To many Tucsonans, Summit will always be Dogpatch — a place that earned its name because it has long been a dumping ground for local dogs.
Summit is an unincorporated area of Pima County comprising 10 square miles south of the Tucson International Airport.
About 4,000 people live there. According to local lore, the animal dumping in Dogpatch began back in the 1940s when Greyhound dogs no longer suitable for racing would be left there to fend for themselves.
Drive through this rural area now, and it's clear that people are still abandoning their animals there. Some are alive, others are not.
But the animals now have some angels watching out for them.
Six years ago, Tucsonan Nancy Maddry and her daughter went to Summit after seeing a Craigslist ad for a rescue horse that was available. Maddry was horrified by what she saw - stray, neglected, abused and deceased animals that in one area seemed to line the streets.
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And so Angels for Animals was born.
Twice per week Maddry leads crews of volunteers who wear green shirts and go into Dogpatch to fill food and water troughs and do spay and neuter education. They give first aid to dogs, try to find owners, and offer dog food to residents who can't afford it.
They also work with local rescue groups to rescue stray animals. Last Sunday they rescued an abandoned horse. They've rescued cats, goats, chickens and other animals, but their main focus is on the many dogs that wander free along Summit's dirt roads and through its fields.
On Tuesday, a crew comprised of Maddry, Sam O'Hern, Zach O'Hern and Ara Mardoyan met at 7:20 a.m. and spent much of the day working with residents, filling troughs, applying first aid to a dog with a sore paw and finding a foster home for a dog and three puppies surrendered by their owner.
That particular owner also had a pregnant pit bull - in addition to other animals -Â and wanted his pit bull to have at least two more litters because he sells the dogs, he said. Angels for Animals gave him some information about spaying and neutering and general animal health and welfare.
Maddry warns that Tucsonans should not see the problems in Dogpatch as a license to go in and pick up stray dogs. You may be stealing someone's dog, she says. Angels for Animals volunteers have worked hard to gain the trust of residents. Sometimes it's a matter of education on how to be a good pet owner, Maddry says.
HOW TO HELP
The public can help with donations or by volunteering for the group, which has a Facebook page. There is a volunteer orientation scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 4: https://www.facebook.com/AngelsforAnimalsTucson?fref=ts
Donate supplies via the Angels for Animals Amazon Wish List: http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1D8JPX4DLYASV/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_ws_zpo-vb01P4X6S
Attend a Fajita Night Fundraiser for Angels for Animals, scheduled for 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Javelina Cantina, 445 S. Alvernon Way: https://www.facebook.com/events/1020791027965531/
