Gone to the Dogs: Pet Rescue Invades Woodbury Shop

Two people looking for a hotdog got a big surprise when they wandered into over the weekend. First, there were no hotdogs. Secondly, they were greeted at the door by two enthusiastic labrador-mix dogs.

Even if you are aware that Just Dogs! Gourmet is not a hotdog shop (a common mistake, says owner Michelle Latulippe), the greeting might still catch you by surprise. The two dogs were just a couple of the monthly visitors to the specialty dog shop in Woodbury, which features homemade dog treats, clothing and other services.

While dogs are always welcome, the first Saturday of the month also plays host to adoption events by Coco’s Heart Rescue, an Oakdale-based animal rescue started by Ashley Van Ort in 2009.

Coco’s Heart works with various organizations to locate dogs, but its focus in recent weeks has been on Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, which banned dogs from tribal housing units beginning Dec. 31, 2010, leaving an estimated 150-200 dogs homeless.

Foster home coordinator Daria Silvan, who facilitated the March 5 adoption event, has made the interstate-drive a few times over the past few months.

“It was the coldest part of the year, and the dogs were pretty much left to fend for themselves,” Silvan said about the situation in South Dakota. “We saved one dog whose paw had to be amputated due to frostbite.”

Current foster families of dogs bring animals to the events to help socialize the animals as well as introduce them to potential “forever” homes. Meredith Butala brought the two Labrador mixes to the event.

“These two are the sweetest dogs I’ve ever had,” said Butala, who has fostered the two dogs for a couple months.

“It’s really hard to place black dogs,” she added, alluding to Black Dog Syndrome (an observable phenomena of a higher kill-rate of black dogs).

March 5 was Silvan’s first adoption event, but she reconnected with Van Ort through Facebook a few months ago after attending high school and college together. 

“We’ve grown using very grassroots-type of methods,” Silvan said, and the connection with Just Dogs! Gourmet a good example.

According to Latulippe, a Coco’s Heart representative visited the store to ask for donations for a charity runway show. 

“We donated a basket, and afterwards I contacted Ashley to see if we could help in some way," she said.

That “some way” turned into monthly adoption events at which people can visit with the dogs and fill out an adoption application (no same-day adoptions). Just Dogs! Gourmet also offers a free dog wash to anyone who adopts at one of these events.

“When I started this business, I knew I wanted to help animals in some way,” said Latulippe, who owns two dogs and a cat herself. “It’s great exposure for the organization. And even if it doesn’t get the animals adopted, it might help raise awareness of the need for foster families.”

Silvan echoed that sentiment. 

“For me, it’s enough to know that without our help, all these dogs would be dead,” she said, gesturing to the animals around us at Just Dogs! Gourmet. “But we’re always in need of more foster families.”

More information is available online for those interested in contributing to Coco’s Heart Rescue or seeing what animals are currently available. People can also check out Just Dogs! Gourmet on the first Saturday of next month. And if you're looking for a hotdog, Latulippe is planning the shop's one-year anniversary on May 14... and will serve up hotdogs.