About Us Get To Know FCAL

Four Corners Animal League's goal is to ensure that every pet has a safe and loving home. We are reducing the population of unwanted pets through spaying, neutering and education programs making this a safer community for all of us.

Four Corners Animal League is not an animal shelter. We have no central location for processing animals. Instead we are actively involved in education through Taos County. We conduct our programs at elementary schools and door-to-door, discussing loving care of pets and all living creatures. Our education always urges spaying and neutering and focuses on the suffering that occurs when unwanted animals proliferate in a small community.

A woman standing with two dogs and another dog.

We also have a foster care program through which individuals throughout the community foster the care of animals we find abandoned or mistreated. The community has responded with much love in offering to care for animals at their homes until we can find placement for them. We are always in need of responsible foster care and volunteers.

Four Corners Animal League Board Members

Pennie Wardlow
President

Pennie was born in Taos, New Mexico. She was invited to be a board member of New Mexico Animal Shelter Board by Governor Richardson The board’s first accomplishment was to close the gas chambers in New Mexico. Currently, the NM Veterinarian board asked Pennie to be on the New Mexico Animal Shelter Committee. Pennie was a member Attorney General, Gary Kings Animal Cruelty Investigation. She received a special award from the Attorney General's office for contributing to the community, a Humanitarian award for 2005, and was Volunteer of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce in 2002. She was recognized for exemplary dedication and service in enhancing the quality of life among the people in The Land of Enchantment by Rebecca Vigil-Giron, Secretary of State. Pennie has been a top rated agent in real estate in Taos County at Century 21 for over 25 years. She is a proud supporter of the Taos High Scholarship Fund. She enjoys educating Taos elementary school children about animal care.

A woman holding onto her dog while wearing glasses.

Pennie Wardlow President

Steve Fuhlendorf
Vice President

Steve Fuhlendorf is a 25-year resident of Taos, having arrived after many years in
casino marketing in Nevada. He was executive director of the Taos County Chamber of
Commerce for 11 years, followed by several years as public information officer for Kit
Carson Electric Coop, and later Taos County Government, as well as director of the
Taos Entrepreneurial Network. He is currently the community coordinator for Rio
Grande ATP, Inc. and Recovery-Friendly Taos County. His love for animals goes back to
growing up on a ranch in northern Nevada, where he cared for horses, cattle, goats,
chickens, and, of course, dogs and cats.

Steve Fuhlendorf Vice President

Shelly Ratigan
Executive Director

Moved to Taos in 1985 leaving my profession as a School Psychologist. Her first business I owned was Northside Restaurant. She managed and owned Northside restaurant for 8 years and had 6 employees. In 1993 Shelly built my second business Northside Health and Fitness Center and managed NHFC for 23 years and had 55 employees. In 2016 Shelly built her third business Gutters bowling alley. She is currently still managing Gutters and have had between 6-12 employees. All of the businesses have allow Shelly to serve our community and become aware of our community’s needs. Outside of the different businesses she has always been very involved with the animal welfare of Taos. Shelly has worked hand in hand with Four Corners League. Volunteers at Stray Hearts Monday through Friday two hours a day.

Shelly Ratigan Executive Director

Barbara
Secretary

Barbara has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for over 20 years. She started her career by providing services for children diagnosed with autism in home and school programs, and she then provided behavior consultation in general education and special education settings. She also worked as a clinical director for a health maintenance organization where she consulted on complex cases, assisted in legal proceedings as an expert witness, and did an extensive amount of policy work. In 2018, she was awarded the Earl L. Loschen Award for Clinical Practice by NADD. This award is given to a person whose contribution in clinical practice has resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as mental health needs.

Barbara works with Four Corners Animal League to help shelter and feed stray/feral cats. She also assists in getting animals spayed and neutered, and when needed, will make the appointments, help to trap, and transport. In addition to her two dogs and three cats (who all have special needs), she fosters hospice cats and disabled kittens.

In addition to helping with Four Corners Animal League, she volunteers as the Acting President and Treasurer of the New Mexico Association for Behavior Analysis (NMABA), and she is part owner of a yoga studio.

A woman sitting on the couch with her dog.

Barbara Agnello, Ph.D., BCBA-D Secretary

Alan Bloom
Treasurer

Alan Bloom retired in 2020 from the design & manufacturing company that he founded in 1980 in Boulder, CO. He was a volunteer firefighter and Director of his fire district in Colorado. He and his wife, Sue, volunteered at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley for over twenty five years before moving to Taos in 2023. Both continued as volunteers at Stray Hearts and the St. James Food Pantry. Alan and Sue live with their two Pit Mix shelter dogs, Milo and Ripley.

Alan Bloom Treasurer

Peter Selzer
Board Member

Peter Selzer has been an animal advocate for many years and, with his wife, Maria-Grazia, has
fostered and socialized a number of strays for FCAL. He and his (shelter) dog, Charlie, are
inseparable and are often seen on hiking trails around Taos. Peter is a physician (radiologist)
and also holds a PhD in Physics. He graduated from Dartmouth College, obtained a masters and
PhD in physics at Stanford University, attended medical school at University of Miami, and
completed a radiology residency and interventional radiology fellowship at Stanford. For his
contributions to the field of radiology, he was awarded a fellowship by the American College of
Radiology. He has practiced at Holy Cross Hospital for 17 years after leaving a 20-physician
radiology group in Madison, Wisconsin of which he was chairman for 12 years. After leaving
Madison, he was name emeritus professor of Radiology at UW Madison School of Medicine.
Peter regularly participates in the State of New Mexico medical review board and has also
served for 6 years on the Holy Cross Hospital board of directors. As such, has had considerable
experience regarding the function and responsibilities of a well-run non-profit BOD. When not
otherwise involved, Peter enjoys skiing, hiking, gardening, and traveling.

Peter Selzer Board Member

Jason Wardlow-Herrera
Board Member

Jason Wardlow-Herrera has over 19 years of law enforcement experience and retired from the Los Alamos Police Department in December of 2021. As the Deputy Chief, Jason managed the Los Alamos County Animal Shelter for about 2 years, working with organizations to improve operations. He has prosecuted animal cruelty cases, volunteered to socialize animals, and is passionate about animal welfare. Jason owns two dogs adopted from the Los Alamos Animal Shelter. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, is an FBI National Academy Graduate (2015), served as a deputy for the Taos County Sheriff’s Department from 2002 to 2006, and is currently the Sheriff of Los Alamos County.

Jason Wardlow-Herrera Board Member