Successful Queries

Queries can be the bane of a journalist’s existence, but they’re also essential to landing assignments and breaking into new markets. Ask any editor what the key to a successful query is, and they’ll most likely say something along the lines of “be familiar with the publication.”

They’re right: before crafting a query letter, it’s crucial to research the publication. What is the overall style? What kind of stories does it publish? What is the target demographic? What do you like about the magazine? Which section would be a good fit for your story idea? What is the name and email address of the editor of that section?

Of course, it’s also important to do research for the query itself. You’ll want to learn about your topic and present it in a way that will excite an editor about the story idea – and about working with you. Writing a professional query letter sends a message that you know what’s expected and want to exceed expectations.

Below you’ll find examples of query letters that led to assignments. If you have one you’d like to share, please email DWAA President Carol Bryant. It’s up to you whether you’d like to include your name or your editor’s name, but please do let us know if you’d worked with the editor before to help give members an idea of the context.

Happy querying!

The following are query letters that led to assignments:

Member submission: Thank you to Jodi Helmer for submitting this successful query.

There are countless breeders specializing in training service dogs. Their goal: Use selective breeding to produce dogs that can perform roles ranging from bomb detection and sniffing out invasive species to serving as assistance dogs to owners with disabilities or medical conditions.

In Dripping Springs, Texas, the dogs trained as hearing and service dogs were not bred for their roles. Instead, the dogs were pulled from local shelters and trained to excel as service dogs.

Service Dogs Inc. (SDI) believes that dogs from unknown backgrounds (and sometimes-indistinguishable breeds) can perform just as well as purebred dogs. Each dog is chosen based on temperament and the needs of the clients, which means there is no one size (or breed) fits all approach at SDI. The nonprofit has been matching rescue dogs with disabled adults since 1998.

In Texas, Austin Pets Alive prides itself on developing innovative programs to save animals at risk for euthanasia. One of their programs involves partnering with Universal K9, a group that trains law enforcement dogs, to identify dogs with the temperaments to become K9 officers. Dogs from the shelter, including several pit bulls and pit bull mixes, are now on duty the Washougal Police Department, the Chattahoochee Hills Police Department and the Poughkeepsie Police Department. (One of the Universal K9 trainers said the only problem he’s ever had with pit bulls is training them to be aggressive toward people)!

These are just two examples of rescue groups and organizations putting rescue dogs to work as service dogs. Other examples include Freedom Service Dogs in Englewood, Colorado, Shelter to Soldier in San Diego and Possibility Dogs with chapters in Dallas, Philadelphia and Minneapolis.

I’m proposing an article that introduces readers to organizations that provide second chances to dogs and owners by training shelter dogs to excel as service dogs. I’ll talk to shelters that work with programs like SDI and Shelter to Soldier as well as representatives from the organizations about the reasons their work is so critical to dogs and people.

I hope the idea is a good fit for a 2017 issue. Please let me know if you’d like additional details.

Best,

Jodi

Member submission: Thank you to Jodi Helmer for submitting this successful query.

You’re eager to transform your yard into a blooming paradise with plenty of space for Fido to play fetch. Before you buy flats of flowers and start a compost pile, there are a few things you need to know to keep your pup safe in the garden.

An FOB article will offer TK tips for planting a pet safe garden, including:

Steer clear of poisonous plants: Several popular plants are toxic to dogs. Begonias, clematis, azaleas and bleeding hearts can cause symptoms ranging from excessive drooling and vomiting to diarrhea and death. The ASPCA has a complete list of poisonous plants on its website, /www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants. It’s a good idea to check the list before going to the garden center.

Cover up compost: The scent of rotting produce might tempt your pup to treat the compost pile like a K9 buffet. While it’s safe to feed your dog some fresh fruits and vegetables, once they hit the compost pile, mold and fungus can turn an unauthorized nosh into a trip to the vet. Keep your compost bin securely covered or put up a fence to keep your pets from accessing the pile.

I’ll include tips from veterinarians and experts from the ASPCA to help readers plant pet friendly gardens.

I hope it’s a good fit for an upcoming issue.

Thanks,

Jodi Helmer

Member submission: Thank you to Jodi Helmer for submitting this successful query.

