Paw Prints Column – Sedona Red Rock News

Published 9/4/26

Deb Grafe Columnist | Volunteer – Humane Society of Sedona

Labor of Love

Labor of Love: Honoring Volunteers, Staff, and Heroes Love may make the world go round, but, volunteers keep the wheels from squeaking. They are the quiet machinery behind every small miracle—the steady hands, the calm voices, the people who show up even when the work is repetitive, unglamorous, or requires a deep breath and a sense of humor. Labor Day is about rest, but at Humane Society of Sedona it is also about gratitude. Thankful for the over 18,000 hours given last year by those who chose to spend their time making a difference for hundreds of homeless animals at the shelter. Gratitude for the ones who fold towels with the focus of a cat stalking a dust bunny, for those who walk dogs in the summer heat, who read to the cats with kindness and playful expressions.

Our volunteers are stitched into every corner of shelter life. They provide enrichment that helps shy animals blossom. They keep the wheels turning— sometimes literally—by transporting food, supplies, and animals. They tend donation canisters scattered across Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek, small cans that together raise thousands of lifesaving dollars. Together with staff they are the heart behind our thrift stores, sorting donations, creating displays, and welcoming customers. They are the foster families who open their homes to kittens needing bottle‑feeding or dogs needing healing, offering safe places to land. They are the crews who power kids’ camp and adoption events. And Dear Reader, there is even one volunteer who writes a weekly column to help plant seeds of compassion in the community and shares stories that remind readers why their support matters.

And alongside the volunteers stand the Humane Society of Sedona staff—the backbone of the Humane Society of Sedona. These are the people who arrive early to feed and medicate animals, who stay late to comfort the frightened or sick, who carry the weight of responsibility for every life in their care. They are adoption counselors who listen deeply to families, match personalities with patience, and celebrate each new beginning. They are kennel attendants who scrub, sanitize, and soothe, transforming routine chores into acts of dignity. They are veterinary technicians who steady trembling paws, monitor healing, and a Veterinary that bring science and tenderness together. They are managers who balance budgets and logistics, ensuring that compassion has the infrastructure it needs to thrive.

For staff, this is not simply a job. For volunteers, this is not simply a pastime. Together, their labor is measured not in wages or hours but in wagging tails,purrs, and second chances. It is more than a paycheck; it is a calling, a commitment to compassion that binds our community together. Around Labor Day, we’re reminded also that not all those who labor walk on two legs. Some of the workers in our community come on four—furry professionals who give their strength, instinct, and devotion without ever asking for recognition.

We honor the working animals among us, like Executive Director Jennifer Brehler’s search‑and‑rescue dogs and the many others who have combed mountainsides and desert trails, finding the lost and guiding them safely home. Their work is a living testament to courage and partnership, proof that animals are not only companions but colleagues in service. They show us what dedication looks like when it’s woven from instinct, training, and heart. And they are not alone.

Across our region, working dogs and shop cats play essential roles—keeping hikers safe, comforting first responders, guarding small businesses, greeting customers, and offering steady companionship to people who depend on them. Their contributions are valuable and they ripple outward, strengthening the fabric of our community in ways we sometimes forget to notice. This is a great time to honor every hand and paw that contributes to the work of compassion.

Our volunteers, our staff, our working dogs, and our shelter animals together form a chorus of care. This holiday is a reminder that compassion is a shared effort. When you support the Humane Society of Sedona, you help care for the animals who comfort us, protect us, and stand beside us in ways big and small. Your generosity keeps our doors open, our programs strong, and our mission moving forward.

If you’d like to learn more about how your support makes a difference—or how you can join us in this work—please visit the Humane Society of Sedona online at www.humanesocietyofsedona.org, or reach out to our team. Every act of kindness, every donation, every volunteer hour plants another seed of compassion in our community. Together, we labor in love