Elizabeth Mastro
Elizabeth Mastro
When my husband and I decided to move to the Ranch, I knew that I wanted to volunteer with a Lab rescue. I had volunteered with a Lab rescue where I previously lived for eight years, and loved it and wanted to continue. I researched rescues prior to moving and chose Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue (SOLR). I started volunteering with SOLR a month after I moved in. I conduct home visits for potential adopters and help with events. We also always need volunteer foster parents, where a Lab will live with you temporarily before being adopted into their furever homes. Fosters get to choose the adopters from approved adopters.
Some examples of events we do include:
* We recently arranged to spend a few hours at The Hoppy Vine at the Oro Valley Marketplace with several available foster dogs (with the owners’ blessing of course).
* We also had a booth with available foster dogs at the Cruise, Blues and BBQ show, which is also at the Oro Valley Marketplace, in February. We met members of the public and talked to them about SOLR. Potential adopters came by to meet the dogs, after seeing our Facebook post that we would be there.
Home visits are always the volunteer’s choice as to whether you will conduct the visit. One thing I always consider when agreeing to conduct a visit is where the potential adopter lives, since we are pretty far from many areas of Tucson. Some home visits can be conducted via Facetime or Zoom if you are comfortable with that.
We have had two adoptions by families at the Ranch since I’ve been here.
Bear was adopted by my neighbors in unit 6, Greg and Mary Leben. They applied to adopt in October 2021, and Bear came to live with them in December 2021. Here is what they had to say about working with SOLR. “Working with SOLR was easy. We had many dogs to choose from at all ages. We love our new 6-year-old yellow Labrador rescue, Bear. His mellow personality is the perfect addition to a retired household.” You may have seen Bear around the Ranch, or at the dog park. Or if you’re a golfer, you might have seen him in his yard off hole 15 waiting to say hello to Greg as he goes by playing golf.
Bear joins another SOLR alumni, Miley, who was adopted by Mark and Jean Morgan in August 2021. Here is what the Morgans say: “Three years since losing Abby, our black Lab, we made the decision to get a rescue. We found SOLR and it changed our lives in so many ways. After you join you get updates on adoptable dogs twice a week. Our home was approved for adoption, we were vetted by Miley’s foster mom, she was cleared of her heartworm by a specialty vet, and SOLR provided the ground rules that we had to achieve before adopting her. She had us at ‘hello.’”
In addition to the above adoptions, we have several Ranch residents who volunteer with SOLR. In addition to myself, Robin Muck helps with marketing and fundraising and Diane Connolly and Barb Milligan both help with events, in addition to Diane doing home visits.
I thoroughly enjoy volunteering with SOLR. Please consider volunteering too, and if you are considering adding a new family member, please fill out an adoption application! Learn more at www.solraz.org.