The newest apiary inspector at the Maryland Department of Agriculture has four legs, golden fur and a powerful sniffer. Mack, a two-year-old yellow Lab, joined the team a few months ago after earning certification in American Foulbrood detection.

American Foulbrood or AFB is a contagious, fatal disease that affects beehives. When colonies are infected, bacterial spores grow around the larvae, killing it. Early detection helps prevent the spread; diseased equipment needs to be destroyed.

Apiary inspector Cybil Preston rescued Mack and worked with the Department of Corrections to have him trained. When Mack smells AFB in a hive, he sits to alert Preston.

Mack can inspect 100 hives in 45 minutes; it would take Preston an entire day to inspect 45 colonies because she’d have to open up the hives and perform visual assessments. Using a dog for AFB detection is a more cost effective method of identifying diseased colonies.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has had a bee dog on staff since 1982. It’s believed to be the only agency in the country with an AFB-sniffing dog on staff. Mack is the fifth canine to take on the role.

I’m proposing a profile of Mack and Preston that explores the effectiveness of sniffer dogs for AFB detection and the reasons it’s important to implement creative strategies to save the bees. I’ll speak to Preston and sources from the Maryland Department of Agriculture about the program and seek insights from Working Dogs for Conservation, a Montana organization that trains dogs to detect invasive species and pests.

I hope it’s a good fit for the site.

Thanks,

Jodi Helmer

Because November is “Adopt a Senior Pet Month,” here’s a story idea for your consideration with the possible title: “Why ‘Seniors for Seniors’ Pet Adoption Programs Are Spreading Across America.”

When Barbara Castleman and her husband visited an animal shelter in Albuquerque, N.M. several years ago, they were surprised to find a purebred Toy Australian Shepherd available for adoption. While it would have cost them thousands of dollars to purchase such a dog from a breeder, 10-year-old Stella’s adoption fee was only $40 because she was a senior – and Castleman received an additional $10 discount because she herself was over 50.

“Best of all, before taking her home, the shelter vet asked if they could give her a dental – free of charge – saving us hundreds of dollars. Imagine, for what we’d spend on lunch out, we’ve gotten years of unconditional love and companionship,” she told me.

Stories like these are popping up around the country as shelters and rescue organizations implement “Seniors for Seniors” programs. The idea is simple: discount or waive adoption fees for senior citizens who want to adopt “senior” pets aged 7 and up. Some organizations, such as Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, even cover medical bills for vaccinations, surgeries and dental care prior to adoption. In addition to the financial incentives, senior dogs are typically housetrained and need less exercise than a puppy, so they can make ideal companions.

Lisa Lunghofer, PhD and executive director of the nonprofit Grey Muzzle Organization, which awards grants to rescue groups to support senior pet adoptions, said in a recent survey of grant recipients, two-thirds of respondents said senior humans are the most open to adopting senior dogs.

“Seniors for Seniors programs are such an exciting trend because they are making a life-changing—and often a life-saving—difference for both older dogs and older people,” she said. “It’s absolutely a win-win!”

Would you be interested in an article about “Seniors for Seniors” programs in the United States? I could interview senior pet owners as well as organizations about the benefits – and joys – of these programs. I could also touch on organizations with programs that help seniors on fixed incomes keep their pets at home by offering food and medical assistance when needed – another inspiring trend.

(BIO)

Please feel free to contact me for any reason via email or the phone numbers below. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!

As I’ve mentioned, I’m a fan of PawCulture – particularly the “Get Inspired” vertical. There are so many people and dogs making the world a better place!

One inspiring woman is Susan Kelley, a Colorado resident who founded the Bow Wow Film Festival, a traveling film festival that’s currently in its third tour of the country. What’s cool about this festival is that all of the short films are about dogs, and 100 percent of the ticket sales support local animal welfare groups, such as rescue organizations and food pantries for pets of the homeless. (Sponsors cover the festival’s costs and Kelley recently established a 501c3 to help with venue rentals and other expenditures for strapped organizations.) The first two tours raised over $125,000.

I met Kelley a few years ago when the festival first came to my adopted hometown of Durango, Colo. to benefit our local Humane Society, and she’s a force of nature. She’s passionate about helping make it as easy as possible for the nonprofits to host an event and about dogs in general.

“Dogs are really connected with humans. That look that they give you when they look right into your eyes – that’s not just chance,” she told me. “We’re trying to celebrate that connection.”

