Lisa Petri, President
Lisa worked in the horse world for 20 years before committing herself to dog and cat rescue. The last three years, as a volunteer for Colorado Humane Society and with CAWL, she has raised over 20 litters of puppies, transferred over 200 dogs from high kill areas and fostered over one hundred dogs. Lisa socializes feral kittens, raises bottle babies and helps place neutered feral cats in barn homes. Lisa also does adoptions at off site events and assists in spay/neuter programs.
Lisa raised Leila, her 3 year old lab/pointer mix, from two weeks old and last year they passed the Canine Good Citizen Test. Leila was transferred from Oklahoma City after her owners surrendered the litter of 7. The littermates are all placed in loving homes. Leila’s littermate, Holly, also passed her CGCT.
Lisa and her husband, have 5 dogs and 5 horses, four are rescued Thoroughbreds. She competed in Three Day Eventing, worked as an in flight groom with horses traveling internationally and trained with Olympic Gold Medalist Torrance Watkins. Lisa also is a Graduate A with the Wayne Dupage Hunt Pony Club. Since rescue, she feeds her horses and goes on walks around the arena.
A brunette all her life, Lisa’s focus is on black dogs and cats. Many amazing animals are overlooked simply because of their hair color. By educating people to this issue, she hopes to save as many black animals as possible.
Beth Lazar, Vice President
Beth Lazar became connected with CAWL after seeing an injured black Labrador Retriever available for adoption, cross-posted by a friend of her husband’s on Facebook. The Lazar’s had lost their 11 year old black lab a year or so prior to cancer and had been interested in finding another through rescue. As a relatively new organization at the time, CAWL was looking for a volunteer help to help build out their website. Beth jumped in with two feet and has been an IT guru, webmaster, social media expert, foster home, and adoption coordinator for CAWL ever since.
Beth is the founder of Recycled Dog, LLC, an organization dedicated to the advocacy and education about shelter and rescue adoption for dogs. A fierce supporter of dog adoption over buying from a breeder or pet store, Beth is dedicated to spreading the word about dog overpopulation, euthanization statistics, and the importance of spaying and neutering your pets. Her organization is also involved in advocacy efforts and supporting legislation to improve shelter and breeding conditions for dogs.
During her non-dog focused hours, Beth owns and operates Daisy Twist Company, an amusement rental company that services the Front Range of Colorado. She, along with her husband Mike, and son Brady, have 2 rescued Labs from CAWL, and miss very greatly an 11-year old Lab, a 13-year old Golden Retriever, a rescued cat, and a very special foster dog named Mango.
Lisa G, Treasurer
Our Treasurer, Lisa G, can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a beloved pet… or two… or three… six! At the ripe old age of six months old, she was sleeping in her crib with her Basenji puppy, and her family, animal lovers all, indulged her love of furry friends, although the koala bear she so desperately wanted was never allowed.
Her first “rescue” attempts were casual ones. It was only after she’d lost her much loved Golden Retriever and had moved to Colorado for a work project that Lisa G found the official world of rescue. After an off-hand offer to help, Lisa G found herself renting a van and heading to North Platte, Nebraska to pick up four dogs. Things change quickly in rescue, and by the time the rental van was loaded, there were 19 dogs ready to roll,
As luck would have it, ten of the pups were going to Lisa Petri for foster. Though the two Lisas had never met, they hit it off immediately. Lisa G likes to say that she recognized “kindred crazy of the good kind” with Lisa P. Shortly after their first meeting, the CAWL dream was becoming a reality, and Lisa P asked Lisa G to be part of the group.
Life took a turn and she ended up back on the West Coast, but still wants to contribute to CAWL long-distance because it is such a dynamic organization with a progression vision of the future of rescue.
She currently lives with her 12 year old garage sale Lab mix, a rescue Golden who dreams of starring in a movie with Tom Hanks, and a big, black, polydactyl former tomcat. Although she and the dogs consider beach time the best, she also enjoys cooking and baking, reading, sailing whenever possible, and is a major movie buff. In addition to her volunteer work with CAWL, she is also Compliance Officer for Colorado State Representative Dan Pabon.
Kyle Gustafson, Secretary
Kyle Gustafson has always loved all animals, but since his wife (Lisa Petri) became more involved in the local rescue scene, he now shares her excitement and enthusiasm in the rescue of homeless dogs and cats. One of the first things Kyle and Lisa did as a couple living in Southern California was to rescue a Border Collie mix, Kaylie, from a high kill shelter. Since then they have had numerous dogs, cats, and horses as part of the family.
Kyle enjoys most all sports and outdoor activities, including owning his own horse, Tonto. Kyle and Tonto won their first ever blue ribbon at the 2010 Barnes Ranch Charity Cattle Drive to benefit the Saddle-Up Foundation. In his free time, Kyle also volunteers for the Saddle-Up Foundation, a local ranch facility that provides horseback therapy for mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged children.
Having been in the construction industry for over 20 years, Kyle is the handy man and go to guy for CAWL and Saddle-Up Foundation.