All this information/pictures should then be sent to the Wamal-Board wamal email address - this is the WAMAL board e-mail address. Alternatively, you can fill out this form (as well as use it for a checklist of what to look for and record while checking) and upon submission it also goes to the board and is saved for future reference. We will then evaluate the information you provide and determine whether or not we will/can pull the dog. Please do NOT send the information to the group list wamal@yahoogroups.com - we're trying to keep as much unnecessary traffic off the general list as possible.

If you know in advance that you will not be able to check a shelter on your designated day, please post to the group list so we can see if we can find another volunteer to cover for you.

ALWAYS remember that while Malamutes as a breed are friendly and loveable, that these dogs are COMPLETELY unknown to you and most times the shelter. ALWAYS be on the lookout for guarding behavior or any signs of aggression. NEVER put yourself in a compromising position! If interacting with the animal please do your best to have someone else there to assist. Always have the animal on leash. Many of the dogs in shelters are scared, missing their previous owners, and have no idea why they are there and are terrified by their new surroundings. They will quite possibly act in very uncharacteristic ways. Bring along some kind of a dog treat, soft treats (like cheese) are better than hard biscuits-dogs like junk food, this generally gets the malamute "food = friendly" gears a turning. Plus, it's useful to have something to distract them with so you can get pictures of them easier! :)

A dog evaluation is NOT the Time or Place to demonstrate a macho attitude! If you treat the dog with respect, they will reciprocate. There is NO need to body slam them to the ground, sit on them, jerk them up by their cheeks and dangle them, jerk them around by their leash, try to get them to submit, try to establish yourself as the Alpha, or force them to do anything they are not comfortable with. YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOUR OWN DOG...DON'T DO IT TO THESE SHELTER DOGS! The role the evaluator is playing in the shelter check or dog evaluation is simply that of an observer and reporter.

Again, thank you so much for agreeing to help. The shelters are where the dogs are at the greatest risk, so the more time we can spend there the more dogs' lives we will be able to save!