Desert Haven Animal Refuge- New Mexico

[Sandyboris]

Just a warning to others who think that taking care of animals in exchange for a campsite here is the ideal way to go, might not want to consider it. We volunteered for a six month term starting in Oct of 2005. After 3 weeks we knew it was not for us and gave a 3 weeks notice before leaving, something most other volunteers do not. I would estimate that people returning there are maybe 10% and the majority leave before their committment is up. The glowing descriptions given of the work do not translate into reality. The campsites are very small and you have to pay for your electric usage if you go over the allotted $25 every two weeks, something most of us did. The facility is located on a hilly area with large rocks and gravel making it easy to slip. Cats are kept in an overcrowded facility but allowed to roam free and it is kept fairly clean due to volunteer efforts but most are eager for any attention. Dogs are housed in mostly individual kennels with inside and outside areas. The majority are fairly large, starved for attention, which is usually only given twice a day when fed and cleaned up after and walked. Their eagerness for attention causes jumping up and results in lots of cuts and scratches and most pull very hard on leashes making walking them a physical challenge for many older volunteers.

[Sandyboris]

Just a warning to others who think that taking care of animals in exchange for a campsite here is the ideal way to go, might not want to consider it. We volunteered for a six month term starting in Oct of 2005. After 3 weeks we knew it was not for us and gave a 3 weeks notice before leaving, something most other volunteers do not. I would estimate that people returning there are maybe 10% and the majority leave before their committment is up. The glowing descriptions given of the work do not translate into reality. The campsites are very small and you have to pay for your electric usage if you go over the allotted $25 every two weeks, something most of us did. The facility is located on a hilly area with large rocks and gravel making it easy to slip. Cats are kept in an overcrowded facility but allowed to roam free and it is kept fairly clean due to volunteer efforts but most are eager for any attention. Dogs are housed in mostly individual kennels with inside and outside areas. The majority are fairly large, starved for attention, which is usually only given twice a day when fed and cleaned up after and walked. Their eagerness for attention causes jumping up and results in lots of cuts and scratches and most pull very hard on leashes making walking them a physical challenge for many older volunteers.

[Sandyboris]

Other considerations about Desert Haven involve the required working of at least 4 hours per week at the thrift shop. It is a overcrowded mess and involves moving lots of stuff onto the sidewalk when opening and moving it back when closing. The facility is run by Eliana Aubin, a strong willed individual who had a good idea to help animals but who has problems working with volunteers. Her way of working is "my way is the only way" because of her being the founder. Our major complaint was that almost nothing is spent on food for the animals, depending instead of donations from the public. This sounds fine until you realize than constantly changing food diets is not healthy for any animal and results in loose stools and sometimes in vomiting. Cleaning up for almost 20 dogs who suffer from that is not fun. Many of the volunteers purchased food and donated it to keep some consistency in the diets. There is also an assortment of chickens and rabbits and guinea pigs which is not much of a problem except for the roosters waking you up about 3 AM with their crowing. Anytime someone walks in the vacinity of the dogs, they all go nuts and their barking is clearly heard from the RV sites nearby. Would be happy to answer any questions someone considering working here might have.

[SusanGrimes]

It is interesting that someone who was only at Desert Haven for two months,who tried to step in and run it with her pessimistic, critical attitude has the nerve to write an editorial as this. It is noted that this woman and her husband caused so many problems for the volunteers and RVers at Desert Haven that when she abandoned them without notice it was a welcome event. This person then decided to come back and stir more trouble up, but a unanimous vote from ALL the people involved with Desert Haven managed to keep her out of the refuge activities. She targeted Eliana Aubin, the President of the animal refuge and blamed her for the fact that no one liked her or her husband, wanted them back or wanted to work with them. Please be aware that this vote was UNANIMOUS among the volunteers and staff at Desert Haven! Not one person wanted this person back and many stated that she would continue to gossip, impose her own beliefs without knowledge on how the place should be run and how the money should be spent and continue to cause discord. Her notes about the dogs and cats are ridiculous. Please go to the Desert Haven site online and see that it is NOT true. Animals are HAPPY and well cared for and loved by the staff and the volunteers who continue to come in droves because of the good reputation the Desert Haven Animal Shelter holds in New Mexico and NATIONWIDE. Desert Haven was featured in the reknown Highways Magazine who does not write articles arbitrarily. As a final note, this woman and her husband had no real interest in helping animals when they arrived to Desert Haven. She was intentionally there to find out about relocation and used the facility to further her gain. Thankfully, the majority of people who are members of the Humane Animal Society and who do come to Desert Haven as workampers are kind, good hearted individuals with a true love of animals. We are thankful this person and her husband did leave. Her written statement above should be taken lightly as written from an individual with an agenda who is mean spirited and vindictive.

[Tom N]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">SusanGrimes </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

WOW, that's some post for your first one!

[Sandyboris]

Sorry to disagree with you SusanGrimes. If we were the only ones to complain, I could understand your wrath. But we are not.
I Belive you have us confused with someone else, we never Came Back to Desert Haven. For anything.

