Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Raney.
Hi Courtney, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I joined The Retrievers in 2020. I am a volunteer for an animal rescue as well. We were working on trying to trap a stray dog surviving on his own in the mountains of southeast Kentucky. I wanted to learn about lost dog behavior, patterns, and humane live trapping. After many long months, I could travel to Kentucky on Thanksgiving day and successfully live-trap this sweet boy. Our organization has volunteers all over Minnesota and a few in surrounding states. We help dogs local to us and also take consultation cases worldwide. Although this work is physically and emotionally challenging, we are a united team and couldn’t do it without each other’s support. We are a strictly donation-based non-profit group. Our team has only one goal: protecting lost and stray animals. This organization has brought thousands of dogs back home and to safety over the last 10 years.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a Retriever is a challenging road. Lost dogs are hard. Our hearts hurt when they are lost. Our minds think like theirs do. We know they are cold and hungry when we are working out in the field. They are scared, and we are scared for them. Unfortunately, we don’t have happy endings every time. Some pups vanish into thin air. Some are hit by cars or trains. Some fall through thin ice. These are the biggest struggles.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work two jobs outside of my volunteer work. I have been a group exercise instructor for more than 10 years. I also manage, bartend, and serve at a Bistropub. I love all of my work, paid and volunteer!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was an introverted yet rebellious teen. I loved music and hanging out with all sorts of different groups of people. I was still reasonably shy but came out of my shell in my young adult life, even more so when I started as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theretrievers.org/
Image Credits
Bobbi Woelpern, Lindsay Koopman, Beth Capistran, DeAnn Syverson
