Harley dealership raises canine cash
If you’ve got a dirty dog or a dirty bike, Thunderbird Harley-Davidson just may have the answer. For the second straight year, the motorcycle dealership is joining, er, paws with Viva! New Mexico Rural Animal Rescue to help raise some operating funds for the organization through a Hogs and Dogs Wash on Saturday, June 16. “Last year was the first year, the first time we teamed up with them,” said Thunderbird marketing director Kristen Sweeney. “We wanted to do something with animals, in particular with dogs, and we reached out to a contact we had at Viva! New Mexico.” Viva! New Mexico is an Albuquerquebased group that works with the Valencia County Animal Shelter to provide aid in any number of ways. “Our mission is to help rural shelters like the Valencia County shelter however we can,” said Ashley Pedroncelli, founder and director of the all-volunteer organization. “If they need us to help transport dogs to another rescue, help them with rescue contacts. We help them with supplies, because they’re not always funded appropriately. If they just have needs, we help with them. And we have fosters of our own that we can pull dogs into.” Pedronceilli began the organization in 2012 after taking in a foster dog herself from the Valencia County shelter. “I saw a need,” she said. “All of the rescues need help wherever they are but nobody was dedicated to helping all of the little shelters. I saw they could use the help and here were are.” The event last year raised more than $400 through donations as the dogs and bikes got a thorough scrubbing. This year’s event, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., includes a free hot dog bar and live music. “We are a dog-friendly facility,” Sweeney said. “Our customers’ dogs are our dogs. Whenever somebody brings in a dog, we all have to stop and pet it. Viva! New Mexico is a really good organization and tries to find good homes for pets. When we presented it, they jumped on the idea and ran with it.” Fundraisers like this are important to Viva’s! existence because the organization has no outside funding source, Pedroncelli said. “We are 100 percent funded through donations and fundraisers,” she said. “That’s where all of our money comes from. We’re all volunteers so all of our money goes for the dogs.” The event quickly gained favor with the Viva! New Mexico volunteers. “Our partnership with Thunderbird is really fun,” Pedroncelli said. “This event with them is not something we can do anywhere else.”