Eight Lives to Live

They had about 15 hours left to live. Fat, fuzzy, smoosh-faced and adorable though they were, the fact remained that if they didn't have a rescue commitment by morning,  they would be euthanized along with their mother. 

We were in no position to help. Our foster homes are full, the Lost Dog Ranch is near capacity and we have previously-arranged transports coming in the next few days. We held our breath and hoped someone else would answer the plea. 

Of course they didn't.  Everyone is in the same position- too many dogs in need, too few resources. And of course we said yes. We wondered where in the world we were going to put them, how we would manage it, and whether anyone would help, but we said yes. We crossed our fingers and toes really hard and hoped against all hope that someone in the Lost Dog Volunteer family would come through and offer the family a place to stay.

Of course they did. At the 11th hour, with the transport van nearly at its destination and backup plans in formulation, someone came through. Thanks to the amazing power of volunteers who care, those 7 puppies and their mother are being off-loaded from a transport van as I type into the waiting arms of an experienced, loving foster family and a neighborhood of eager supporters. What's more, that happy scene is the culmination of efforts on the part of a rural shelter volunteer who didn't give up, another local rescue group (HART) who runs a weekly, lifesaving transport from this shelter, and the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation. So many links in the chain to save such tiny lives. 

The story of these puppies is, sadly, not so unusual. They were surrendered by an owner to a shelter in a rural area. The un-spayed mother had an unwanted pregnancy and when the puppies started becoming mobile, the whole family was evicted. Being owner surrenders, they were first on the list for euthanasia for the vet's weekly rounds this morning.  

Because of the power of volunteers, however, this story has a different ending and this little family has a chance at life.  Although this dramatic need was created totally at the hands of negligent humans, it is hard not to feel a little bit better about the human race when you think of the big-hearted efforts of selfless humans combining to make a happy ending. 

This lucky momma dog will sleep well tonight. 

Both Sides of the Tracks

Is there anything more mysterious, romantic or soulful than a train track fading into the distance? Full of promise and possibility and a 1940's movie kind of sadness, railroads pique our curiosity, stir our emotions and take hold of our imaginations. Think sleeper car, rhythmic chugging noises and breathtaking views.

Or think broken down and abandoned trailers, miles of empty fields and dirty, desperate puppies looking for their next meal.

The abandoned trailer where the 7 dogs were living by the tracks. 

Unfortunately, it was a series of the latter images that butted their way into my life this week- nothing mysterious or romantic, just sadly desperate. 

The email went out to many rescue groups begging for help. A kindhearted animal lover in Boone County had discovered a group of dogs and puppies living as strays on the side of a local railroad track. She had begun feeding them, keeping them from starving while trying to figure out a permanent solution for their plight. The only shelter within miles would euthanize the dogs via gas chamber upon their arrival, so that was no option at all.

One of the meals that kept them alive. 

One day when she arrived to feed the group, one was missing. A person who lived nearby told the woman that this particular dog had been shot by a local preacher because she wandered into his yard. He told her none of the dogs were safe and that they needed to be removed as soon as possible. Fortunately, the girl with the bullet wound wandered out of the woods at that time and, while injured, appeared to be making it.

That's when LDCRF got the email and a desperate plea from a fellow rescuer whose group wasn't able to help. She would do anything to get them to safety, she said, including drive them herself.

So, that's how we all ended up in the parking lot of Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates on a hot Sunday afternoon. The dogs (seven in total) arrived in a crowded Honda Element, tired and wary and really confused by their eventful day.

LDCRF was able to help thanks to the generosity of the Pepsi Griffen & Sprite's Legacy Gift-a special fund designated for those dogs who need the most help and resources. Committing sight unseen to seven stray dogs is a risky proposition for a rescue. Who knows what medical calamaties may await and what expenses will mount? Who knows if the dogs will be ready for homes or need a long period of socializing first? Really, who knows what will happen and what it will cost? Having Pepsi, Griffen & Sprite's Legacy Gift meant that even though we had all of those questions in our minds, we could say YES in time to save these seven. So far, things are looking pretty good.  Pacifica, the victim of the gunshot is a lucky girl. There are no broken bones and antibiotics have infection under control. While she will live with some metal fragments in her leg, she is slated for a full recovery without surgery.

Though loaded with parasites and fleas, the other dogs are mostly free from any serious medical conditions. On lovely young girl, Panama, had a hard time during her spay surgery and almost didn't come back. Thanks to the quick action of the vet team, however, she was revived and continues to improve. She will need a couple of months of physical therapy which she is getting in a special foster home and then she should be able to find her forever family.

So these seven are safe and sound and extraordinarily lucky to have been the beneficiary of human kindness across two states.

But I will go to bed tonight thinking of the others out there... the ones whom humanity has abandoned and for whom no help has come. And if my life's journey places me in a railroad car, I'm pretty sure my nose will be pressed to the window in search of abandoned and helpless animals who need a miracle.