27/04/2024
Today we want to recognize one of our Dog Tags Team members Dan Frontera (Army Veteran) for combining his passion of running to help dogs City of Buffalo Animal Shelter.
(Pictured below are just a small handful of dogs that Dan has taken out on his runs)
Dan affectionately calls his run “Buffalo Animal Shelter Run Club” and had this cool vest made 👇 to show of the pups that become part of his club.
So many shelter dogs have pent up energy with little outlet, need direction/guidance and sometimes a strong handler to show them the way.
This is where Dan comes in and excels. He sees the need in these dogs and uses his skills from his Military Service to lend a helping hand to shelter dogs knowing that often the “underdog” has it in them to become the best dog. He is always up for the challenge to take out a harder to handle dog that has little to no training.
The information the volunteers learn when Dan takes a dog out on a run, is valuable to potential adopters, as to share the energy level that a dog inherently has, and how focused they become while on a run.
This way, someone looking for a hiking partner, running partner, walking partner will know which dog might be best for them.
Dan recently incorporated 2 shelter dogs in a race by running one for half, and having another one waiting in the wings to finish off.
To a shelter dog, THIS can mean everything……
It’s best to read from Dan himself on what inspired him, and continues to keep him helping these shelter dogs:
“Running with shelter dogs helps to give me a sense of mission and purpose. As a veteran, I realize how similar these dogs are to us. How we both once belonged to something and now we don’t. So getting them out of their kennel, running with them, letting them get some of the zoomies that we both experience out. It helps me to be able to face more things. Knowing that I’m contributing in some small way to them getting a chance to be part of something again, part of a family. Maybe a little altruistic, but when I look in their eyes, I see us. No one gets left behind, not two legs, not four.”