09/08/2025
The past couple of months have been extremely difficult not just for us but more importantly for our clients who lost pets on July 8th with the devastating flood that occurred at our business on Sudderth in Ruidoso. Two of the doggies that were lost were our own that we were fostering. We loved them all so much and our hearts are completely broken. We are so grateful to our employee who risked her own life that day to save dogs and grateful that she was safe from harm when the flood occurred. We created Paws on the River with so much optimism and so much love in our hearts. With all that has transpired we have come to the realization that our time with Paws on the River has come to an end and we cannot for the safety of the pets and our employees continue business at our location on Sudderth. For those who do not know the flood a couple of months ago destroyed the buildings that housed the dog kennels and my grooming room in the main house. The flood was 2 months ago but it has taken this long for this message to be posted on this site because of how difficult it has been to put this in writing. The tragedy that occurred has been completely life changing but our love of animals has not only remained constant but if it is possible has grown even stronger. In the last 2 months we have gone through some very dark days and the only thing that has gotten us through this difficult time has been God, prayer and countless people who have been praying for us. I have kept my circle very small while healing from this traumatic experience and to so many of you that I am close to that I have not gotten back to please know that I am working on getting in touch with each of you and that I love each of you dearly. We continue to pray for our clients who lost pets and our beloved community who has endured so much loss. Brian and I would like to extend our gratitude and thank everyone who has reached out to us via phone calls, texts, emails and to our employees who have become like family to us. A huge thank you to Chris Shows and everyone at the Humane Society of Lincoln County, Ruidoso, NM, and Shannon Straney and Tine Kellogg with American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue that we have partnered with. The friendships we’ve made with both organizations have meant the world to me.
Last year on 8/1/2024 we became the owners of Thundering Paws in Alto. Getting back to work and caring for the dogs and cats being boarded at Thundering Paws and getting myself back to grooming at Thundering Paws has been good for my healing. I am so grateful for my many grooming clients and our boarding clients who have continued to trust me, Brian and our employees in grooming and caring for their pets. I am now grooming full time at Thundering Paws in Alto and can still be contacted at my same phone number that I was previously using for Paws on the River. The phone number I can be reached at for grooming is 575-454-9644 and will now be called Pet Ranch Grooming at Thundering Paws. Thank you again to everyone for being there for us. We love each of you and your pets so much.
--Brian and Connie Willigham (Thundering Paws and Paws on the River owners)
