Animal Rescue in a Frontier Town

Second Chance to Dance Dachshund Rescue

by Sylvia Bagdonas

Have you traveled through Farson, Wyoming? This frontier town sits at the crossroads of highways 28 and 191 in the middle of the Red Desert. If you are an ice cream lover you know about the famous Farson Mercantile which has operated for over 30 years. Wyomingites travel out of their way to try out the tasty ice cream cones. The population of Farson is listed at about 114 people. It’s had a decline in population of 58.4% in recent years (Farson website). If you stand in front of the Mercantile and glance around you probably wonder “is anything happening here”?

Yes, in fact, there is something special in Farson. Second Chance to Dance Dachshund Rescue is there. Managed by Teresa Shively it is actually a famous and well- known rescue center among animal lovers.

Teresa hails from North Dakota originally and most recently from Colorado where she worked in animal rescue for 30 years. She traveled extensively to Wyoming delivering rescue animals to shelters, rescues, and foster families throughout Wyoming. Through online dating she met an exceptional person and moved to Farson about 10 years ago. Teresa brought along her knowledge, expertise and networking contacts in pet rescue and her dachshund rescue friends, so you know her partner is an exceptional person.

Farson sits at an elevation of 6,594 feet which means it is very cold in the winter. “There’s nothing out there to stop the wind!” Dachshunds are not cold weather dogs. However, with Teresa’s care they thrive. At any time, on average, she cares for 10 to 15 dogs. Recently she took in a litter of puppies from Texas. Foster homes in Sweetwater County now help out as Teresa works closely with the shelters in Rock Springs and Green River which recently started recruiting foster homes.

Second Chance Rescue

Teresa explains that dachshunds, known as Badger Dogs in Germany where they originated as hunting dogs, are very smart, always ready for adventure, and have exceptional noses which can lead to trouble. Not everyone can handle these vigilant and active dogs.

However, she has always loved their personalities. Dachshund’s long backs, due to hundreds of years of breeding for digging into tunnels, are susceptible to spinal cord injuries like slipped or ruptured discs. Over years of working with dachshunds Teresa has learned old school protocol for healing some spinal cord injuries. She gets lots of inquiries for help because Wyoming lacks medical expertise in this issue. The closest surgery center is in Salt Lake City and she says surgery only helps maybe 50% of the time.

Teresa helps with spay and neuter clinics in her area and she operates a pet pantry for low-income families, called Petunia’s Pet Pantry after a beloved pup. The Second Chance to Dance operates entirely from donations. She receives assistance from random dachshund lovers throughout the nation when an emergency arises.

Unfortunately, people have left dogs tied to her fence, or dumped off pets in the area. She has helped the stranded animals find homes. After one man threatened to shoot his dogs if Teresa did not take them in (which she of course did), she posted a sign encouraging people to call her in regards to relinquishing dachshunds and dachshund mixes into her program. Also, to contact the local shelters for other breed dogs, but if they still need assistance to contact her, as she has lots of resources with other all-breed and breed specific rescues.

So, the next time you are standing outside the Farson Mercantile licking on your ice cream cone and wondering who lives in the area and why they are in Farson, think about the dachshunds who are so lucky to have met Teresa. Another very special woman and “Everyday Hero” in Wyoming.

For more information about Second Chance to Dance Dachshund Rescue contact Teresa at sc2ddr@gmail.com