Other Rescue Adventures

 

Louie, Pumpkin, George, Bear , Girl , Puppies

Louie - Louie was an owner surrender to the Ames, IA animal shelter in early January 2007 because he was too much to handle. His previous owners never took the time to teach Louie basic manners such as not jumping up and walking on a leash and it appears he was abused by a male since he is very shy of men. I went to the shelter two to three times a week beginning mid Feb 2007 and worked with Louie on his basic manners and walking on a leash. On April 11, 2007 Louie was adopted and left the shelter for good.

Pumpkin - Pumpkin was a stray that appeared at our Alabama home on Saturday, Jan.13, 2007. She was covered with ticks and fleas, but seemed in good shape otherwise. Ad's were put in the two local papers and vet offices were contacted regarding a found dog with no response. I then put an ad for a free dog (which I am against) ad in the two papers, but there were no suitable homes for her to go to. I was leaving Alabama for Iowa in two weeks and needed to do something. Karen, my sister, suggested Nashville Humane Association, a very low kill shelter. So on Jan. 31, 2007 I took her my local vet for vaccines and a heartworm test. Then on Feb. 5, 2007 I took her to the Nashville Humane Association, with the agreement that if she didn't get adopted I would get her back. She was adopted within one week and her picture was never put on the website. This was a story with a happy ending.

George - George is a pot bellied pig. He wondered onto our farm in Alabama during Feburary 2007. Daddy called me and said that George would follow him out in the field and around the yard. So it was obvious that he was a pet. Now I'm in Ames, IA and started scratching my head as to what I could do to help George. I called two local papers and put in lost ads with no response. Then I turned to the internet and tried to locate a Pot Bellied Pig rescue or shelter that would take him...no luck. Back at the farm George decided he liked the hay that the cows were feasting on. Well the cows were afraid of George and wouldn't eat....his life was now in danger....I had to do something. I posted an offer for a "Pot Bellied Pig" on the Freecycle group of Marshall County. One week later I get a response from Kala who said her brother Reggie would take the pig. So Reggie drove out to Honeycomb with a trailer and he and daddy loaded him up. Reggie decided to name the pig George after Daddy.

Bear - Bear came into my life when we lived in Sunnyvale, CA. In November 1999 I saw a black dog running around the streets of Sunnyvale. He would run out in to traffic and along the sidewalks. I was worried and tried several times to follow him, but had no luck keeping up. Then on December 21, 1999 I was walking Jacque, my Bichon, before work inside our gated community. Low and behold there was Bear running inside our compound. I quickly took Jacque back in and came outside with treats. Bear was lying on the ground looking at me. He did not attempt to run. So I sat on the ground and started talking to him. After about 10 minutes he let me approach him. I put a leash around his neck and took him home. That day I couldn't wait to get home from work that day. My petsitter, Dorthy Aguis, helped me that eveing bath and demat him. His nails were worn to the quick, feces was matted in the rear and his coat was severly dry, dirty and matted. Dorthy named him Bear. On Dec 21, 2007 I took him to the vet for vaccines.

To try and find his owner I called the San Jose Humane Society regarding a found dog. They made an index card and posted on a bullentin board. Well, I got a call on Dec. 24, 1999, from a woman who was helping her friend find his lost dog. After talking briefiy she came over and Bear did recognize her. I was reluctant to let her take Bear so I offered to follow her to the friends house. It was Bear's dad and he was so very happy to see his lost dog. Bear was home after six weeks on the run, this truly was a very happy ending.

I believe in my heart that Bear knew I would help him and he found me!!

I grew up in rural Alabama and our house was located at the end of a road. These animals would sometime wonder into our yard or I would find them as I played in the fields or woods. Of course once I found them I would either bring them home or in some cases take food to them. My goal was to win them over so they would follow me home.

Girl - I believe that Girl stopped by our house, she has probably been dropped off. She became my buddy and would follow me all over the yard as I played. After she was with us for awhile out came nine puppies. After the puppies were born she disappeard just as quickly as she appeared. I think my mother took her to the vet to be put down.

Puppies - One morning in 1972 I went outside and found these two puppies in our flowerbed by the back door. I was thrilled and took them up to the dog pen behind Grandma's garage. They were covered in mange so I bathed them in a medicated solution and fed them grits for about one week. We then went on vacation, when I returned my puppies were gone. The neighbor told me that she gave them away, but years later confessed that momma had her take them to the vet to be euthanized.