Individuals involved in animal rescue are the best people you will ever meet. These rescuers sacrifice time with their families, pets, weekends and holidays to help save homeless pets. They devote precious time away from their everyday lives and expect nothing in return, other than the knowledge they have saved a desperate four-legged soul.
A powerful example of an enthusiastic rescuer is Denyell Reyno. She is one of the sweetest animal rescuers Nova Scotia has to offer. She does her work quietly, respectfully and with great honour. She is married to Matthew, who is also committed to animal welfare. She has a demanding career in commercial insurance and they own five pets. The Reyno's have owned up to 11 pets at the same time in the past; an accurate indicator of their commitment to animal rescue.
Their current five pets are adorable and well-loved. Leia, named after Princess Leia, is nine years old and was severely malnourished when they adopted her. Harley was adopted at eight weeks old and is now 11 years old. Rex is only one year old, and Pebbles is nine years old. The family cat, Lainie, is 14 years old; however, she acts like a kitten and loves the dogs.
Reyno knows her pets intimately, inside and out. On one particular day, her dog Harley came to her in a panic. He was acting oddly and trying to get Reyno to follow him, so she did just that. What she didn't know was her husband was having a seizure, and Harley had run to her for help. She was unaware her husband was in distress in another room in their home, and to this day, she credits Harley for saving her beloved husband. Harley was never formally trained as a service dog, which highlights how rescued dogs are so devoted to their families.
Reyno started volunteering with rescues many years ago, and she is very fortunate to have a supportive employer. They allow her three days off, on top of her holidays, to volunteer somewhere of her choosing. Her volunteering was recognized and acknowledged by a large donation from her employer. Reyno divided the funds equally between two different local rescue organizations.
The Reynos fur-gang loves puppies, so they usually foster two puppies at a time over the Christmas holidays. Her dogs help train and socialize the puppies to prepare them for adoption. She has taken in three sets of two puppies at a time over four or five years with the help of her mother and father.
Reyno claims that she will continue to volunteer for as long as she can, and she sees herself fostering senior dogs exclusively in the future. She would like to offer them a place to live so they can have the best life possible, even if they have health issues.
It takes a special type of person to commit to elderly dogs, and Reyno is an extraordinary individual. Any dog landing at her front door will surely thrive in her home. Rescue organizations need more individuals like Denyell and Matthew.
Please be kind to animals.
Tracy Jessiman writes the weekly column Recycled Love and is proud to be a “voice for those with no choice.” She supports various animal rescues. Reach her at [email protected].
