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Exciting news—there's a new shop in town! WAMAL is thrilled to announce the launch of our very own Bonfire online store! Now, you can support our wonderful pups and look amazing while doing it!
Explore our collection of t-shirts, cozy sweatshirts (both hooded and crewneck), long sleeves, and tank tops, available in stylish dark grey/charcoal or indigo. Each top proudly showcases the WAMAL logo with the heartfelt phrase "We Pull for Them" underneath.
Don't miss out—take a peek and snag your favorites today!
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THANK YOU FROM OUR MALLEY VALLEY PUPS! | | |
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A giant, fuzzy THANK YOU to Ralph, Shelly, Jean and Mike, Jaime, Ken and Loki, and more of our generous friends for showering our pups with love through our Amazon Wishlist! Thanks to you, our Malley Valley residents have new dog houses, extra shade canopies, an ice machine, cooling mats, treats, and so much more!
Kanga can't wait to freshen up his breath with those Greenies—he's determined to impress Dakota and Nicole! Daisy is loving the extra covered spaces in the play yards, just in time for the end of summer and the upcoming rainy days. And as the hot days linger, the ice machine is a sure-fire way to keep the pups cool and hydrated!
You’ve truly made tails wag and hearts happy—thank you!
You can check out our wish list here: https://bit.ly/wamalwishlist
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HAPPY PUPPY SMILES! NOW THE GIRLS COULD REALLY USE A LONG-TERM FOSTER HOME... | | |
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A huge thank you to everyone who donated to Dakota and Nicole’s dental surgeries! We raised over $2500 to help offset the veterinary costs! They’ve bounced back beautifully—eating, playing, and carrying their stuffies like normal pups!
After Dakota’s visit to the dermatologist, we’ve learned that both girls need some extra TLC and structure that we, unfortunately, can’t provide at Malley Valley. That’s why we’re searching for a loving foster who can welcome both girls into their home and continue with their established food trial diet. This will help us figure out if their allergies are food-related or mostly environmental.
They’ll also need a weekly bath and mousse applied twice daily to keep their skin happy and healthy.
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TERRIFIC TINA'S GARAGE SALE TO BENEFIT
DAKOTA & NICOLE - SATURDAY SEPT 7th
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Do you love a good bargain or treasure hunt, and supporting @wamalrescue? You won't want to miss this!! This Saturday, September 7th, our Terrific Tina, WAMAL's Garage Sale Queen, has amassed a huge quantity of treasures for your shopping adventures!
Special guest appearances by our adoptable pair, Dakota & Nicole, will make this an extra special outing!!
WHEN: Saturday, September 7th, 2024, from 9AM to 4PM, rain or shine
WHERE: 20836 100th Ave SE, Kent, WA
WHY: To raise funds to help the rescue pups at WAMAL
All proceeds from this sale will be donated directly to WAMAL. Find a treasure….help our dogs!!
Thanks Tina and Chris for all that you do for WAMAL and the pups!! We SO appreciate you!!
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ADOPTED & ADORED: FEZZIK (FORMERLY SAMOA) IS LIVING HIS BEST LIFE! | | |
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“As experienced Malamute owners, we initially considered getting a puppy since we have a cat, and we knew a puppy would likely adapt more easily to living with a feline friend. Over the course of three years, we kept an eye on WAMAL, and that’s when we came across Samoa. There was just something about his ‘look’ in the photos that caught our attention. Plus, we read that he was good with adults, kids, and other dogs. At 10 months old, we thought he could still learn to live with our cat, and his high energy was a bonus since both my wife and I are runners. So, we applied and went through the adoption process.
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On December 23rd, 2023, he became the best Christmas present we could have asked for! It's hard to believe he has been with us for over seven months now. He’s transformed from a 66-pound dog who was afraid of doors and stairs into a strong, 85-pound boy with lots of dog and human friends. He brings joy and smiles to everyone he meets during his multiple daily walks.
We introduced him to our cat slowly and carefully. Since he didn’t respond to his previous name, Samoa, we decided to rename him Fezzik, after André the Giant’s character in The Princess Bride. His cat brother, fittingly named Iñigo CatToya, has grown close to him. They’re almost inseparable now and are getting better at playing together.
