Shelter dogs now get training

Homer Animal Friends raffled four stuffed animals on Dec. 11. We would like to thank all the people who supported us by purchasing tickets. Big thanks to Ruth Frye for sharing her booth with us at the Nutcracker Faire and another thank-you to Safeway for allowing us to set up a table and sell tickets in the store.
Proceeds from the raffle went to Homer Dog Trainers (HDT), a branch of Homer Animal Friends. During the time that HDT has been in existence, we’ve seen close to 900 students, representing thousands of hours of class time. We are dedicated to teaching dog owners how to train using positive techniques. Our goals are to make life easier for dogs and their owners by providing clear channels of communication; in so doing, we hope to make the community of Homer safer and to reduce the numbers of dogs abandoned, rehomed or turned in to our shelter.
HAF and HDT recently started the Buster Program. Instructors from HDT are training shelter volunteers who are interested in working with dogs at the Homer Animal Shelter. Instructors also visit the shelter to do a bit of training and to give the dogs a break from their kennels. We hope that our work with the shelter will increase the adoption rate. Dogs in the Buster Program are eligible for a 50 percent price break on HDT classes.
Stuffed animals and their winners were: Hippo — Lynn Burt; Moose — Joelene Arndt; Saint Bernard — Tashina Munoz; and Bernese Mountain Dog — Vickie Blaine.
Pat Moss for
Homer Animal Friends and Homer Dog Trainers