news-record.com

It’s always been Garland Graham’s dream to find a safe and loving home for all abandoned and injured farm animals.

Graham is working hard to make that dream a reality with her nonprofit, Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network, which gives goats, horses, chickens, pigs and other livestock a second chance at a happy life.

Garland and her husband, Gary, decided to launch the network after realizing the need for a rescue service for farm animals.

Red Dog, which is named for her golden retriever, Rodney, has taken in 440 animals since its inception in 2006.

But all those animals don’t stay at the Grahams’ home in Summerfield.

Graham said the animals are fostered out into volunteers’ homes until permanent placement can be found for them.

“We take the animals to the veterinarian, make sure they have food and work to find the animals a home,” Graham said. “The only thing we ask of the foster families is that they provide them with shelter and love.”

Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network has about 50 animals cared for by about 30 volunteers.

“We definitely couldn’t do this without the help of our volunteers,” said Graham, who is caring for 12 animals herself. “As much as we’d like to take in more animals ourselves, we just can’t.”

Graham said they aren’t able to take additional animals until they find more volunteers and adoptive families.

“The hardest thing for us is having to tell people that we can’t take their animals,” she said. “The need is just greater than all animal rescue facilities can sustain.”

Graham hopes that finding homes, temporary and permanent, will be easier now that they have office space at the former Guilford County Sheriff’s Office District 1 substation in Bur-Mil Park. “Now we have a place to keep files and medical information and a place where people can come to be interviewed when they apply to foster or adopt an animal,” Graham said.

The new space also will give Graham the opportunity to hold a horse adoption fair at the park.

Graham said they will have an open house July 19 at their new location, 5803 Bur-Mil Club Road.

“We will put more details on the open house on our Web site,” she said.

For information on Red Dog Animal Rescue, to donate or to see pictures and bios of the animals available for adoption or fostering, visit Red Dog at http://www.reddogfarm.com or call 644-7807.

Contact Adria Hairston at 883-4422, Ext. 244 or adria.hairston@news-record.com