We’re thrilled to announce that the much-anticipated WAMAL 2025 calendars are now available—and they’re absolutely stunning! These beautiful calendars were thoughtfully designed, meticulously crafted, and expertly photographed by the incredibly talented Marie Wulfram of @mariewulframphotography. Each month showcases the winners of our calendar contest, held earlier this year, who worked hard to raise money. Best of all, proceeds from calendar sales will go directly to support WAMAL Rescue and our mission to help our rescued malamutes.

Why not treat yourself to a calendar and grab a few extras for friends and family? These heartwarming calendars make the perfect holiday gift. Not only will they bring a year of gorgeous imagery into your home, but they’ll also help provide care and love to the malamutes we serve. Get yours today and make a difference!

Don't miss out! Secure your WAMAL 2025 calendar by clicking the link:

https://tinyurl.com/WAMAL2025

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our October Loot for Moots Online Auction! Your enthusiastic bidding helped us raise an incredible $7,700, with an additional $1,030 contributed through our Paws Up to Help Donation Campaign.

Kudos to our treasurer, Kelcy, who took on the bulk of the coordination so that we can continue this popular annual fundraiser! All the proceeds raised go directly to supporting our mission of rescuing, caring for and rehoming our beloved Malamutes.

We are so pleased to be able to bring you such interesting and unique items and experiences through the Auction! Although we are wrapping up mailing and delivering items to the winning bidders, we are thinking ahead to next year’s auction (late October 2025). If you’d like to get more involved, whether by helping to coordinate, securing auction items, or spreading the word, we’d love your support. Reach out to lootformoots@wamal.com for more info.

Additionally, we are now accepting item donations for next year’s auction! While holiday shopping, consider picking up an extra special treasure to donate to WAMAL. We’ll happily take it off your hands and store it for the big event—no need to worry about finding space in your closet! Just email us at lootformoots@wamal.com to arrange delivery details.

Thank you for making this year’s auction an incredible success! Your support and enthusiasm made all the difference. We’re already looking forward to 2025 and can’t wait to share the exciting treasures we’ll have up for bidding. Stay tuned—it’s going to be amazing!

Our Ambassadog teams had a busy and exciting Fall with three separate outings at the University of Washington Tacoma campus!



• Autumn Husky Hangout: Welcoming students back to school.
• Barks for Ballots: Encouraging voting on Election Day.
• Registration is a Piece of Cake: A two-day celebration to boost registration.

At each event, our pups spread joy, shared plenty of "Malamute glitter" (a.k.a. fur!), and drew in crowds of students eager to meet them. Some students even stopped by just because they heard our dogs were on campus! Even our sweet adoptable duo, Dakota and Nicole, joined the fun, showing their Husky Pride while helping spread the word about WAMAL.

If you have a well-behaved (well, for Mals that’s subjective really, isn’t it?) Malamute, Husky, or mix who loves people and gets along with other dogs, consider joining our Ambassadog team for these fun and rewarding events. Email Rickie at MalHappyTails@gmail.com for more information.

Events are typically held during the week, so some flexibility with your schedule is helpful. Plus, each participating pup earns a generous donation for WAMAL—talk about a win-win!

Thank you to our incredible volunteers and their amazing Ambassadogs for representing WAMAL and making every event unique and unforgettable. Go Huskies (and Malamutes)!

As a 100% volunteer-run organization, WAMAL thrives thanks to the dedication and passion of our volunteers. One such remarkable individual has been with us nearly since the beginning—Courtney Bolin-Walker.

Courtney’s journey with WAMAL began when she adopted Miso, one of the first dogs placed after WAMAL separated from Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue to become its own breed-specific rescue. This pivotal change allowed us to focus on finding the best homes for Malamutes, a breed with unique needs. Courtney soon stepped up as a volunteer, conducting home visits for potential adopters and spearheading new ways to engage the public and raise vital funds. From coordinating event booths to managing a regular presence at the Fremont Sunday Market in Seattle, Courtney’s efforts set the stage for countless success stories.

In 2012, during the massive rescue effort of over 150 abused and neglected Malamutes in Montana, Courtney took on the role of a foster. It wasn’t long before she earned the title of “foster failure” with Oreo, who became a cherished member of her family. Two years later, Hoshi joined the household, becoming Courtney’s third WAMAL pup.

I first met Courtney in 2016 when she conducted my home visit as I applied to adopt. Later, when I became the Fundraising and Events Coordinator, she was the first person I turned to for guidance. Since then, Courtney has been a creative powerhouse, offering invaluable ideas and support. Remember the Malamute-patterned leggings, loungers, and mugs? That unique sale was Courtney’s brainchild and a huge success! The wildly popular "Poorly Drawn Pets" fundraiser? Another of Courtney’s brilliant ideas. Her knack for turning ideas into action has brought tremendous benefits to WAMAL and the Malamute community.

Courtney continues to foster dogs with complex needs, offering them the love and patience they need to thrive. In 2022, she took in Nozomi, a pup with a special brand of challenges. Through Courtney’s unwavering care, Nozomi blossomed into a confident and gentle dog and found his forever home after 16 months. More recently, she welcomed Winter, a shy stray rescued from central Washington. Likely used for breeding and then abandoned, Winter is now in the best possible hands with Courtney.

When asked what keeps her motivated, Courtney shares, “I love connecting with others who understand the joys and quirks of living with this amazing breed. Even if I can’t get to Malley Valley (our kennel in Puyallup, WA) or adopt ALL the dogs, I can still make a positive impact and inspire others to get involved. Volunteering doesn’t always have to be in person—there are plenty of remote opportunities, too!”

Courtney has countless stories from her time at event booths. A frequent question is, “What are these dogs used for?” as many people still associate Malamutes with hauling heavy loads or transportation. One young girl’s comment particularly stood out: “I think everyone should have a team of sled dogs—then we wouldn’t need cars, and the world would be a better place!” We couldn’t agree more.

Thank you, Courtney, for your many years of dedication, enthusiasm, and creativity. Your work has had an immeasurable impact on WAMAL and the Malamutes we serve. To everyone reading, Courtney offers this advice: “Anyone with an idea to help WAMAL—whether it’s fundraising or spreading the word about our mission—SPEAK UP and GET INVOLVED!”

Thanks…I couldn’t have said it better!! See our team contacts below to get involved:

• Specific teams (Intake, Foster, Evaluations, Fundraising, Adoptions): board@wamal.com
• Volunteering at events: events@wamal.com
• Join the WAMAL Ambassadog team: volunteer@wamal.com

Hi everyone! My name is Pippin and I'm new here at WAMAL. I understand the holidays are here, and the very top thing on my wish list is a forever home.

You wouldn't think it to see me now, but for the first 18 months or so of my life I wasn't very well treated. I was terribly thin, and my skin and coat were in bad condition. Some kind humans helped me to get the nutrition, grooming, and medical care I needed. Now I've just turned 2, my skin infection is gone, my coat is filling in, and I'm at a healthier weight - talk about a glow up!

Despite my poor initial experience I'm still very sweet and loving! I'm a little worried that the kindness I'm now being shown will go away, so I can get a little anxious when I'm left all alone. But I'm making progress on that, and I've found that it really helps to have a friendly canine companion! It does wonders for both my confidence and my comfort level.

So my ideal forever home would include one or more canine buddies that would accept me into their pack and play with me. And if you've ever thought about trying a dog sport like nosework or agility, that would probably be great for my confidence as well! Of course I'd love to join you for walks and hikes and romps in the snow.

So whaddya say - can you make me a part of your pack? If so please apply to adopt me today!