Walk & Wag and Run 2026

Can you help me save animals?

My family and I are running in the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) 5k to raise money for one of my favorite charities. I am a Tuesday Head Start Volunteer at HSHV. Head Start is a program where a small group of volunteers give special attention to dogs who have been at the shelter a long time. We might work to eliminate behaviors that make adoption difficult like pulling or jumping up. We might teach some commands to help make a dog more appealing to a new family. Or we might just take a dog to a quiet location and relax in the sunshine.

One of my favorite stories is about a Lab/Pit named Marley. Marley was really scared. The first time I met her it took me a half hour of coaxing with pepperoni and chicken nuggets to get a leash on her. She did not want to be touched at all. Interestingly, she would sit on command and loved to high five. After a few months (we are a no kill shelter, so animals stay until they find a home) Marley was coming right up for leashing and accepting a little petting. A few months more and she was enjoying human contact and learning more commands - down, stay, touch, look, and go to mat. I started to think maybe she would be adopted as she was getting so much better. Sure enough, after about 9 months in the shelter a mom and her teenage daughter came from West Michigan to see Marley. I was so proud when I saw Marley squeezing under their legs as they sat on a bench. To go from afraid to be touched to enjoying physical contact with new people was a long journey for her. That pair adopted Marley and we later received an update thanking us for sheltering Marley and telling us how she was enjoying her new home!

Please know your tax-deductible donation will be used wisely. HSHV is in the top 1% of nonprofits ranked by Charity Navigator, thanks to their fiscal prudence, accountability and transparency.

Read more about HSHV and what your donation does at www.hshv.org/aboutus.

Thank you for your help!