(BIO)

Could you use a “Pet People” article profiling Susan Kelley and the Bow Wow Film Festival? If so, I’d love to write it.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!

Author’s note: I sent this query letter to Modern Dog after submitting an essay, which was published in the “How I Met My Dog” section. Essays can be a great way to break into a new publication.

I love that Modern Dog is such a strong advocate for rescues, and thought I’d see if you’d be interested in a story about Operation Roger. The nonprofit is a “rag-tag group of some 20-30 pet-loving truckers” who volunteer to transfer dogs and cats from animal shelters or individuals to their forever homes – for just a $25 donation. It can be tricky, since the truckers cannot deviate from their scheduled routes; pickups and drop-offs can be at mid-day or in the wee hours of the morning, usually at truck stops and often met by volunteer shuttle drivers. They’ve helped almost 700 pets since the group started in September 2005, and are actively recruiting more volunteer drivers so that they can help even more animals.

The success stories are heartwarming, like Sage, a 5-month-old Lab mix who was going to be euthanized in South Carolina. A woman in Boston, Mass. heard about Sage through Facebook and wanted to adopt her. So when his driving schedule allowed it, Operation Roger driver Mark picked up Sage in South Carolina and drove her to Boston. Or Sassy, the pit bull whose owner became homeless and left her at a shelter in Oklahoma. Operation Roger drivers transported the canine hitchhiker to her new home in California, where her owner is training her to be a therapy dog.

Could you use an article about Operation Roger? I write often about pet issues for the American Animal Hospital Association as well as general interest publications. I’m a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Clips are online at http://www.jenreeder.com/clips-pets.htm.

I would love to contribute again to Modern Dog. Thanks so much for your time and consideration!

Author’s note: This pitch led to an assignment in the travel section of the Dallas Morning News. It was shorter than my proposed word count, and I no longer suggest potential lengths to editors when querying.

Texans love to visit the city of Durango in southwest Colorado for year-round recreation, shopping and dining – in fact, they’re one of the town’s largest tourism demographics. But many visitors don’t know Durango is a great place to visit with their dogs, even though Durango is embracing national trends and becoming increasingly pet friendly.

I propose a service article (1,000 words) about how to travel to Durango with your dog – in any season. I would cover itinerary options such as:

  • Outdoor activities (such as walking or cycling the 7-mile Animas River Trail through town; hiking trails in the 23.6-acre off-leash dog park; or renting pontoon boats on Vallecito Lake in the summer, or cross-country skiing around the lake in winter)
  • Dining
  • Shopping
  • Accommodation
  • Daycare
  • Travel tips for “When you go” (such as bringing updated vaccination records for hotels and daycare facilities, and local leash laws)

I am a Durango-based freelance journalist who writes frequently about pets for regional publications as well as for the American Animal Hospital Association’s various publications (Trends, PetsMatter, HealthyPet.com). I am a member of the Dog Writers Association of America, the Colorado Press Association, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Author’s note: This is the first pitch I sent to Just Labs, a magazine for Labrador retriever enthusiasts. Normally I wouldn’t mention my dog in the bio of a query letter, but I did in this case because his breed was relevant to the publication. I also mentioned the availability of photos after reading the magazine’s contributor guidelines.

Traditionally people associate Dalmatians with firefighting, but it is a Labrador retriever that’s featured in The National Fire Dog Monument in Washington, D.C. The bronze statue, unveiled on October 24, honors accelerant detection canine teams – a.k.a. arson dog teams – by showcasing a Lab and her handler proudly and loyally making eye contact after a job well done.

The canine model for the statue is a black Lab named Sadie, an arson dog who was named the Law Enforcement/Arson Dog of the Year at the 2011 American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards. Sadie and her handler, Jerry Means of the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, work together to find suspected arsonists. Like other arson dogs – which are often Labs or Lab mixes – Sadie is trained to signal when she smells accelerants like lighter fluid, kerosene or gasoline. Finding these samples helps investigators prosecute suspected arsonists and put them behind bars. Means and Sadie’s predecessor, a black Lab named Erin, investigated around 800 fire scenes together.

