Carting them all over the place...

If you think the dogs we have for adoption just magically appear, think again!  I'll bet you never realized, while you are just relaxing, or perhaps enjoying your weekend with family, think about what it takes to save animals all over the USA every day.  The following is a very complicated "run sheet" for a transport, I am picking one dog up from!  It took rescues to come forward to save all sorts of critters scheduled to die in shelters, it took all these folks to offer their time, their gas money to cart these critters to destinations where their lives are going to begin all over again.  Better then being dead.  I have put together transports before, but never a "double merge transport".  I'll bet you never gave it a thought?  Makes me almost dizzy to read the who's and what's of this transport, all I know is I have to be at one spot at one time and they will deliver my dog to me.  God Bless America!  Strap on your seatbelt and see if you can find my spot in this transport:  

Please respond “Got it”  and are good with your route.  Updates will be via email as usual.    Do not intermix puppies of different litters or let dogs interact with each other!  Thanks!! Marilyn

WHCR/QKC

Transport Run Sheet

Saturday, March 19, 2011

 

PRINT A COPY OF THIS RUN SHEET TO TAKE WITH YOU! -  This run sheet is created SOLELY for the purpose of this transport.  Everyone’s information is considered private and is to be used for the purpose of this transport only. Please do not reply all to this email – email the TC if there are questions. Make sure you keep track of your mileage to write off $.14/mile on your taxes. Thank you!

  

Reason for transport: High-kill shelters to approved rescues and adopters

Receiving rescues:  Multiple; see below

Transport Coordinator and Monitor:  Marilyn  

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFO!

Always remember the rules of the road:

·         This is a fully monitored transport.  If there are any changes or updates to the run sheet, you will be notified by email.  Please note that paperwork will accompany each dog as specified below on the passenger list – keep this paperwork safe as it is a required component for transport.

·         This is a double merge transport.  This transport begins in 2 places and merges in Joliet at noon.  Each route up to Joliet is labeled Route A or Route B.  After the transports merge in Joliet , there will be several legs from Joliet .  Read the run sheet carefully.

·         PLEASE call the Transport Monitor if you are running late AND when you have completed your leg.  This helps us keep the transport on time!

·         Don't sacrifice safety for convenience. Drive safely, obey traffic laws and make sure all passengers are crated or strapped in tightly.

·         Arrive 15 minutes early before your leg is scheduled to leave so you can help walk, water and load the animals and leave on time.

·         Hand off the paperwork first, then the animals-- this way you won't forget their documentation!

·         Make sure collars are tight and please do not loosen them. Dogs can sometimes back out of collars, even if they appear secure, so if a dog is pulling away from you, try not to tug, but call him/her to you instead.

·         Keep your furry passengers happy: Bring crates, treats, water, leashes and pooper bags to clean up after them if they potty outside. Don’t intermix puppies from different litters!

·         Please disinfect any water bowls, blankets, or crates used on transport as a precaution for the next passengers you may have.  Make this a routine part of your transporting duties and/or when overnighting or fostering.   

·         Smile, have fun and THANK YOU!  

 

MAKE SURE YOU CALL THE TRANSPORT MONITOR AT THE END OF YOUR LEG! 

 

Passenger List:

H = Furry friend pulled from Hancock County Pound by Anissa

Q = Furry friend pulled from Adams County Animal by Anne  

Route A

No.	Description of Animal	Crate Size	Receiving Rescue/Foster/Adopter	Origin:	Final Destination:
H1	Blind lab named Riley  – lift and handle carefully – just completed heartworm treatment	Large – 45 lbs. Must ride loose	For Tara Call Kim Sharp at  when leaving Princeton so she knows continuing transport onto Hammond , and then on to Michigan is on schedule or not.	Carthage	Hammond, IN
H2-H9	Mom and 7 puppies	2 large crates and medium crate	Furry Bottoms Rescue	Carthage	Milwaukee
H10	Female boston/beagle named Lucy	Medium	Furry Bottoms Rescue	Carthage	Milwaukee
H11-H13	3 lab mix puppies	Medium	Misty;  Green Pup;	Carthage	Grayslake
H14-H20	6 lab mix puppies	2 medium (stay in crates)	Hinsdale Humane          22	Carthage	Hinsdale
H21	Black shepherd mix puppy	medium	Hinsdale Humane          22	Carthage	Hinsdale
H22	Brindle/black shepherd mix puppy	medium	Hinsdale Humane          22	Carthage	Hinsdale
H23	Black sheperd mix named Ace	Large	Hinsdale Humane          22	Carthage	Hinsdale
H24	Male jack russell terrier named Trooper	Small	A Caring Place Humane Society	Carthage	Joliet

