Sue McKinney: APS January Volunteer of the Month.

Many people don't perhaps realize the amount of time our volunteers spend working with the animals. January's Volunteer of the Month, Sue McKinney is a great example of a volunteer who works with our dogs both at the shelter and behind the scenes to make them more adoptable.
Sue began volunteering a year ago because she had started to train dogs professionally (her business is called Dog Fun Forever) and she wanted to give back to the community, particularly the dogs that don't have the advantages that her client's dogs may have.
Sue has spent a tremendous amount of time working with our dogs, particularly the puppies. When she is able to teach dogs basic commands and to be comfortable around people those dogs are far easier to adopt and new adopters appreciate the work that has already been done.
Sue has also helped as a foster home. As she explains "One dog at APS changed my life forever. I come into the shelter a couple of times a week and had seen Elvis. I had casually told the staff if he needed a foster home, I might be able to help. Then, one Friday, I was asked if I could please take him home as he wasn't doing well in the shelter. Needless to say, he came home with me that night and stayed with me for the next 5 1/2 months. With regular training and exercise plus a consistent structure in the home, he blossomed into the dog of a lifetime. A wonderful couple sought him out (seeing his picture on the website) and after thorough deliberation, agreed to adopt him. He has been with them and their other little dog for a few months now and they are one big happy family. Having Elvis move out of my house was very sad for me, but knowing that he was going to a loving, forever home made it much easier."
Besides training dogs, Sue is a management consultant specializing in facilitation and teaching individuals and groups how to have more productive difficult conversations and she is also an art quilter.
Thank you, Sue, for your dedication to the dogs of the APS!