It was clear that the Ruff House Retreat was going to be a journey from the start. When the retreat was still only a dream, Peace and Paws had already worked together to successfully adopt out more than 2,000 dogs, transporting them from high-kill shelters and across long distances to bring them to their forever homes. However, when we had the idea for the Ruff House Retreat, we knew that Peace and Paws was capable of extending its reach even more.

Now, that idea is a reality. Through a campaign hosted on Indiegogo, 1,803 incredible donors raised more than $100,000, leaving our goal of $70,000 in the dust. With these funds, Peace and Paws will completely renovate a simple barn and turn it into the Ruff House Retreat, a shelter for dogs that require special care or attention, rehabilitation, or time to grow and develop before being adopted out. We are incredibly grateful to every member of the Peace and Paws family for their care and support. With the campaign now closed and the Ruff House Retreat under construction, we’d like to highlight some of the incredible donors who made this dream possible. The following is a note from Eileen, who made an extraordinarily generous donation in memory of her beautiful Sable.

“I found Sable when she was about a year old - reserved and quiet, maybe a little hesitant. She was a ‘brown’ dog, and imagine my surprise to discover, after a bath, she was black from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail! We spent 13.5 years together and boy did we cover some ground. Sable was an explorer and adventurer - hiking, swimming, playing Kong and yes, sometimes chasing other furry four-legged creatures she shouldn’t have. We moved from Northern California to Vermont, where she would tell you her FAVORITE place was on the lake at Nana and Papa’s house - swimming, dock diving, and just watching the world go by under the shade of their enormous maple tree during the summer months. Our next adventure brought us to Denver, Colorado, where she enjoyed the warmer weather, walks in the parks, a backyard to explore and new adventures in the mountains. I said good-bye to Sable on 12/20/2013, knowing this painful decision was best for her. I have no doubt life on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge got a bit more exciting upon her arrival! - Eileen”

The added space of the Ruff House Retreat will allow Peace and Paws to serve many more dogs each year - and in turn, the families who adopt them. Without our community, including rescue partners, fosters, volunteers, adopters, vets, Rescue Rider transport volunteers, and our extended social media family, this feat would never have been possible. And with all of this celebration and the amazing power of collaboration that we’ve seen, we’re only just getting started.