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Fezzik is full of energy—he can play for hours, enjoys multiple daily walks, and has even started running short distances with us. He loves tug-of-war and chasing balls, especially squeaky ones. When we come home with groceries, he eagerly searches the bags for toys, and if he doesn’t find any, he’s just as happy running off with a bunch of bananas! On walks, he loves to grab interesting things like garden gnomes, and one time he even found a plush lamb chop toy and proudly brought it home. He’s also incredibly cuddly, especially in the mornings before his first walk.
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At first, Fezzik preferred sleeping on our deck and often stayed up late, sometimes playing until midnight and needing a final late-night walk. Now, he sleeps inside and, aside from the occasional chase after Iñigo CatToya, he’s fully adjusted to our schedule. He has many neighborhood dog friends and is particularly gentle with the smaller ones—he’s truly a gentle giant. His favorite playmates are a pair of Siberian Huskies, and the three of them tire each other out every time they get together.
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Like our first Malamute, Fezzik is a picky eater. His favorite food is air-fried chicken gizzards, though string cheese is a close second. He’s become great on a leash—unless he spots a bunny or coyote! He absolutely loves toys, balls, and sticks, and has the most incredible howl. Sirens and motorcycles often set him off, but he also loves to howl with us. Fezzik is a sweet, friendly boy who brings joy not only to us but to the entire neighborhood!
Fezzik is the perfect Mal for us. He is sweet natured and just wants to be with his family. WAMAL did such a good job getting him evaluated and ready for us. Thanks to everyone for the work you do, Fezzik has his home forever...what a gift!”
Lynn, Nancy, Fezzik & Iñigo CatToya
(content edited for length and clarity)
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THANK YOU FOR HELPING US
BRING WINTER INTO RESCUE!
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In our last MUSE issue, we reached out to you with a heartfelt plea for fosters and adopters in order to make space at our Malley Valley kennel so we could bring in more rescues, especially those who had been on our waiting list for far too long. Thanks to your incredible support, we are thrilled to share that one of those waitlist pups, Winter, has finally made her way to Malley Valley!
Winter’s journey to us was anything but easy. Found as a stray, it seems she was used for breeding and then abandoned. Scared and unsocialized, she was difficult to catch. After being rescued by the community and temporarily housed at a local kennel, she faced another challenge—a wildfire evacuation—before finally finding her way to us. Now, with the loving care of our amazing caretaker Kaly and our dedicated volunteers, Winter is receiving the patience, time, and attention she needs to build trust and start her new life.
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We cannot thank you enough—whether you stepped up as an adopter or foster, shared our plea, or simply spread the word about the incredible dogs waiting for their forever homes. Your efforts are making a real difference! Thank you SO much and keep up the great work! Still, we have many more pups on our waiting list, eager for their chance at a new beginning.
If you have a soft spot for the shy pups, we could use volunteers at Malley Valley Kennel in Puyallup to simply sit with them or read to them and get them used to human interactions. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them come out of their shells! Interested? Please email volunteer@wamal.com for more info or to sign up!
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Another great way to help our pups is to SPONSOR them! The WAMAL Sponsorship program is a community of compassionate supporters whose donations help provide the necessary financial support to care for a rescued Malamute. Sponsorships may be monthly gifts of $25, $50 or more to help fund the daily needs of one of our rescued Mals. As a Sponsor, you’ll receive a digital certificate (and an optional printed certificate, if requested) featuring your Sponsored Malamute. Your donation also includes a quarterly pupdate with news and photos of your special Mal. You may also choose to gift in the name of a friend or family member, and we’ll happily provide them with the certificate and pupdates, and your donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE !
Check out the photos and short bios to meet the Mals who would love to call YOU their Sponsor: https://www.wamal.com/sponsorship-info/
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JOIN OUR PACK! OUR OWNER RESOURCES/SUPPORT TEAM NEEDS ADDITONAL TEAM PLAYERS | | |
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Hey there! WAMAL is getting a ton of requests from people and shelters who need help re-homing or relocating their Mals, so we’re on the lookout for some amazing volunteers to join our team! As a member of our Owner Resources/Support Team, you’ll be connecting with owners, shelters, and other rescues who are trying to find new homes for their Mals. Your role will involve collecting important info and photos and sharing them with our Board and Adoption Team to figure out the best course of action.
