Ramblings From The Ranch – January 2026

“If you can’t adopt, come volunteer,” says long-time Ranch volunteer Julie Wittmann. We hear from so many folks who say they wish they could help The Ranch but are unable to adopt a dog. Volunteering is the perfect solution.

A volunteer for over seven years, Julie loves seeing dogs come into The Ranch and then find their forever homes. Julie plays a critical role in this process. She prepares the complicated (and ever changing!) paperwork for dogs flying “up North.” She also networks with rescue groups in the US and Canada to try to place our great dogs, and she helps promote our dogs on social media. If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she also serves on the fundraising committee and acts as a short-term foster home for dogs who are recovering from medical procedures.

Newer volunteer Candace Boger has been a stalwart dog walker for about a year and a half. “I have a need to give back,” she says, “and my mission is to teach the dogs good manners so they can be more adoptable. Plus, it is great exercise!” Candace loves volunteering at The Ranch because she impressed by how well the dogs are cared for and she has a lot of respect for the hard-working Ranch staff and managers. “If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the dogs. They deserve 1:1 attention and to gain the skills they need to be adopted.”

“One of my big goals in retirement was to give back since I never had time to volunteer when I was working,” Dane LeBlanc said. “I realize that I am a younger volunteer and have the physical capability that some folks don’t have. My wife and I try to walk the bigger dogs who may be harder for some to walk.”

While Dane enjoys the camaraderie, he has with The Ranch staff and with other volunteers, he also has a deeper reason for volunteering. “Years ago, I had a rescue dog who was found with a broken leg in freezing weather. I think he would want me to be doing this work to help dogs like him!”

In addition to walking dogs, Dane is also a member of The Ranch’s soup brigade. “Making about 2-1/2 gallons of soup for each Thursday is a bit of a time commitment,” he says. “But when I think that our dogs only get one meal a day and I see how much they love their kibble with some hearty chicken soup on it, I stay motivated.”

If you think you are not physically fit enough to walk dogs like Candace and Dane do, no worries. Soup-making is a volunteer job you can do from home, and there are plenty of other ways to help. The Ranch always needs folks to socialize puppies, which can involve just sitting in a chair and cuddling. People are also needed to help with fundraising, completing paperwork, taking photos, fostering, driving dogs to the airport, social media, and a million other things!

Without volunteers, The Ranch would not survive. “You are saving lives when you volunteer,” Julie said. “I always get back more than I give — you will too.”

You can walk dogs at The Ranch any day from about 9:30 to 11:45. If you send us a message before you come, we will make sure an experienced person is on hand to show you the ropes (or the leashes, as the case may be). For other volunteer opportunities, contact us at adoptaranchdog@outlook.com.