Donations, reopening of K-9 center help keep Dixon animal shelter afloat

DIXON – COVID-19 wiped out what would have been the 11th annual Top Dog Bags Tournament last spring, and with it, the chief fundraiser for Granny Rose Animal Shelter.

With the pandemic still lingering, there are no plans for a Top Dog event this year, either. That’s where the folks at Tito’s Handmade Vodka stepped in.

Tito’s has been a longtime sponsor of the Top Dog tournament. Although there will be no tournament again this year, Tito’s recently donated $1,500 to Granny Rose to help pay some bills and get much-needed supplies.

It was a nice boost for a shelter that relies heavily on donations, said Judy Lohse, manager at Granny Rose for 26 years.

“The proceeds from past Top Dog tournaments, between the auction items and raffle items, we’ve netted anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000, or even $30,000,” Lohse said. “Not having the tournament last year hurt, but this will certainly help. Tito’s has been a wonderful sponsor and a very generous sponsor, and we appreciate everything they do for us.”

There are 16 dogs and 15 cats up for adoption at Granny Rose. Those looking to adopt are asked to call 288-7387 to set up an appointment. Drop-ins are allowed but are not ideal, Lohse said.

“If they pull into the parking lot and nobody else is here, we’ll accommodate, but if we have someone else already scheduled in 10 minutes, we’ll ask them to come back. Our building is small, and it’s difficult to social distance when people are looking at dogs and cats. We just ask people to be patient during this COVID crisis.”

Granny Rose has benefited from the reopening in the fall of its K-9 Enrichment Center, adjacent to the main facility at 613 River Lane. Its weekday night obedience and agility classes either are full or nearly full, and provide a good source of revenue for the shelter. There are classes for beginners, intermediates and advanced dogs; the next cycle of 6-week classes starts March 1.

Donations of food, litter, toys and treats have been steady, she said. Those making donations are asked to call first; items can be dropped off in the entryway.

Lohse also has been pleased with success of the “Sponsor-A-Cage” program, in which people donate items once a week, every other week, once a month, every 3 months – whatever the donor is comfortable with.

“This past year since the pandemic started, we’ve had more and more people doing regular donations on a monthly basis, and the ones that were doing it already have increased or even doubled the amount they were sending previously,” Lohse said. “It is all greatly appreciated.”

Call 815-288-7387, go to grannyroseanimalshelter@hotmail.com or find the shelter on Facebook to donate or for more information.