 Route B

No.	Description of Animal	Crate Size	Receiving Rescue/Foster/Adopter	Origin:	Final Destination:
Q1	Female chocolate lab puppy named Molly	Medium	From Heather For Val Kunde  Courtesy transport	Quincy	Fox Lake
Q2	Male terrier mix named Buckus	Medium	From ACS for Luanne – – Chicagoland Dog Rescue	Quincy	Schaumburg
Q3	Female boxer mix named Tonka	Large	From QHS for Tracey Courtesy transport	Quincy	Joliet
Q4	Female beagle named Tillie	Medium	From (OS) for A Caring Place Humane Society  Courtesy transport	Quincy	Orland Park
Q5	Female german shorthair named Tooter	Large	From (Paxton) for  GSP Rescue  Lisa in WI   2001 Silver Dodge Caravan   Courtesy transport	Bloomington	Milwaukee
Q6	Calico cat	Small (Stay in Crate)	For Linda Courtesy transport	Quincy	Milwaukee
Q7	Cat named Myra	Small (Stay in Crate)	For Linda	Quincy	Milwaukee
Q8	Female border collie mix named Claire	Large	From Macomb for BC Rescue Meredith Courtesy transport	Quincy	Milwaukee
Q9-Q12	4 black lab mix puppies	2 medium crates (stay in crates but may be removed if crates need to be cleaned)	From (QHS) for Ellen; Courtesy transport	Quincy	Downers Grove
Q13-Q16	4 hound puppies	2 medium crates (stay in crates but may be removed if crates need to be cleaned – just vetted)	From (OS) For Help Save Pets –  Animal Care Center Contact: Maggie Courtesy transport	Quincy	Plainfield
Q17	Male maltese named Bandit	Small (stay in crate)	From (ACS) for K-9 Lifeline Rescue - Pam	Quincy	Fox Lake

 Route A – Carthage to Joliet

LEG 1-2A: Carthage , IL to Princeton , IL

Arrive Princeton : 10:30 AM

Driver 1:  Anissa Sadeghi

Passengers on this leg:

Crates needed: 

LEG 1-2A Meeting Spot in Meeting Spot in Princeton , IL :  Princeton Road Ranger Truck Stop   EXIT 56 ( Princeton )  Turn right at the stoplight at EXIT 56.  The truckstop is immediately to right on the right side of the road.  If the transporters turn right into the truckstop and make a sharp right there is a large parking area where they can unload and reload the dogs.  All turns are to the right!! 

LEG 3A: Princeton to Joliet

Depart Princeton:  10:45 AM                       Arrive Joliet :  11:45 AM

Meeting Spot in Princeton, IL :  Princeton Road Ranger Truck Stop   EXIT 56 ( Princeton )  Turn right at the stoplight at EXIT 56.  The truckstop is immediately to right on the right side of the road.  If the transporters turn right into the truckstop and make a sharp right there is a large parking area where they can unload and reload the dogs.  All turns are to the right!! 

Driver 1: Karen Dobersch; Ford Escape

Driver 2: Donna Evans,  Lexus SUV

Driver 3: Leigh Ann Powell; vehicle: SUV Toyota Land Cruiser  

Call Kim Sharp at XXX when leaving Princeton so she knows continuing transport onto Hammond , and then on to Michigan is on schedule or not.    

Passengers on this leg:  All H dogs

Crates needed:  1 loose 45 lb. large(blind lab) , 3 large, 7 medium (2 provided), 1 small

LEG 3A Meeting Spot in Joliet : Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at A and R transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

Route B: Quincy-Joliet , IL

LEG 1B: Quincy , IL to Springfield , IL  

Depart Quincy , IL : 6:00 AM             Arrive Springfield , IL 8:00 AM  

 

Driver 1: Julie. 217 653 2930

Passengers on this leg:  All Q dogs/cats

Crates needed:  2 large, 7 medium (2 stay in crates), 3 small (stay in crates)

LEG 2B: Springfield , IL to Bloomington , IL

Depart Springfield , IL : 8:30 AM        Arrive Bloomington , IL : 9:30 AM

Meet transport in Springfield at:  Meijer parking lot by the GARDEN CENTER located at 4200 Conestoga Drive in Springfield .  This is exit 93/Veterans Parkway Exit.    

