Viola Valley Dogs finds homes for animals

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

This group of playful puppies was recently delivered to PawSafe.org for adoption in the Massachusetts area by Viola Valley Dogs, a local rescue facility founded and run by Linda Coursey and Villa Mitchell. (Photo provided)

Those who want to do something to help homeless, unwanted or abandoned animals in Warren County still have a outlet for their charitable efforts in Viola Valley Dogs, a non-profit animal rescue organization founded and run by local animal advocates Linda Coursey and Villa Mitchell.

The pair is working diligently to adopt out animals around the country and has found some cooperative partners via the Internet, though they are currently providing transportation for the dogs.

“Villa has made contact with PawSafe in Massachusetts,” Coursey said. “We are taking puppies to Virginia, and from there they go on to PawSafe. We took our first load on Oct. 27 of this year.”

But before the puppies can be adopted, they have to go through a good deal of preparation before the operator of PawSafe (www.pawsafe.org) can take them.

“First we have to give them their shots and worm them for 10 days,” Coursey said. “Then we take them to the clinic she tells us in Virginia. They will check them, make sure they’re all healthy and they will spay or neuter them. Then they transport them to Massachusetts.”

Amazingly, the puppies are fairly easy to adopt out in that area.

“She adopts them for $350,” Coursey said, “these little puppies that are thrown away here. The reason being they have strict spay and neuter laws up there and there are no puppies.”

Coursey says Viola Valley Dogs is reimbursed $50 per puppy, but that doesn’t even cover the cost of food for two weeks, shots, worming and transportation to Virginia ‘” a trip which takes around 12 hours.

Mitchell and Coursey work with several other animal rescue groups as well. Viola Valley Dogs has adopted out over 200 dogs in the last few months, but it has been an uphill, as well as costly, battle.

“We have about 55 dogs now that need to be spayed or neutered,” Coursey said. “The food bill is running about $60 per day. Also, we have to buy shots and wormer. We make sure all pups and dogs are healthy before we send them anywhere.”

Viola Valley Dogs is a privately run animal rescue facility and as a result depends on private and public donations for its operation. It is officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax-deductible. Most of the work is currently being handled by Ralph and Linda Coursey, Villa Mitchell and Lisa Shepherd.

In addition to monetary donations, Viola Valley Dogs is also in need of:

Spay/neuter funds

Dog food (Purina in the green bags)

Purina puppy food

Portable pens

Dog houses

Bedding

Bleach

Carriers

Foster homes for abandoned animals

More than anything, Coursey and Mitchell want to get out a very important message.

“Please promote spay-neuter and encourage responsible pet ownership,” Mitchell says. “Together we can make a difference.”

For more information, visit the Web site at www.violavalleydogs.com.