By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

It's difficult to reconcile the idea that dogs are man's best friend when thousands of healthy canines are euthanized each year nationwide.

Carey Lafleur of Epsom cuddles with her dogs. She hopes to open a dog park and shelter. (Courtesy Photo)

It's a problem that bothers dog lover Carey Lafleur; and it's one she's working to solve with an innovative concept.

Earlier this year, Lafleur founded the New England Park for Canine Placement (NEPCP), a nonprofit organization that hopes to combine the services of traditional dog shelters with obedience training.

Lafleur said the idea came to her after reading a newspaper story in which an elderly woman placed her rambunctious 9-month-old puppy in a shelter. The woman then raised money to send the dog to obedience training. Yet by the time she had saved enough, the woman's dog, going unadopted, had already been euthanized.

"People often don't have the time money or energy to train their dogs the way they need to be trained," said Lafleur, who has five children and two dogs. "The answer is the dogs end up in a shelter."

Lafleur cited research showing that more than half of all dogs placed in traditional shelters are put to sleep. It's a statistic she thinks can be changed.

With the NEPCP offering both a shelter and obedience training, Lafleur said she hopes more dogs will find lifelong homes, and subsequently, more people can enjoy lovable - and obedient - pets.

"The likelihood of trained dogs getting put back into shelters is so low," said Lafleur, adding that traditional animal shelters do the best they can, but lack of funding and overcrowding limit their success.

Perhaps that's why space is a priority of the NEPCP. Lafleur said the group - currently composed of a five-member board - is looking for a site in the Epsom area with at least 25 acres so outdoor activities can be accommodated year round.

The group plans to sell bricks with inscriptions that will be laid into pathways around the park. Lafleur said she sees the park with picnic areas, park benches and a hill for sledding in the wintertime.

"What we're trying to do is get people to really socialize with the dogs," said Lafleur, adding that each dog admitted into the park, no matter the age, would go through obedience training. "It helps to find a home if people can know the dog's personality first."

Lafleur also plans an indoor area with a visitor's center, a beverage and ice cream stand, a small retail area and an obedience instruction area. Dogs will be placed into "kennel condos," with each age group having a different area.

An onsite veterinarian and a program for rescue and service dogs are also possibilities, said Lafleur, who is no stranger to working with canines.

A former breeder, trainer and obedience instructor, Lafleur has worked with dogs throughout her life, though she was three times attacked by dogs as a child.

"To me, (dogs) are just lovable," said Lafleur in spite of the attacks. "I've learned that if you handle them right, with care and love, they'll only love you back."

Though Lafleur has considerable experience in the canine business, the NEPCP is her first attempt at a nonprofit. "I thought it might be easier than starting a business," said Lafleur. "But it's not. I'm learning things everyday."

On Lafleur's side is the support of both local and national dog lovers. Several sponsors have already jumped at the project, and scores of people from all professions have offered their help, Lafleur said.

For more information on NEPCP, visit www.nepcp.org.