Driver 1:  Kate Hein,   

Driver 2: Betsy Salus; Mazda Protege

Driver 3: Tina Swanson; Mazda CX-9 (SUV) Gray

 Passengers on this leg:  All Q dogs/cats

Crates needed:  2 large, 7 medium (2 stay in crates), 3 small (in crates)

Meet transport in Bloomington at: Cracker Barrel (exit 160A off of I-55). 

Q5 on in Bloomington

 LEG 3B: Bloomington , IL to Joliet , IL

Depart Bloomington , IL : 10:00 AM                Arrive Joliet , IL :  11:30 PM

 

Meet transport in Bloomington , IL at: Cracker Barrel (exit 160A off of I-55). 

Driver 1: Patti Fitzpatrick  Hummer

Driver 2: Patti Grijalva; vehicle ;2007 Jeep Commander

Driver 3: Lori Laughlin: Toyota Sienna minivan.

Passemgers on this leg:  All Q dogs/cats

Crates needed:  3 large 7 mediums (4 in crates provided), 3 smalls (provided)

Meet transport in Joliet , IL at: Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at AandR transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

ALL DOGS BEING PICKED UP IN JOLIET BY RESPECTIVE RESCUES DEPART HERE.  DOGS HEADING NORTHWARD WILL MEET THEIR RESPECTIVE TRANSPORTERS TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY. 

Please be in Joliet by 11:15 for Q dog pickup – 11:45 for H dogs.

Legs from Joliet :

Leg 4:  Joliet to Hammond , IN

Depart Joliet : 12: 00 PM                      Arrive Hammond : 1:00

Meet transport in Joliet , IL at: Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at A and R transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

Driver 1:  Kathy Monke; Honda Civic                

Passengers on this leg:  H1

Crates needed:  None, dog needs to ride loose – blind and just received HW treatment.

Leg  4  Meeting Spot in Hammond :  Wendy’s,  7790 Corrinne Dr . , Hammond , IN

Leg 5:  Joliet to Grayslake

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM       Arrive Grayslake:  1:15

Meet transport in Joliet , IL at: Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at A and R transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

Driver 1:    Leigh Ann Powell;   vehicle: SUV Toyota Land Cruiser

Passengers on this leg:  H11-H13

Crates needed:  1 medium   

Leg  5  Meeting Spot in Grays Lake , IL:   Save-A-Pet Adoption Center  

Leg  6:  Joliet to Schaumburg , IL and Fox Lake , IL

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM       Arrive Schaumburg : 1:00

Arrive Fox Lake , IL :  1:45 (keep in touch – if time is off)

Meet transport in Joliet , IL at: Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at AandR transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

Driver 1:  Barb; Silver Lincoln continental

Passengers on this leg:  Q1 and Q2 and Q17

Crates needed:  2 mediums, 1 small (in crate)

Leg 6  Meeting Spot in Schaumburg:  Petco in Schaumburg ;  60 East Golf Road, Schaumburg , IL (Golf and Roselle Rd. ) CDR is having an adoption event inside.  Call when you get there and one will come out.   

Leg  7:  Joliet , IL to Milwaukee , WI

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM       Arrive Milwaukee : 2:20 PM

 Meet transport in Joliet , IL at: Lower Rock Forest Preserve located at Exit 127 South off I-80 at Houboult Road/Empress Road (just east of I55) – head south ¼ mile over railroad tracks and a canal and just ahead on the right will be a forest preserve with bike trails and a large parking lot.  Park towards the right of the parking lot.  If the forest preserve is closed, meet down the road just a few block from the preserve at AandR transport co, it's on the left side of the road if you turn right outside from the preserve.

Driver 1: Jean Peters;   minivan 

       

Passengers on this leg:  H2-H9, H10, Q5, Q6, Q7, Q8

Crates needed:  4 large, 2 med., 2 small (in cat crates)

Leg 7 Meeting Spot in Milwaukee , WI : McDonalds, 6262 South 13th Milwaukee , WI 53221-5125 – College Ave. exit off I-94.

