June Volunteer Continues Long-time Dedication to Helping Pets

Our June Volunteer of the Month, Carlie Dorshaw-Moe, has been part of our annual Dallas Strut Your Mutt for the past 13 years and continues to love every minute of it! “I started as a participant, taking my old dogs Abbi and Denny out to Fair Park and now I’ve been a member of the planning committee for the past 10 years,” Carlie smiled. “Seeing how much fun all the people AND dogs are having at Strut is so joyful.”

As much as she loves Strut, Carlie’s all time favorite memory of SPCA of Texas is finding her dog Roxie at the SPCA of Texas’ Home for the Holidays Adoption Pavilion event at NorthPark Center. “The moment I saw her little face, I said to my husband ‘that’s the dog’ without even  knowing anything about her,” Carlie said. “She’s the light of my life now and we have such a great time together.”

Knowing that the SPCA of Texas will never euthanize pets for time or space was important to Carlie when she was deciding where to volunteer in December of 2014. “Knowing that all SPCA alumni animals can be brought back and have a safe place to land makes the SPCA extra special and carried a lot of weight in my choice to volunteer here,” Carlie added.

Carlie appreciates that there are so many ways to volunteer at SPCA of Texas including helping with extraordinary events, pet enrichment and helping stuff envelopes in the office. “It’s not all scooping poop!,” she laughed. “Everyone has skills that the SPCA needs, and every hour of volunteering is one more hour that the staff can do more life-saving work.

“Volunteering at the SPCA of Texas isn’t sad. So many people ask how I can go to the shelter and not be sad or want to adopt every single animal,” Carlie added. “My answer is always the same—the animals at the SPCA of Texas have a great life! The shelter is so big, and the staff/volunteers are so great, that every animal has plenty of space and gets a lot of attention. Even Roxie [Carlie’s dog] doesn’t get two walks a day!”

Carlie also is an active member of SPCA of Texas’ Young Professionals, which is an emerging group of young leaders enlisted to raise awareness and funds for the most vulnerable animals in our community.

Carlie Dorshaw-Moe is well known for being dependable and for being a volunteer that supports the SPCA of Texas mission. One of her nominators wrote: “Carlie’s exceptional dedication and unwavering commitment have made a profound impact on our organization.

“Carlie’s ability to think big, provide clear directions, and offer fantastic ideas has not only pushed us to be more inclusive but also enhanced our overall volunteer experiences. Her selflessness, resilience, and passion for animal welfare make her an exemplary volunteer deserving of this recognition.”

Carlie definitely devotes her volunteer time to much more at the SPCA of Texas’ Dallas Animal Center. “Taking dogs out for a Borrow A Buddy afternoon has been one of the most impactful ways I’ve engaged with the SPCA,” she said.

“Seeing how people out in public react to the dogs and the excitement the dogs have is so special,” Carlie noted. “Knowing that even just a few hours out of the shelter can make such a big difference in that dog’s adoptability is so worth it—even when Bernice managed to get from the trunk of my hatchback up to the front seat as I was driving down I-30!”

Carlie appreciates the time she spends and the experiences she has volunteering with the SPCA. “Volunteering makes me feel proud to be a part of the SPCA of Texas,” she smiled. “I can really see the difference the SPCA makes in the lives of North Texas animals and people.

“Every time I see an adoption photo online, I know that all of us volunteers feel a sense of pride in the time and effort volunteers give to make that successful outcome happen.”