portion of the ranch area. Below are pictures of the shelter and ranch and also some testimonials of people have been to the shelter and who have adopted from us.
of something else that matters more than ones self. The animals and their needs teach us dedication. Daily chores and feeding make us forego our own desires and pleasures at times, for the animals and their needs must come first. Owning animals extracts a commitment and we become responsible for their care. It's like a marriage- not something you enter into lightly nor refuse to take seriously. The human-animal relationship can build strengthof character, reliability, deeper understanding, and can pave the way for greater patience and understanding in human relationships. What we learn with animals often stands us in good stead for many other aspects of living."
~Sara K
I have been friends with Tami since we were 12 years old, growing up in Emmetsburg, IA. Tami has always been one of the most caring people, I have ever met in my life. I am so proud of her and the much needed work she is doing at her animal shelter and sanctuary.
Tami has always had a deep love for the needs of animals, it does not matter what kind or species of animal, she just loves them unconditionally. I have seen her take a dog out of the most horrible conditions and nurse that dog back to health, as well as give that dog a sense of trust again.
Tami is a pyramid of strength in heart, body, and soul. I stayed with her for a week at the ranch. I was totally worn out at the end of the day, she was as well. I asked her how do you do this all day every day? In a very patient, loving way, she replied "I love what I do, I love these animals, and they love and depend on me for their every need. They do not understand that I am tired and just because I am tired, I will not let them down. The animals give me the strength I need to keep going, look at what other humans have done to them. Besides, I am living my dream.."
I have the utmost respect for Tami and the dream she is living. People need to visit her rescue and sanctuary and look into the eyes of the animals she takes care of and loves so deeply. They will see a sense of belonging and a peace, that some of these animals have never experienced until this wonderful woman took them in and nursed them back to health, as well as just loved them.
I would like to say to Tami, God bless you and all that you are doing and that I am very proud to say that you are my best friend and have been for many years. Keep on doing what you are doing because your rewards are yet to come.
~Lorna O
Here are Blue Boy and Woody, two adoptees from Hope4FuzieFaniez animal shelter. Blue is three years old with the most gorgeous orange eyes I have ever seen, beautiful and a wonderful sweet personality. Lots of hair to keep up with, but he is worth it. Woody is five years old and is the son of a ferrell cat who lived on the ranch -- all of the kittens in his litter were carried away by an owl and Tami rescued Woody from the woodpile where his mother had taken him for safety on a dark and stormy night (hence the name "Woody"). Woody's half brother and sister (Fetch and Button) still live on the ranch as house pets.
My friends and I have been making quarterly trips from Denver to the shelter for several years now, taking donations of food, litter, cleaning products, bedding, fans, and other things that are needed at the shelter. We have seen the shelter being built into a wonderful place for all the cats and dogs. Each and every animal at the shelter is sweet and loving, and receive the best of care and attention by Tami, her associates and friends. We love going up there to see the next "development" she has accomplished. Her work and dedication to these animals is exemplary -- she is a wonderful friend and caregiver to these animals and a joy to know.
~Kathie from Aurora, CO
I met Tami about three years ago when I was searching for a home for two stray cats who had taken up residency in my backyard. At the time, Tami's sanctuary was full but she started giving me ideas on how to rescue my two strays. She was such an inspiration for me. I soon realized how passionate she was about her work and how many sacrifices she makes for the animals. She cares so much about her animals and is careful about the families who adopt them. I ended up trapping my two strays, getting them tested, neutered and vaccinated. We built a fully insulated shelter in the backyard and the two "Boys" are now very happy living in our backyard. Tami should be a national role model for a private animal rescue and sanctuary. We need to give her as much of our support as we can. I am blessed to have met Tami.