Leg  8:  Joliet, IL to Orland Park , IL

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM       Arrive Orland Park : 12:30

  Driver 1:   Karen Dobersch Ford Escape 

 Passengers on this leg: Q4

Crates needed:  1 medium

Leg 8 Meeting Spot in Orland Park :  Animal Medical Center 

Leg 9: Joliet , IL to Plainfield , IL

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM                                 Arrive Plainfield , IL : 12:15 PM

 Driver 1:  Patti Grijalva;  vehicle ;2007 Jeep Commander

Passengers on this leg:  Q13-Q16

Crates needed:  1 medium

Leg 9 Meeting Spot in Plainfield , IL :  Animal Care Center ; 14411 S. Route 59 Plainfield , IL 60544

 

 Leg 10 : Joliet , IL to Hinsdale , IL

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM                Arrive Hinsdale , IL : 1:00 PM

 Driver 1:  Allison Gill; Vehicle: Chevy Trailblazer         

Passengers on this leg: Q9-Q12 (stay in crates)  Q13-Q16

Crates needed: 4 medium (2 provided), 1 large

Leg 10   Meeting Spot in   Hinsdale , IL :  : Hinsdale Humane Society,  22 North Elm Street
Hinsdale , IL 60521

Leg 11: Joliet , IL to Downers Grove , IL

Depart Joliet : 12:00 PM                Arrive Downers Grover, IL: 1:00 PM

 Driver 1:  Donna Evans  Lexus SUV

 Passengers on this leg:  Q9-Q12

Crates needed: 2 medium (provided),

Thank you for sharing your time and resources, Marilyn  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tooter

It happens all over the USA, every day!  So next time you are having a burger at Wendys or Mc Donalds, and you see a flurry of furry activity in the parking lot...you could just be seeing (first hand) a rescue transport in action!  And you can now know what it took to carry those animals to safe hands.  It's our passion.

Is it just me?

Everyone seems to think my blog is all about THEM.  Hello?  This is MY blog, aka, MY diary, MY life.  If you think it's all about YOU, it's not really....it's about the things that happen in my life with rescue dogs.  Get over yourself that I'd have time to dwell on drama you maybe, unwittingly created within me?  I am ever so grateful to have wonderful friends I've met over dogs...local, in person friends, and long distance, on-the-internet dog lovers alike.  I love them all.  But more and more lately, I am seeing their "true colors".  And I'd wondering if it's just me?

I see people getting puppies from breeders, one in particular who tried her hand at rescue, but that didn't last long...and I never found out the real reason why, but I can see (for crying out loud!) that breeding puppies is apparently more important to the world then saving ones dumped in shelters.

I see people seeming to think that by getting a puppy it will be easier on the present dog.  Now I'm stewing.  This breeder has them hood-winked into feeling honored to get one of their breeding?  Honored?  They seem to feel they have really thought this all over, and that it was a huge decision, or maybe not so much....does it really matter?

I know the game.  I know the sales act.  Heck, you might say I do it all the time for rescue dogs.  I want to ask you seriously...what is wrong with a second hand dog? It too came from a breeder in the beginning, and probably a proper breeder at that.  But just because it found itself on some rough luck, all the sudden that dog is considered JUNK?

Where is that breeder now?  Excuses, excuses....they won't take their dog back.  Oh, they might say they do, they might have you sign some fancy contract, but whose monitoring that?  Who cares?

I think about all my friends who support rescue, yet they turn around and buy from a breeder.  What is wrong with all that is they don't have a clue that what they are really doing is cabashing rescue and promoting breeders.  It's pretty simple.  They say well, "my dog wouldn't accept a rescue".  HELLO?  Whose in charge here, the dogs or the people? 

I just can't take it anymore, but if I say anything I will be banned, blocked, loose friends, fans and people who truely pretend to care about rescue.  But really? They don't.  All they care about is the same damn thing everyone else does; they want the PERFECT DOG.  And they think, only THE perfect dog comes from a breeder, as a puppy? 

All of them came from breeders in the beginning, some are destroyed inbetween (BY PEOPLE), and it's people like this who give them a name.  'JUNK' may as well be a rescue dog's name...because that's what it feels like to me, thrown away like garbage for whatever stupid reason, and I bust my ass to save dogs...and wonder why do I bother?  This all just adds to my depression.  Pile it on...

I wish I could save them all.  If I could, I'd save the entire world...but with breeders still out there, I'm so screwed.  And with people out there willing to shell out money for a puppy, I wonder...  "Is it just me?" 

The ones who rescue us...

