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Adopt adventure dog at the GoPro Mountain Games

Ross Leonhart
rleonhart@vaildaily.com
Zoey is a Ruff Adventure Dog, one of many young, outdoor dogs that is saved from kill shelters thanks to Best Friends Animal Society.
Ruffwear | Special to the Daily |

More information:

Ruffwear: http://www.ruffwear.com

Best Friends Animal Society: http://www.bestfriends.org

VAIL — Come for the action, leave with a dog.

Attendees of the GoPro Mountain Games will have a chance to adopt a Ruff Adventure Dog, free of charge, thanks to dog gear company Ruffwear and Best Friends Animal Society.

“They’re higher energy, active, younger dogs that pair well with our customer, who are people who want that active, outdoor dog,” said Greg Freyberg, of Ruffwear, a manufacturer of canine outdoor gear. “They’re looking for a dog, not to sleep on the couch, but to take camping, for a trail run, mountain biking, river rafting and all of that.”



Members of Ruffwear and Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization with the largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, will have five dogs up for adoption Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Mountain Games, a total of 15 dogs looking for forever homes and companions.

Dog lovers interested, and those that fall in love with a dog on the spot, can fill out an adoption application that includes an on-site interview and might be able to leave with their new outdoor partner that day, although a thorough background check could take more time.

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Ruffwear will pay for all of the costs to get the dog to its new home.

“We picked Vail because of the Mountain Games,” Freyberg said. “Our goal is to match these dogs that need these active, outdoor people that want to be matched with active dogs that will be great in the outdoors.”

All of the dogs are from Best Friends Animal Society satellite shelters in the Denver-Vail area, Freyberg said, less than 100 miles from Vail. The national organization has 1,500 shelter partners with two facilities in Los Angeles, one in Salt Lake City and another coming to New York City in the fall.

‘SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP’

“Our partnership with Ruffwear has been great because some of the dogs they’re helping us get adopted are some of the harder-to-adopt dogs because they are so high energy,” said Eric Rayvid, of Best Friends Animal Society, “so it was really synergistic to pair up with them. It’s been a very successful partnership.”

Since the partnership in 2015, 29 dogs have found happy owners with similar, active lifestyles.

Ruff Adventure Dogs will make their first appearance at the Mountain Games, also their first time at a public event.

“These people coming to spectate this event, they’re active, outdoor enthusiasts,” Freyberg said. “We’re exposing these dogs to people that are really looking for outdoor companions.”

Reporter Ross Leonhart can be reached at 970-748-2915 and rleonhart@vaildaily.com. Follow him on Instagram during the GoPro Mountain Games at colorado_livin_on_the_hill.


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