Then Along Came Liberty

Sheila (far right) with her brother doug and sister-in-law Dorine holding ADW liberty

In our 28-year history, we here at ADW have been blessed on occasions by our “Dog Angels.” Out of the blue, a generous donor might walk through our doors and make a contribution that not only boosts our bottom line, but also signifies a meaningful commitment to our agency by spreading the word about our work. We are entirely grateful to our naming sponsor Shelia and her wonderful family for their support. Here’s how it unfolded:

A few months after the passing of Shelia’s Australian Shepherd Lucy, The Albuquerque Journal featured Hawkeye on the front page of the paper — he is an Australian Shepherd looking exactly like Lucy. The article explained how Hawkeye was trained to help his veteran as a service dog and this inspired Shelia to become a donor to Assistance Dogs of the West. Lucy provided compassionate assistance to Shelia when her husband was ill and then died, so she understood at a deep level the bond. Shelia and her husband loved M*A*S*H, and thus the article about Hawkeye (a main character in the TV series played by Alan Alda) held a special meaning. Shelia, following her initial donation, then decided that she wanted to name an ADW pup in honor of her brother Doug, Dorine her sister-in-law, and Liberty Gym.   

Liberty Gym has been in business for 43 years and serves a diverse clientele of young people and elders. The positive resonance, created by Doug, Dorine and their trainers, allows people to get and keep their body and mind in good shape. Shelia personally looks forward to her own workout with her trainer and talking with the other members.  

When asked about her decision to provide significant support to ADW, Shelia shares these insights: An assistance dog can do so much more than a person can do, never getting bored or angry with their person — they love them no matter what.  

“ADW dogs are highly skilled, which takes a lot of work and money. So, what better way to spend your money than to give a dog and a person a chance to live a better life?” she said.

Thank you, Shelia, from the top and bottom of our hearts and welcome Liberty to our ADW canine family.