After Tracker died, my soul left with him.  Sure I saved more dogs, sure I lived to take care of the ones I still had in my home, but my soul left with Tracker that night.  I became hard.  I didn't exactly know it at the time, or did I?  Earlier that day after I spent time with him at the emergency room, I met my friend for lunch, because it was her birthday, and I promised. I didn't want to be there with her, listening to her non-caring soul bitch at me for all the money I spent to keep Tracker alive thus far...and how he is "only" a dog, blah, blah, blah....  but in REALITY...she was right...if what the radiologist said was true, and he did have cancer, I would never have put him thru chemo.  Not if you saw what I saw on that Xray machine of his lungs.  I had to toss myself up to the Lord and said "so be it".  Take the one thing I loved most in my life.  Take him now.  Don't make him suffer.  And I let him go.  And I let myself go along with him.  I wanted to curl up in a ball and die to be with him again.  That is just plain pathetic...he was a dog.  Nope...he was "the one".  Or so I thought?  That was January 2007. 



Jim

 And life just sort of droaned on.  Then that fall, we grabbed a female and a male from northern WI shelters, and both landed at my house for some reason, when I gotta look at that male, I said to myself  "Oh no.... Tracker".  It was like from some where over "the rainbow" came this big galoof, who reminded me instantly of Tracker!  Oh God.... ok, get it outta your mind sister... so he went to another foster home, and I kept the female, who turned out to be the most obnoxious whiner there ever was...and this lemonhead pointer turned out to be a runner, who landed in jail less then 24-hrs later, costing us bail money.  Well, that was it...I switched foster dogs and took "the runner".  Me and Mr. Ecollar had a little training session with this one.  We hunt tested him, pass. Got vet work done, pass... potty trained... pass, found him a home, all good, all according to schedule.  And the entire time he was gone, in my head played "the Jimmy Back" song...ya know, "I want my Jimmy back...".  And when the guy returned him on about the 10th day, it so happened to be three days before what would have been Tracker's birthday, and I said this is a damn omen....I got my Jimmy back!  And he stayed.  He rescued me as it turns out.

He sleeps in bed with me, he guards me, he guards his house, he tolerates rescue dogs coming in and out, he loves "the girls", in general Jim is a big love boy.  If I'm in the shower, he waits on the other side of the door for me.  He watches where I go, what I do, where I am.  He is a little submissive and shy, but if someone were trying to attack me, I think he'd go for it.  This dog has WAY more personality then Tracker ever did.  This boy saved my soul.  And it happened so slowly, I never really realized, all the sudden I was not crying myself to sleep anymore for Tracker.  I just threw an arm over Jim and drift off to sleep, listening to the sound of HIS breathing.  (Trust me, sometimes I do feel like a traitor to Tracker.)  Whoever threw James away, probably never loved him like I do.  I always have this thought, that some day, some where, some way, some one will come up to me "hey!  I had a dog like that once".  I will have to punch them in the nose, no questions asked.  Their loss, MY gain, and truely, 'the gift' is all mine.  This dog, like so many before, and maybe others after, saved me.  Jim wears Tracker's tag that says "I rescued a human".



Jim, my guardian



 Indeed he has...

Once again, like a broken record...."the RESPONSIBLE"...

To Owners Of Dogs

On Facebook by GSP National: Missy Neal on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 5:09pm

Before you surrender your ailing elder dog to the shelter for the reason that you can't bear to euthanize the dog yourself, please think about this. That dog has stood by you for all of its life - 12 years? 14 years? 17 years? That dog has loved you unconditionally, put up with your kids and grandkids pulling his ears and taking his toys, perhaps hunted for you, sat shotgun in your truck while you ran errands, laid on the couch with you when you were down with the flu. Sure, he may be a counter surfer, gets in the trash, chases the cat, barks his head off at neighbors walking by. But by the end of a dog's life, the good things always, always far outweigh the bad things.

What has this dog done to deserve the cold hard cement floor of a shelter as his last home? As his owner and partner of over a decade, don't you think you owe him the dignity of dying in your own home, or if at a vet at least dying in your arms? Perhaps you can't bear the thought of putting him down, can't watch. Instead of dumping him at the shelter, take him to your vet who has also undoubtedly loved this dog as you have for over a decade. You take him to his friend, the vet, and you wait in the lobby until it is "done" and then take that poor tired body home to bury in your yard.

Think about what you're going to tell your kids, what example you're setting for them. For your kids or your grandkids. Are you teaching them that their pets are expendable, and when they're old and weak it's better to just "disappear" them to a shelter than to stick by them until their end?

Do not take comfort in the fact that Rescue will come along and save your dog. We take as many as we can with the understanding that these senior dogs will probably die in foster care because their owners were too selfish (or chicken) to deal with the sad, unpleasant reality of the end of their beloved dog's life. We can not and DO NOT SAVE THEM ALL. Those that we can take, we do. But many, many dogs perish in shelters because they have been surrendered by their owner, they are old and sick and no one wants to adopt a dog that is old and sick. No one is going to stand by that dog like you would and should stand by him, as the owner who has loved him for more than a decade.

