosmos, Aster, Lupine, and Dahlia were rescued very young and needed extra care when initially rescued in North Carolina. SAL held them back to ensure they were healthy before adoption. Initially shy and skinny, they have all gained weight and have bounced back to happy, curious pups ready for their forever homes with proper care from SAL. They all enjoyed partaking in a meet and greet during Dog Days of Summer.

Nora, Jack Jack, Yoko, and the four newest pups came to Dog Days of Summer, along with many SAL alumni, including Harvey and Maggie (formerly known as Valoree), who are siblings. Harvey and Maggie are happily settling in with their new families. SAL members enjoyed seeing all the alumni return for summer fun, stating it was like a family reunion to see the dogs living wonderful lives with their forever families.

At the event, people were welcome to bring pets as long as they were well-behaved and up to date on their rabies and distemper vaccinations. Water bowls, kiddie pools, shade, and poo bags were provided throughout the venue at the Winery.

Raffle tickets sold at a dollar per piece, and a free ticket was given to people who bought from vendors and/or had an alumni dog from SAL. All prizes were donations from the community. “People were so generous with all these amazing donations,” Monaco stated. Prizes were called in intervals.

Dog Days of Summer hosted a lot of fun, including promoting the adoptable dogs. While the rescue is appreciative of prospective adopters, before deciding to adopt, Cindy Monaco advises “Realistically look at your lifestyle, understand the financial commitment and time commitment, from training and socialization and day-to-day meeting the needs of the animal. If you can’t meet their needs and commit to them for their whole lives, don’t adopt.”

Dog Days of Summer had a large turn-out. Tonda and Don Dunbar, owners of the Middleburgh Winery, came up with the idea and offered to host the annual event after fostering several dogs and recently adopting Ziva from SAL. “We are beyond grateful to Tonda and Don for their amazing support of the rescue and for always welcoming the dogs to visit at the Winery,” said rescue member Jillian Smith.

Cindy Monaco is “very thankful for the incredible community and, of course, for anyone who is willing to welcome a rescue dog into their heart and home.” SAL also extends a huge “Thank you” to the Middleburgh Winery for continuing to host the rescue’s events. All available dogs are listed on the Safe at Last website.

For more information, visit https://safeatlast.rescuegroups.org/ or contact info@safeatlast.net