Second Chance for Love

Evelyn is a black Lab who loves to play fetch with a tennis ball. She uses her ears to figure out where the ball was thrown. Then she uses her nose to track the ball down.

Not so unusual, you think? You're right−except Evelyn is blind.

"Evelyn loves to play fetch for hours," says Steve Smith, founder of Rolling Dog Ranch in Montana, where Evelyn lives. "Being blind doesn't stop her from being happy, playful and energetic," he tells us. "She is the perfect example of how a disabled animal can have a wonderful quality of life, if only given the chance."

According to Steve, in too many communities, disabled animals are seen as unadoptable. "People don't realize they can make wonderful, loving pets."

Montana Paradise
Evelyn isn't the only resident of the 160-acre Rolling Dog Ranch. She lives with 43 dogs, 12 cats, and 33 horses−all disabled.

"They're all remarkable animals," says Steve. "There isn't a single animal here who feels sorry for him or herself. Each and every one of them loves being alive."

So why is the sanctuary named Rolling Dog Ranch? "Our dogs love to roll around on their backs in the meadow," laughs Steve. "We'll have as many as four dogs at a time upside down, feet straight up in the air, scratching their backs in the fields!"

To learn more about Rolling Dog Ranch, visit their website here.