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You’ll be the first point of contact for owners and shelters reaching out for help, guiding owners through their options for listing their Mals on our website or, when space allows, even bringing a dog into rescue. You’ll gather all the details—like photos, weight, behavior, health history, and the reasons for rehoming—and put it all into a template to keep things organized. Scheduling dog evaluations and coordinating with our transport team might also be part of your day, especially if a dog ends up coming into rescue. And throughout the process, you’ll keep in touch with the owners of the listed dogs to make sure everything goes smoothly. If you’re up for it, there’s also the option to join in our weekly adoption team meetings, which are just an hour long.
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To thrive in this role, you’ll need daily access to a computer and be able to check emails at least twice a day. Good communication and people skills are a must since you’ll be working closely with owners during what can be a tough time for them. Attention to detail, organization, and the ability to work independently are also key, along with a willingness to collaborate with and support your fellow team members. On average, you can expect to spend around 2-3 hours a week volunteering, though the workload can vary depending on the number of dogs needing help—sometimes it’s quiet, and other times we’re hit with a wave of requests. We have several experienced team members already on board to help guide you every step of the way! With the team approach, sharing the workload allows for flexibility—we all have busy lives and other commitments.
If this sounds like a good fit for you, we’d love to hear from you! Just send an email to the Owner Resources Team at intake@wamal.com. Thanks so much!
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Are you familiar with the University of Washington Huskies and their beloved mascot, Dubs? Many people don't realize that Dubs is actually 100% Malamute—not a Husky! With such a busy schedule, Dubs sometimes needs a little help, and that's where WAMAL’s Ambassadog teams come in. Our teams are often invited to community events across all three UW campuses to help spread joy…and fur. Recently, our Ambassadogs have been busy at the UW Tacoma campus, and we’re excited to share that we've just been invited to participate in 2 more events there--the Autumn Husky Hangout on Friday, September 27th and Get Up and Vote Day on November 5th!
Would you and your dog like to join the UW Tacoma Ambassadog team? If you have a Husky, Malamute, or a mix that’s great with people and loves attention, we’d love to have you! It’s helpful if your dog is comfortable around other pups since there’s usually a furry crowd, but don’t worry—we can make accommodations if needed. The events are super casual and last just two hours—plenty of time to spread joy and fur while representing WAMAL!
It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about WAMAL, the breed, and since our kennel is close to campus, we might even gain a few new volunteers! Plus, WAMAL receives a small stipend for each dog that participates, so it's a win-win-win!
Contact Rickie at MalHappyTails@gmail.com for more information!! Go UW HUSKIES…er….MALAMUTES!
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AUCTION COMING IN LATE OCTOBER! | | |
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We're excited to announce that our next Loot for Moots Online Auction is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for the big launch on October 25th! We've got many amazing items up for bid, and it's a fantastic way to support our rescue pups. Join us for our biggest fundraiser of the year—every bid helps us continue our mission!
Questions? LootforMoots@wamal.com
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SALMON DAYS - OCTOBER 5-6 | | |
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Our last event of the season is the biggest! Issaquah’s Salmon Days is a 2-day event packed with crafters, events, great food, multiple music stages and a ton more!! Attendance usually hits the 250,000 mark! And of course, we will have Ambassadogs on duty too to spread the joy, so come and get some “fibers of love”! We will be there to answer questions about adopting, fostering, sponsoring and volunteering with WAMAL and about the Malamute breed in general! Spread the word and bring all your chums!
Visit http://www.salmondays.org for more info, schedules and maps!
Interested in helping at our booth during the event? We will need booth reps and Ambassadog teams too! If you can help, please email events@wamal.com.
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DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR MALAMUTES?
DO YOU HAVE A DESIRE FOR HELPING?
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WAMAL is a 100% volunteer-run organization, and we would love to welcome you to our pack! Whether you have a spare hour a week or more, your time and effort can make a huge difference. From joining existing teams to volunteering at events to brainstorming or coordinating fundraisers, there's a role for everyone. Join us in our mission to rescue and rehome these wonderful Malamutes. Together, we can create a brighter future for these pups. Reach out and become part of something truly special! Below you can find the contact info for your volunteer area of interest:
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