Could you use an inspirational feature about Labs that work as arson dogs? I could interview Means about what makes Labs like Erin and Sadie so good at being arson dogs, and learn about Sadie’s personality on and off the job. I could also get in touch with other arson dog handlers that work with Labs through the State Farm Arson Dog Program (Sadie and Erin are graduates), as well as Paul Gallagher, owner of Maine Specialty Dogs, the group that trains the arson dogs before they are sent to work around the nation. I could work with the American Humane Association and/or State Farm, the co-sponsors of the National Fire Dog Monument, to get photos. Here’s a great one I saw on Flikr to give you a visual of the statue (called “From Ashes to Answers”):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/statefarm/10541306953/in/photostream/

I am a freelance journalist who writes frequently about pets for the American Animal Hospital Association’s various publications (Trends, PetsMatter, HealthyPet.com) and Modern Dog magazine, as well as general interest publications like The Dallas Morning News. I am a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Clips are online at http://www.jenreeder.com/clips-pets.htm. I’m also a proud mom to my yellow Lab mix, Rio, a therapy dog. I would be thrilled to contribute to Just Labs.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Author’s note: I sent an essay on spec to Tails Pet Magazine that was accepted – the editor asked me to send potential story ideas when I mentioned I’m a journalist. So this pitch has a more casual tone and doesn’t include a bio since we’d already been introduced. The first idea led to an assignment.

I’ve actually been doing some research on a group that might make an interesting profile for Tails: Working Dogs for Conservation. It’s a nonprofit based in Montana that rescues high-energy dogs from shelters and trains them to help protect wildlife and wild places around the world, whether using their noses to find poachers’ snares in Africa, working with customs agents in Vietnam to uncover smuggled rhino horn, detecting disease in U.S. wildlife, or locating scat to be analyzed to see if river water is safe for drinking. The dogs can search large areas and pinpoint scents in dense vegetation. (I think it’s charming that their reward is then playing with a ball.) Working Dogs for Conservation also has a program “Rescues to the Rescue” that helps train shelter employees to identify rescue dogs around the country that have working dog potential, and then places them with other organizations around the world to save even more dogs from euthanasia. Good stuff!

On a different note, I met the Chicago couple at the WolfWood Refuge near Ignacio, Colo. It’s a nonprofit with the primary objective of rescuing wolves and wolf-dogs from around the U.S., nursing them back to health (the vast majority are badly abused by people who buy them as puppies and then don’t know how to handle their wild instincts) and socializing them for life at the refuge. The other main component is educating the public that wolves belong in the wild, not at home – from tourists to busloads of schoolkids. The founder is Paula Watson, who started WolfWood at 40 as a labor of love and now 20 years later, it’s her life’s work. She currently has 62 animals on the 40-acre property. A profile of WolfWood could be interesting from the perspective of contrasting wolves with dogs – there was even new evidence revealed last year that suggests dogs are not descended from wolves, but instead share a common ancestor.

Do either of those topics sound like a good fit for Tails? No pressure, of course, just thought I’d mention them in case they might work. I’m excited to potentially contribute to Tails!

Author’s note: The second idea about companies that give back to dog rescue led to an assignment.

Thanks so much for putting out a call for pitches in the ASJA forum and sharing the contributor guidelines for TheWineBuzz. What a cool magazine!

I thought I’d see if you’d be interested in a travel profile of my adopted hometown of Durango, Colo., a mountain town in the southwest corner of the state that boasts 300 days of sunshine a year. Tourists flock to ride the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and explore historic downtown, but many of our visitors also share the locals’ love of our breathtaking natural environment. The surrounding San Juan Mountains offer hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing (or skiing and snowshoeing in the winter), while the Animas River, which flows through town, has terrific trout fishing, whitewater rafting, tubing and kayaking. The Animas River Trail, a paved, 7-mile path, runs alongside the river for cyclists and strollers, and we have a 23.6-acre off-leash dog park with trails and river access as well. Maybe because a craft beer hits the spot after a fun day of recreation, our little town of about 16,000 people has six microbreweries – as well as a winery. I’d love to write a story that appeals to travelers who enjoy a tasty beverage after a day spent recreating outside.

