Cheryl Okerland

by Dale Green

You probably could not find a more kindhearted and perceptive person than Cheryl! She has an important dual role at The Ranch: She is our medical leader, caring for the health and well-being of our dogs 24/7; and she is our primary foster person, specializing in very young puppies but attending to any dogs needing medical care or just a little extra TLC. Professionally, Cheryl was a Registered Nurse, and her knowledge and experience has been priceless for our beloved four-legged charges. Her expertise saves us precious time and money that would be spent on veterinary calls. Cheryl collaborated with other Ranch leaders to implement a vaccination and treatment plan for our 100+ dogs – a massive undertaking, considering that they need a variety of medications administered on a schedule anywhere from daily to yearly.

Cheryl trains our staff to administer shots and topical medications, and she keeps in her head a mind-boggling amount of information on dogs undergoing treatment. In addition to leaving clear and concise instructions to our staff on site in our office, she will regularly send them messages to make sure to clean a particular dog's wound, or administer antibiotics to another recovering from surgery, as well as reminders to undertake certain protocols. Cheryl makes herself available for medical advice at any hour of the day, and is happy to interact directly with new adopters to field questions they might have about the care and feeding of their newest family member. She is an absolute wonder, and we are so fortunate to have her!