Clancy’s Legacy of Hope and Help
Appreciation for the scope and scale of Kenny and Elaine Shuck’s vision, a Board of Directors was assembled that reflects the mission and goals of Clancy’s Dream. The Board is charged with organizing a sustainable future for Clancy’s Dream by adopting sound, ethical, and legal financial management policies as well as ensuring that, as a nonprofit foundation, we have adequate resources to advance our mission.
Passionate and devoted to the breed, we have all come together for the betterment of the animals rescued and re-homed by the foundation. Much gratitude and kudos goes to the Board of Directors who are making a difference everyday in the lives of Border Collies.
The Board of Directors
Kenny and Elaine Shuck
Elaine and I have always done everything we can to help Border Collies. For nearly 10 years, Elaine and I raised Border Collie pups placing them in loving homes or working farms. Because of our love for the breed, we moved on from breeding to saving and rescuing Border Collies. Wrong placement in a home can be fatal to the breed. And, please, if you have never had a Border Collie, use caution and research them before you get one, they are not for the faint of heart.
If I have learned anything, it’s that you can’t turn a blind eye to a problem and you are either part of the problem of part of the solution. I chose the latter. Because of a puppy mill that we, Karen Newhall and others helped to close, I have spent countless hours on the phone, written hundreds of letters, driven thousands of miles and spent thousands of dollars and this is just a drop in the bucket.
After the death of our pack leader, Clancy James, we became even more committed and devoted to rescuing and saving the breed that we love so much. This commitment helped us answer the question of “What do we do now?”. Clancy’s Dream was legally started in the fall of 2016. However, it was always operating in the shadows but without a name.
Having years of Border Collie and veterinary experience has helped in my quest to improve the breed and helped me cope with the common problems Border Collies present. While I am not a trainer, working with the breed and rehabilitating dogs has given me a feel for the uniqueness of the dog. We currently have eight Border Collies, and one German Shepherd and all of them have run of the house and sleep with us. Out of the ones we have, 5 were rescue dogs they needed us, but in truth, we needed them to show us how to live life to the fullest.
Sharon and Doug Cash
Doug and I fell in love with Clancy James and the other border collies that reside at Dogwood Ridge in 2009. Clancy James was one of those dogs that looked at you with those soulful brown eyes and you were mesmerized. He watched over our three (3) female puppies when they were born at the farm, and kept them safe until they came to live with us.
Doug and I are honored to be a part of Clancy’s Dream. Each border collie that is lucky enough to pass through the gates at Dogwood Ridge is assured a good home, and commitment from Clancy’s Dream that they live the best life possible.
Karen Newhall
Karen spent three years managing a commercial dairy farm in New Jersey prior to joining Merck and Company where she was a Veterinary Associate contributing to the development of numerous food and companion animal therapeutics. Karen then joined Elanco Animal Health where she currently works as a research scientist responsible for seeking, evaluating and developing new opportunities for Companion Animal Therapeutics.
Over the past 14 years Karen has made significant contributions to companion animal therapeutics areas including osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease, atopic dermatitis, oncology, diabetes and pain. She has also successfully developed or refined animal models of disease, worked cross functionally to bring human health candidates to the animal health pipeline and established key opinion leader panels in several therapeutic areas. Karen has also served 6 years on the Eli Lily Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
Karen has 5 dogs, two of her Border Collies are certified therapy dogs and make weekly visits to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Karen owns a dog training, sheep herding facility — Shady Creek Herding — in Connersville, Indiana not far from the Ohio and Kentucky borders. Karen also breeds and offers for sale commercial Katahdin sheep.
Melody Reese
Since I was a child, I have been dragging home dogs. One sweet Collie mix named Lucille promptly gave birth to 13 puppies! Years later, when talking to an adopter of one of those cute puppies, they reminded me of the interview process that I put them thru before I would let them have one of the pups! Our Lucille lived to almost 15 yrs and was the perfect dog. Maybe that is where my affinity for the Collie breed sprouted. Today, I currently have a 5 yr old female named Target (she has a perfectly round black spot on her side) and 3 yr old little Heidi Marie, who has never met a stranger.
I came to know Clancy James and the gang at Dogwood Ridge when I boarded my Target there in 2010. Target & Clancy were fast friends and I’ve always considered him her “boyfriend”. In 2014, I lost 2 dear souls to cancer, one was my silly little Corgi/Border Collie Mix named Balti. I saw his pitiful little face on Petfinders 7 years earlier and I drove 6 hours to rescue him. As most of you reading this understand, I was heartbroken and lost without his loving companionship. After months of vying unsuccessfully to adopt another dog, I spoke with Kenny Shuck about my dilemma and sadness. He said “well, I might have the perfect solution for you”… Unbeknownst to me Kenny & Elaine were to get a pup, a pup from Clancy’s linage. That pup is now my sweet little Heidi Marie. She is the namesake of my best friend’s daughter, the other sweet soul that died in 2014.
I am currently the Foster Coordinator here at Clancy’s Dream and it couldn’t be more rewarding. If you might be able to open your home to one of our rescues, please don’t hesitate to contact me at foster@clancysdream.org
“Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.”
—Dean Koontz
ADOPT
Clancy’s Dream is committed to the animals it rescues for their entire lifetime. Any companion animal, especially a rescue, is a commitment that will affect your lifestyle for many years to come. With good care, most Border Collies will live 10 to 17 years. It is critical that you consider what is … … Continue Reading
ASSISTANCE
Clancy’s Dream does not simply “pay bills”; instead, we work with the family to find the best and most affordable way to keep their pet healthy and at home. Before a decision is made to give up your pet, it may be possible that we can offer medical assistance as well as other alternatives to surrendering your dog. … Continue Reading
DONATE
Clancy’s Dream is a 501(c)(3) organization so all donations are tax-deductible! All contributions go directly to providing care for our rescued animals. Without the support of community donations, we could not continue our mission of rescuing, providing medical assistance and re-homing Border … Continue Reading
VOLUNTEER
As a Clancy’s Dream volunteer you will become part of a community that understands the importance of protecting animals — specifically Border Collies — from harm and neglect. Your contribution will help get these animals on the road to recovery. Many volunteer opportunities including fostering, … Continue Reading