Also, I noticed that one of your advertisers is Tito’s Vodka. I’m a fan of Tito’s not just because the vodka is so smooth, but because the company is so dedicated to dog rescue. In the early days, founder Bert “Tito” Beveridge would tend the stills on the company’s rural Texas property with his white shepherd mix, Joe, and soon strays began joining them. The Tito’s team has since rescued over 30 dogs, and now has a website http://www.vodkafordogpeople.com/ that raises money for Emancipet, a nonprofit that provides low-cost spay/neuter clinics. It could be fun to profile the philanthropic side of Tito’s, or include the company in a larger story about beverage companies that support dog rescue and welfare. One great example is California’s Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines offering a new line of “Chateau La Paws Wines,” with labels featuring rescue dogs from North Shore Animal League America. The winery is donating $100,000 to the nonprofit. And See Ya Later Ranch winery in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, has made over $150,000 of financial contributions and in-kind donations to the British Columbia SPCA. For its efforts, the winery recently won the nonprofit’s “Caring Company Award.”

I am a freelance journalist who writes frequently about pets, travel and nonprofits. I am the co-author of the travel guidebook Adventure Guide: Hawaii the Big Island (Hunter Publishing, 2007) and have written about travel to Durango for the Dallas Morning News and Durango Magazine. I have covered the local beer scene for The Durango Telegraph, including the “happy hour yoga” program at Ska Brewing, St. Patrick’s Day beer roundups and the opening of BREW Pub and Kitchen. I’m also an award-winning member of the Dog Writers Association of America.

Do either of these ideas sound like a good fit for TheWineBuzz? It would be a privilege to contribute to your magazine.

Please feel free to be in touch for any reason via email or the phone numbers below. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Author’s note: A longtime editor needed a quick idea for a service article for the month of November, and my dog’s “puppy dog eyes” had just given me an idea that tied in well with Thanksgiving. Our dogs can be constant sources of story fodder if we pay attention!

Thanks so much for the chance to pitch another story idea. It’s funny, I was just thinking last night when I was making dinner in front of a drooling dog that I should have pitched you an article on how feeding a dog table scraps can lead to pancreatitis (especially fatty foods).  I’m guessing this is probably a big issue around Thanksgiving and the holiday season, so it could have a November tie-in. I could interview a veterinarian about what causes pancreatitis and how it is treated, as well as prevention/why it should be avoided. The article could also discuss healthy options like apples or carrots instead of, say, bacon and cheese. We might also include a sidebar of foods that are toxic to dogs, from chocolate to onions (recently a friend picked the onions off her pizza and asked if she could feed them to Rio. I was grateful she asked, but surprised I had to say, “No, they’re toxic to dogs” since she has a pooch of her own!).

Anyhow, just a thought. Thanks again for the opportunity!

Author’s note: This was a query for the editor of a veterinary trade publication with whom I’d had a relationship for years, so it’s a bit more casual than if I’d been pitching a potential new client.

I had an idea for a Trends article that I thought I’d run by you. A friend of mine is a cardiology nurse who mentioned that her office sends used pacemakers from humans to veterinary cardiologists at Colorado State University. A human can’t use a pacemaker with only five years of battery life yet, but it can sure help older dogs with heart issues. And there aren’t any pacemakers created just for dogs and cats.

Anyhow, I thought it might be interesting to talk to some veterinary cardiologists about how they find pacemakers for companion animals – sometimes they are removed from corpses at a mortuary and donated by a family, sometimes they are new but getting too old and donated by pacemaker companies, or sold by the nonprofit CanPacers, founded by veterinary cardiologist David Sisson to provide low-cost pacemakers (they are $500, as opposed to up to $10,000 for humans) and in turn fund research for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) subsection of Cardiology. I could also try to speak with a human cardiologist who donates pacemakers, and a pet owner whose animal was saved by the procedure. I could also share some information about the latest techniques they use to implant the devices.

Are you interested in a story about pacemakers for companion animals? I’d love to write it if so.

Author’s Note: It never hurts to meet an editor in person before you send a query – one reason why networking events like the DWAA conference can be so beneficial to writers!

I hope you’ve been well! You mentioned at the ASJA conference that Family Circle is always looking for pet stories, so I thought I’d share an idea with a possible tie-in with November’s Adopt a Senior Pet Month, though it would be relevant any time of year.

Dogs over the age of 7 tend to be mellow, house-trained and content. But these senior dogs are among the last animals to be adopted from shelters because it’s hard to compete with energetic puppies – and there’s a perception that it would be “too sad” to care for an older pooch.

