rescue adventure?

My lovely, lovely aunt mentioned this adventure in her blog recently. Initially I was kind enough to offer to dog sit for her if they really did want to travel off with the caravan of goodness going down to GA ... but then I thought, "Hey, I could go!"

I wrote to the woman coordinating it and offered to be a passenger. She said if there was anyone traveling alone, she'd let me know ... I'm not great at road trips (I sleep mostly), but I do kick butt with maps and have been dying to head to GA since I've pulled dogs from there (well, a shelter down there): One Eyed Jack, Finn, Daisy and Bear.

I've got nothing but time since I haven't found a job yet again, so I figured - why not! ::fingers crossed:: someone nice wants a driving buddy :)

Bear's Been Adopted!

Look at that sad face... how could I resist? Not that I had much choice, no, Bear was being sent from GA to me in NJ. He was a shelter favorite, desperately out of time and I wasn't going to ignore the fact I was supposed to save him. If you don't know the story behind Bear, read it ... there are some times in life when "destiny" or "fate" seem to be the only terms that really embody them. Him coming to me was one of them, I'm sure.

Well, the news to report on Bear this time? He's adopted!! Until we realized how sick my dad was, it was not an uncommon thought that Bear would stay for good with my family. It was never really determined, but it was definitely brought up every so often. Then, with my dad's diagnosis though, I started to more actively seek out a forever home for Bear. Three big dogs would just be too much for my mom. Several families were interested, I just didn't really pursue them - no fenced in yard, really little kids, too far, etc. One family even came out and they seemed great ... but their young son had had a bad experience recently with a jumpy little dog and so he was so nervous around Bear. That's one thing, but my mind was pretty made up when the parents made no effort (once seeing how goofy and laid back Bear was) to make their son more comfortable with Bear as well and, if that wasn't bad enough, they let the son just wander all over my parents home chasing my cats. t felt hopeless to find a home good enough to make me want to give up the dog I rescued within a week of Cheyenne dying. However, after thinking Bear would stay and after the families that wanted him (but just didn't feel right to me), fate it seems walked back into the equation. Bear was adopted by family friends and went home with them just yesterday.

His new mom showed up before she had work Wednesday (yesterday), bringing my dad and her husband, who was down at the farm helping do some construction with my dad. She walked into the house and said, "Hey there, my dog." And took him got a quick walk around before she headed out for work. He's a big guy and definitely tries to use that to his advantage, but he really does listen well and the walk wasn't so bad - a relief since he's rarely on a leash because we just let him out in the fenced yard with the other dogs to go to the bathroom and play. She was really excited he was coming home with her husband later.

I've got to admit, it's a little harder to see Bear go. Usually my incentive is that I can only save one at a time ... so, I adopt out the one I've got, no matter how much I'm attached, in order to have the room to save another. But this time, my mom's saying no more: no more dogs, no more rescuing dogs. I can't argue. I'm at her place again thanks to losing my job a few months ago. Not being allowed to rescue another, kind of takes away my joy in it all, my relief to save another. Not to mention, with the loss of Cheyenne, I really thought Bear would hang around for good. The dynamics of just Kyleigh and Sadie is weird, I think. Sadie always curled up and played hard with Cheyenne and the rescue dogs. Just two dogs now ... we haven't had just two dogs since before Honey died.

Here's a photo of Bear at my parents' front door as I was leaving the day he was going to be going home with his new dad. If it weren't for that white chest, it'd be awful hard to see him. :) I'm gonna miss that goofy face greeting me when I come home ... but I can't imagine a better family for him. Honestly, that's the only reason I let him go. His new mom was already talking about walks with him in the morning until he was exhausted, a special bed with his name on it, brushing his teeth and dinners consisting of the extra flavorings of anything from beef to chicken to salmon. They want him and I can't imagine a better family for him ... and I can't imagine a better addition for their family either. Bear has been around my cats, so he should have no problem getting along with their two and he is so laid back that I don't think he'll be any problem greeting their older Lab boy, Jax ... and nothing compared to getting a puppy (house training them, obedience training, fixing them, the adjustment, not to mention how terrorized Jax would be with all that puppy exuberance).

Maybe our friends have held off getting a puppy not only because they were afraid it would be an insult to Jax (like they were trying to replace him - as if!), but because Bear was out there looking for them ... it only took a dedicated volunteer to try to find someone to save him, a transport team and some months with me for everything to fall into place. And now, instead of a "replacement", they're getting Jax a friend. This is a very happy story and though his time with me is over, its a wonderful beginning for Bear somewhere else.

Bear

Almost every week I receive an email filled with little faces about to be killed in the shelter in GA that I got One-Eyed Jack, Finn and Daisy from. I'll admit I don't know much about the actual shelter, but the contact I have down there has picked out nothing but wonderful, desperate dogs for me. Anyway, I try desperately not to look at these emails, but, masochist me, I did a few weeks ago. Amongst all the faces, there was one dog with sad eyes:

I couldn't save him - I couldn't save any of them myself. I still had Daisy and though she had someone interested in her, she was still with me. Not to mention, Jack and Finn were supposed to be coming to visit. My mom would shoot me if I asked to add another dog into the formula on top of theirs, my foster and adopted out dogs coming to visit!!! lol

The Friday after that email, my Cheyenne passed away and the following weekend, my Daisy was going home. Talk about feeling lonely! Just because my parents have two other dogs, Kyleigh and Sadie, doesn't mean I wasn't feeling the emptiness. It was awful.

In flipping through my email a few days after Cheyenne's passing, there was an email from GA. Because of Thanksgiving that week, the animals at the shelter would be put to sleep earlier in the week and could anyone help with such short notice?? I opened the email, sad that these dogs would have such a short time for the email to make its away around to maybe save some of them. The first photoed dog? That sad eyed boy! What are the chances that the big dog with the sad eyes would be one of the lucky ones spared the week before?! It was crazy! But there he was!

I emailed my contact in GA, Lisa. I still had Daisy, but my contact in GA said transport wasn't even available until after Daisy would actually be in her new home ... and of the handful of dogs I asked about (because you can never set your heart on one in case they were already saved), the big guy was the most desperate. A "shelter favorite" she said. If I paid for him then to get his medical check, he'd be saved and on his way to me after Daisy was adopted. I did it! And though he was a dirty, smelly, un-neutered mess when he first arrived (big shout out to my parents for being awesome and cleaning him up since he came early while I was working), he's a great boy!

He might be a bit funny looking, but he's adorable once you get to know him. He is housebroken, very playful, "sits" when asked, leans against you for love and hasn't tried to eat any of the cats (or people!) yet ... and with the size of his jaws & skull, I'm thinking he could physically make a meal out of just about anything. :o)

In hindsight, this all makes my heart hurt a bit ... and yet I try to feel a bit better thinking that Cheyenne let me save him. We've named him "Bear" and my mom is pretty insistent that she wants him to stay forever, but I don't know about that just yet.