~Barbara B
I met Tami when I was looking for a Himalayan kitten and found Tami online; I met her when my new kitten was only 4 weeks old and was totally impressed by Tami's professionalism, dedication to animals, work ethic and obvious caring attitude. All her animals have "landed on their paws" and are in such a happier place; if you meet a new adoptee who's afraid, by the next time you see that animal, he/she is not afraid anymore and obviously happy to be at the shelter. My "himmie" is now five years old; I've seen Tami and her critters four times a year, and each time the shelter looks better, the animals are all smiling, and it's a good thing.
~Judy F, Denver
I knew Tami for several years before she started Hope 4 Fuzie Faniez. I lived close by at that time and worked nearly 60 miles away making my commute time long and stretching my time away from home further than I wanted. She faithfully saw that my dogs were let out, fed, watered and loved on while I was away. She talked about my animals just like they were some of her own and that is the way she looked after them. Her passion for animals then was immense, so it didn't surprise me at all when she started the sanctuary.
I have known Tami to go through great personal hardship just to take care of the animals. She rarely has time to socialize, especially away from home as she diligently makes the rounds throughout the day to let everyone out for some play time and of course the necessary potty! By the time she gets the first round done, it's time to start again, cleaning cages and feeding in between rounds. And she doesn't stop until she knows everyone has been taken care of before falling into bed exhausted yet another day. I am amazed when I see her hugging and kissing on dogs that most people wouldn't hold in their arms. She treats every animal in the sanctuary as if it's her own pet, there to stay forever. I know she's thrilled when one of them finds the perfect forever home; I know her heart breaks just a little bit when she lets them go. So please understand if she seems overly cautious when interviewing you as a new owner. Her only concern is that the fuzie fannie gets the very best home!
~Nel H.
In my view, the only truly successful person is one who is passionate about his/her ideals/ interests/career. This particularly applies to someone who is starting a business from scratch. Tami took her passion for animal welfare and rescue, combined it with her knowledge and work ethic and applied it. The results are evident to anyone who has visited her facility. She is making a difference in the lives of numerous pets every day. Love and dedication, commitment and tenacity are on display!
~Christine L, Cheyenne, WY
I have known Tami for several years when she took a special needs dog into her heart and home. Tami is the most caring and thoughtful person you would ever want to know. Tami goes above and beyond to help animals which I admire in a society that doesn't think twice about tossing a helpless pet out into the cold/heat on a county road or highway or tossing it to a high kill facility. I have had the privilege of visiting Tami's facility which I found to be awesome. The pets in her care were clean and loved. Please don't hesitate to donate to www.hope4fuziefaniez.com!
~Linda Y, President, www.petpalsinc.org – Wyoming
Because of my business as owner/veterinarian at the Cheyenne Pet Clinic, I have been associated with numerous animal rescue groups and shelters over the years but I must say that Tami runs the cleanest, most organized program I've ever dealt with. Besides being a very caring and loving person, she is the most hard-working individual I have ever met. Her whole life is geared around her chores on the ranch and the running of the shelter. If there were more hours in the day I'm sure she would still find something to be doing!!
Tami cares very much for all the critters she takes into the shelter and makes sure they get good homes with good people. The dogs and cats get the best of care at the shelter and whenever a medical problem arises Tami is quick to bring them to our clinic for veterinary care. The dogs and cats she brings to us are always clean and well-groomed. She has them spayed or neutered before they can be adopted and their vaccinations are always up to date. The Cheyenne Pet Clinic is very proud to be associated with Tami and her amazing shelter.
~Dr. Robert Farr , Cheyenne, WY (www.cheyennepetclinic.com)
I've never met anyone like Tami Walden. She is dedicated to helping animals and will do whatever it takes to help them. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of how the animals came to be under her dedicated and loving care. Most of them have endured a hell that we, as humans, cannot possibly imagine. It takes more than food and water to bring animals back from the brink after they have been abused and/or neglected, and Tami has the compassion and dedication to do that and more. I had the privilege of adopting a cat from Tami. That cat is one of the true loves of my life! It is an honor and a privilege to know Tami, and I am happy and proud to help support her shelter.
~Gay W. from Denver, CO