I propose a “Pets” article tentatively titled “What You Don’t Know About Adopting Senior Dogs.” I could interview Laura Coffey, author of the bestselling book “My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts,” about why readers should consider giving senior dogs a new lease (leash?) on life, including:

  • Many senior dogs are surrendered to shelters through no fault of their own when their owners are confronted with financial pressures, illness, moving, military deployment or personal issues.
  • Senior dogs are ideal for people with busy lives because they are calm and don’t need much exercise.
  • A number of rescue groups handle veterinary and dental care for senior dogs.
  • All the cool kids are doing it. When Coffey interviewed George Clooney about adopting a senior cocker spaniel named Einstein, he told her that his dog has a great attitude and “Age doesn’t matter.”
  • It’s rewarding. As Coffey said, “When you go out of your way to help an older dog who has run out of options, you get so much in return: affection, gratitude, unconditional love, and so many happy memories.”

I am an award-winning member of the Dog Writers Association of America. My work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Modern Dog, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, Just Labs Magazine, AKC Family Dog, Shape and the Huffington Post. I also write for nonprofits like the American Animal Hospital Association and the Sierra Club, and was co-author of the travel guidebook Adventure Guide: Hawaii the Big Island (Hunter Publishing, 2007).

Could you use an article about adopting senior dogs? If so, I’d love to write it.

Please feel free to get in touch for any reason via email or the phone numbers below. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Author’s Note: This pitch to a glossy magazine about Colorado led to an assignment over a year after I sent it. Never give up!

Denver resident Theresa O’Connor loves her three dogs Bella, Jazzi and Boss “with my life.” She also struggles to make ends meet while caring for her husband, whose disability checks are the couple’s sole source of income. Since food stamps don’t cover dog food, O’Connor began buying human food and cooking it for her dogs – while going hungry herself.

Then she discovered the Colorado Pet Pantry. The Denver-based nonprofit, founded in 2013 by marketing professional Eileen Lambert, partners with human food banks five times a month to distribute dog and cat food to homeless and low-income people who need help feeding their pets. In 2014, the nonprofit distributed 30,553 pounds of pet food to 1,500 families to feed 3,296 pets.

“Our whole goal is to keep the animals in the families that love them,” Lambert said.

There’s nothing wrong with the pet food; it’s just not sellable. Pet stores donate ripped kibble bags, food near its expiration date, and products from brands they no longer plan to stock. And pet food companies make large donations when they are changing their logo or packaging. Last month, Redbarn Pet Products donated $130,000 worth of dog and cat food simply because they were changing their logo. (Colorado Pet Pantry organized the distribution of the food to 20 nonprofit animal organizations across the state due to lack of warehouse space for 22 pallets of food.)

“All we’re doing is getting food from someone who doesn’t need it to someone who does … and not having it end up in a landfill,” Lambert said. “We have a real pet-centric community, so people want to help.”

Ultimately, the program keeps animals from being relinquished to shelters, saving lives as well as the hundreds of dollars it typically costs a shelter to rehome a pet.

If you are interested, I’d like to write a “Nonprofit Profile” of the Colorado Pet Pantry. Reporting would include:

  • Interviews with Lambert, O’Connor and an active volunteer
  • Ways the program discourages “enabling,” such as only permitting clients to visit once every two months, and not feeding pets acquired after becoming a client
  • Support for the nonprofit, such as 22 pet food stores and veterinary hospitals collecting donations and a pool of 50 volunteers helping distribute the food – as one said, “If you have a pet and love a pet, being able to help somebody keep their pet and love their pet is just an amazing feeling.”

I am a Durango-based freelance journalist who recently toured the Colorado Pet Pantry’s warehouse with Lambert. I am a member of the Colorado Press Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Society for Features Journalism and Dog Writers Association of America, which has awarded me two Maxwell Medallions for my work. I have written articles about dogs and related issues for The Dallas Morning News, the American Animal Hospital Association’s various publications, Durango Telegraph, Durango Magazine, Modern Dog, Just Labs, Tails, the Zuke’s “Dog Blog” and The Huffington Post. It would be a privilege to contribute to Colorado Expression.

Please feel free to contact me for any reason. Thank you for your time and consideration.