[Sunflyer]

Sandy's observations about working at Desert Haven mirror our experience. I don't want to get into back and forth, but prospective workampers need information both pro and con to determine if they want to work there.

[SWhite]

We worked at Desert haven for 6 weeks in Feb/Mar. It is a very rustic camp, the work is hard and it's not for everyone. We found the workers and staff (Eliana included) to be dedicated, hardworking and agreeable. Places like this work because someone has the courage and overall view to see where it can go and there are rules in place to guide people along the way to accomplish that vision. And sometimes folks are going to disagree along the way. it's probably good y'all left, Sandy.
Since most of the equipment, food, etc are mostly donated, food is going to vary. If this refuge were as well funded as Best Friends in Kanab, it would be different. Til that happens, people and the furry critters of Desert Haven seem to be doing pretty well under the circumstances. They just all need care and kind handling....and perhaps some kinder words would be nice, too.
I'll be happy to answer questions about our experience also.

[Eliana]

It is unfortunate that neither Sandyboris & husband Lee, nor Liane Holder, husband Don and son Tom enjoyed their work camping experience at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, a small, No-Kill, all-volunteer, non-profit domestic animal sanctuary under construction located in South Central New Mexico. It is just as unfortunate that Sandyboris felt necessary to air her gripes in the way that she did, especially omitting important aspects of their stay such as, among others, her husband being unhappy and vocal from the start about "working for a woman"�. As for Liane Holder, her son Tom, a young teenager at the time, was experiencing personal difficulties of his own which most certainly contributed greatly in making their stay less than agreable for them and for everyone around them.

The great majority of the volunteers and work campers who come to Desert Haven are genuine animal loving folks who appreciate and value the unique experience of working with dedicated volunteers for the purpose of giving abandoned, unwanted, abused companion animals a new lease on life. It is very sad that this was not those people's experience, and equally sad that they are now attempting to hurt the very animals that they claimed they came to help in the first place.

Sandyboris's statements are untrue, such as but not limited to the RV sites, the pet food situation, and even the housing conditions for either the dogs or the cats. To get a more rounded picture about whether work camping at Desert Haven may or may not be for them, animal loving RV'ers interested in the experience should consider contacting Jane, work camper coordinator at Desert Haven, who can be reached at 1-505-894-1937. They should also contact some of the following Desert Haven volunteers and work campers, who are still very involved in enhancing, first hand, the lives of the animal and bird residents of the sanctuary: dfisher@zianet.com, lidcook@zianet.com, peteraltendorf@yahoo.com, freddieloveless@zianet.com.
They may also wish to check out web sites such as the following:
http://luandlarry.mystarband.net. Then click on "travels"� for the months of Jan, Feb, and Mar 2005.

We, at Desert Haven, work hard to attract to the sanctuary only those animal loving folks who genuinely wish to make a difference in the lives of companion animals out-on-their-luck. Most of the time, we are successful.

[Sunflyer]

I did not engage in personal observations in my statement supporting S. Boris and I regret that Ms. Rubin felt it necessary to engage in such.

Our disappointing experience was entirely due to chaotic management and nothing else.

Prospective workampers can make their own decisions.

[letha =freespirt]

Workkamper families watch out,Desert Haven in New Mexico is for adults only. The lady that runs the animal refuge doesn't like children.
If they are desperate and don't have to many workkampers, they will accept your application.
That is what happen to my family,last March we moved from Mobiel AL to Williamsburg N.M. to work at Desert Haven. I talked to Lois and Lyndia several times on the phone. Not once did
they tell me that this was and adult only place.
They did know that I was married and had a 14 year old son.
At first Eliana treated us very nice, I am on disabilty and couldn't walk the dogs, I also couldn't stay out in the sun,because of my lupus.
My son and husband enjoyed walking the dogs,
they also did a lot of maintenance work like fixing the dog pens,fixing the roof in cat town.
and etc.
After about 4 months,Eliana started accusing
my son of doing things that he haden done. I know for a fact that Tim haden done these things
because he was either around other workkampers
or he was with my husband or me.
Eliana became so vengeful towards Tim, after she had been always praising Tim,putting his name in the Sentinel paper. Tim nor us could understand why Eliana was sending mix messages
to us.We finialy had to move to another RV park.
By the way,this RV park we are at now,is nicer then Desert Haven RV park was.
If they would of been honest with us in the first place, we could of stayed in this RV park
and volunteered a couple days at Desert Haven.
Workkamper that was literally taken advantage of!

[acampingwewillgo]

I cant help but be disgusted with this back and forth banter between opposing sides. If you Dont like any part of the operation, then leave. My only comment is to Thank those that endure whatever comes their way in order to help these abandoned and abused animals.

[bsavage]

Wow. For a bunch of brand new members, I think you misunderstand this forum. We don't wish to indulge your bickering. At least I don't. Stop it.

Brenda, of...

[Nick Russell]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bsavage:
Wow. For a bunch of brand new members, I think you misunderstand this forum. We don't wish to indulge your bickering. At least I don't. Stop it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree completly. This is an RVing forum, not a place to bicker over issues not related to RVing.