For the last few weeks we have been working to get Ellie, a 14 year old GSP, into foster care. Ellie was pulled from a shelter in Spokane by a Mastiff rescue volunteer. This volunteer was trying to get her stable enough to transport to foster care with a GSP Rescue group. Ellie passed all blood work - no heartworm, no parasites, no organ failure - she had an upper respiratory infection. They put her on tramadol for osteoarthritis. She had a benign tumor in her ear and needed dental work. Personality - terrific. She was housebroken, sweet, a "leaner", loved people, got along with other dogs, ignored cats.

By the volunteer's description, Ellie was an elderly, tired, and very weak dog.

However, the conclusion from the vet was deliberate starvation. This was middle of February. For 2 weeks Ellie was fed "anything she wants - hand fed human food and mega-calorie prescription diet. She can only eat a couple of spoonfuls at a time - is being fed every 3 hours."

On Monday we learned that Ellie would never make it to foster care in GSP Rescue. Here is the note we got from the wonderful Mastiff Rescue volunteer who had been caring for Ellie:

"Thanks for all of your support and assistance.  I regret to inform you that "Ellie" was euthanized today due to a blood clot and congestive heart failure.  We determine through an ultrasound that she was terminal and her failure to thrive was probably linked to her heart.  Her heart was pumping about 25% of capacity.  I feel right about the decision - Ellie was in a warm loving environment for her last two weeks, had the best of medical care and if she would have survived and thrived would have moved on to a group that would have loved her as we did." 

I have attached a photo of Ellie to this note. This should NOT be why we do Rescue, folks. Dogs should die in the arms of their family who has loved them for all of their lives. You owe it to that dog. Sending him or her to certain death at a shelter is not an honorable action, and you should not have a clear conscience should you choose that course of action.

Please, before you consider just looking the other way and dumping your loyal companion of many years at a shelter, think on these things.

Ellie the day she was pulled from the shelter. Less than 40 lbs.

Ellie, weak but grateful

See?  It's not only ME.  (Hugs Missy)  Can you understand why we can never stop being "the responsible"?  Someone has to do it...it's part of the passion, or should we say COMpassion thing...that ends up killing our souls, making us hate people, with each one like Ellie we handle.  Welcome to our world... 

What's it all about?



Tracker, 8.4.01

 Sometimes I have this dream... and in it, no matter where I'm at (but it's usually some big, flowing house, with many rooms, many doors, junk laying all over like hoarders), he is always just "this far" away from me.  Why does it feel like I'm constantly tracking down TRACKER?  What's it all about?

I only got to hold this dog for a short time.  I was so disappointed and utterly shattered when I had to decide his fate that cold January day.  It was too soon, it wasn't his time, not in the "natural" sense.  I will always question my decision.  But it is, what it is...  Bottom line is I would not have wanted him to suffer.  (I think he had cancer)

Tracker's story is on my other website,  http://www.gsplady.com/rescuedogstories.htm, I can't bear to read it or repeat it yet.  Heck, I'm just beginning to be able to say his name out loud without bursting into tears!


Tracker at work with me.


Ya know even before he died, I had a dream...I chased and hunted him down (he was with Miracle in that one), she came running back to me, he didn't. Was it an omen?  Why am I always chasing this dog down on foot in my dreams?   He is always just "this far" away (like the sand bar photo above). I can just about get to him, but then again, I can't reach him.  What's it all about?

Today it makes me cry.  I am sad without him, and yet, I can barely remember the smell of him, the sound of his breathing that used to put me to sleep at night.  I miss him so bad, it still tears my guts right out, after all these years.  What is wrong with me?  He was just a dog.  I know in reality there are many, MANY more... and perhaps Tracker sent Jim my way to ease the pain....which it did. But no two dogs are the same.  They each have character and personality.  It's why we either bond with them or we don't.  Tracker was a gentle soul.  We chose each other.  I'm grateful I got to hold him and know him for the short time I did.  And if I always have to track him down, well, then I guess I will, because that is one dog I will be looking for on the "other side".   Perhaps I'll never know what the dreams are really all about...  but when I DO find him, there will be no separating us again.

How To Exercise Your GSP.....I'm so jealous...

James Dean could use ALOT of this....