Volunteer animal rescue workers, a veterinarian and one employee of the Douglas County Animal Shelter held the first-ever "Super Dog Saturday" adoption day Saturday on the grass in front of the Pinenut Road shelter.
They offered specials like a free spay or neuter with any adult dog adoption, free micro chipping and also gave away dog gifts as incentives to potential dog adopters.
"We try to do everything we can to encourage them to adopt," said Cherie Owen, founder of the Douglas Animal Welfare Group.
The goal of Saturday's event was to get as many dogs adopted out as possible, Owen said.
"We're always fighting a numbers game," she explained.
Another job of the DAWG group is to maintain the mental health of the dogs and cats while they are in the shelter. This includes taking them for walks and playing with them in the fenced-in exercise yard.
"Mack over there is a big player," said Owen, nodding toward a black Labrador retriever. Mack, a neutered 2-year-old, loves to play ball.
She also introduced the "Golden Girls," two golden retrievers named Penny and Nickle. They came from a home where an elderly man could no longer care for them.
"They're incredible," said Owen of the spayed sisters. "They're good with kids and other dogs and you can take them both out on the same lead."
They seemed to smile from behind the bars of their cage in the clean facility.
"They don't know why they're here. They don't know what's going on," said Owen as she rubbed Penny's head.
Owen, who has lived in Gardnerville for 10 years and has been involved in animal rescue for 35 years, pointed to nine volunteers on scene Saturday.
At a table in the front was Dr. Linda Miner, a veterinarian who works part time at D.O.C.'s in Carson City. She was putting micro chips in dogs that help owners recover a lost animal.
"Bless Linda's heart she is always there for us if we have a question about a dog in the shelter," Owen said.
Devy Devreis, 10, had a chip, about the size of two grains of rice end to end, put in her black cocker spaniel Rosie.
Devreis gathered blankets and towels for the shelter as part of a 4-H project.
"The animals were getting cold and stuff so I said 'Maybe we should collect blankets for them,'" she said. "So I put it in the newspaper and we got a big turnout."
YOU CAN HELP
What: Douglas Animal Welfare Group
Call: 782-3770