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I hope it inspires as many as possible to donate, foster, adopt, volunteer and/or support all animals, shelters and rescues, particularly seniors, who seem to get discarded at the end of their lives when they need us the most.
I also hope it inspires everyone to show compassion and kindness to all living beings, especially those who can not speak for themselves. 👏
-Jan
This is our first selfie!
]]>How many of us have heard or witnessed the old dog, bewildered face and sad posture searching for the human that dropped them off? Despite the variety of excuses, the script is all too familiar, the result is always the same: they will not be back to retrieve their companion animal. Here is an example of the scenario we all would wish for:
On June 7 I received a request from a gentleman who asked if I would get him a bigger bottle of Calm-a-Mile RTU. He already had been using a medium Sniff-it and sample oil but he needed more.
He wanted to take his 16+ year old English Sheep dog on a road trip! Who could resist helping him in his quest for inclusion rather than exclusion?
I asked if I could add a new style Sniff-it called “Big Dog 1 inch” made for big dogs (read “all that fur”) who wear 1” collars. He agreed. The Sniff-it was added compliments of Ava.
We had our conversation on Thursday, he needed delivery on Saturday as they planned to leave on Sunday. The delivery distance was Midwest to the coast. Fed Ex accepted the challenge and sure enough, the package arrived on Saturday as promised. (The overnight fee was nearly 3X the product price….the guardian had said “whatever it takes”.)
I was so impressed with this man! I asked if all went well, would he be willing to share his story and trip photos. I also assured him that I would understand if he wanted to remain private.
June ended. July and August came and went. When September passed, I began to honor his privacy. Then in October I received his email and photographs!
“Last summer you helped us and our dog Annie etc……to help our old dog to travel in the car for 5 plus hours. She, with age, had become scared to ride, while as a puppy she begged to go in the car anytime we went.
At 16 plus years we suspect many things have led to that, especially her failed eye sight and current car windows start so high up they can’t see anything. Attached are some photos etc……She is an old English Sheep dog with her summer hair cut. She is still using your product to travel in the car each weekend. Old age is becoming very hard for her so we also are using it now to help her get through rough nights when she seems to wake up confused as to where she is and where we are (usually within feet). It’s amazing what we can do to help her……”.
To end the summer and begin the Holidays, I will be thinking about Annie and her guardians who continue to choose what is possible and best for her. May we all have the wisdom and courage to do the same.
It is at this point that you and I have an opportunity to gain access to these remarkable animals. The heart, soul, spirit and authenticity appeal to us, and we enthusiastically open our homes and hearts to them. Often, we are clueless to who they are and where they have been. The transition from their mountain hollers to our flatland is facilitated by countless people in various locations who are willing to work with them to help ease the changes inherent in each 2 new situation.
The medical needs (sometimes never having been addressed) are evaluated and begun. The daily habits, ie., expected behavior indoors as opposed to spending all of their previous time out of doors, are noted, and the work begins. Toys and play are introduced sometimes new, often confusing. The stages are rescue, shelter, transport, shelter, foster and finally adoption. The dog we take home is still authentic wanting pack and desiring exploration of the million things it smells and locates.
If we are patient, if we are kind, if we are consistent, if we keep our sense of humor, we will complete our pact with them. We will meet their needs and become their pack leader. Is all of this easy? No, nothing worthwhile ever is. Is it in fact worthwhile? Absolutely.
The experience and rewards are life changing.
To learn more about the rescuing efforts of the Kentucky Hounds, please visit:
A volunteer and foster based organization saving one Kentucky life at a time! Be part of the bigger picture!
https://www.facebook.com/starfishanimalrescue/
http://www.starfishanimalrescue.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/61223247502/
(photo taken April, 2016 at transport)
At her first vet visit, the veterinarian seriously questioned our wisdom and intent. Even the dog’s eyes bore the sarcasm of “Oh here we go again, I no longer believe humans and this is not my first rodeo.” Do we treat the heartworm first or remove the mammary tumors? At the end of that conversation, despite all reservations, our endeavor of working with her had launched.
By the end of the first year, we had all exceeded each other’s expectations. The humans brought their best angels and Sweet Alice brought her courage to trust and try again. It is important to say here that Sweet Alice was not always sweet. Her behavior was sometimes that of a crabby Grandma threatening the children with her cane when no one was looking.
Time and patience allowed her to make a place within her new and forever home. We all tried to respect her age and history. Not trying was not an option. We tolerated her penchant for sleeping in the middle of the floor or doorway and her voice when someone came too close to her spot. We all gave her an extra treat, the biggest piece, an extra scratch behind her ears and encouraging words. By watching the others, she learned to sit. Satisfied with that, we did not teach her to do the hand touch. Praise and inclusion became our mantra. Her body repaired itself with excellent nutrition and care. But, would this be enough for “forever after”?
When Sweet Alice came to Blue Sky, she had a small intermittent cough. With her more serious issues looming, it seemed a small thing. Her heart was strong enough to carry her through heartworm treatment and surgery; but as time passed, she developed specific symptoms of congestive heart failure. The modalities of Eastern and Western medicine each helped for periods of time but eventually it became clear there would be no cure.
(photo taken October, 2017 by Laura Young)
Sweet Alice asked for nothing. She appreciated any kindness offered her. She always walked as if her shoes were too tight. I adored her white eye lashes. At first she hung back in the pack, in the end she was in the front row, often in the center. No tricks and without manipulation, she never pushed. Instead, she simply sat and waited.
THE QUESTION STILL IS: Why bother?
THE ANSWER WILL ALWAYS BE: Quality of time beats length of time. We agree with Sweet Alice, HALLELUJAH ANYWAY!!
In Tribute: From her beginning until February 5, 2018
]]>The handsome guy on our LEARN page button is Milhouse; true friend and sidekick to Bart, Harry and Ellen. When he visits Blue Sky we all enjoy his wirey spunk and dash. The thought that he and we nearly missed a second chance at a forever home and for us to know him is unthinkable. You see, Milhouse came from Tennessee to Dog Patch as part of Greg Gordon’s “Find Your Rescue Here” long term idea that a pet store could successfully offer rescued animals rather than those provided from other sources. This idea has been a long time in coming and the road has not been straight and even.
Several years ago while volunteering at a rescue in Naperville I remember others talking about “this guy who insists that the dogs that were sold out of his store were not Puppy Mill dogs”. I also remember that none of us believed what he said. After all, who does that?
Years later we now know that “that guy” was not only truthful but has successfully forged a new humane way to save and provide companion animals to prospective households. Not an easy undertaking of helping the dogs win, we think “how did he do that?” Here Greg Gordon openly answers the questions of so many of us have wondered and were unable to ask him directly.
A. My facility was scaled for puppies. We never have enough space for bigger dogs. My vet bills often are not covered by our adoption fee. It’s good for a healthy animal but anything that veers out of balance costs even more. We are often behind with our very forgiving vets.
A. Train, train, train. My core staff has been with me a very long time. My General Manager, Jennifer Lewin, has been at Dog Patch for 25 years. I’ll stack her knowledge of animals against anyone. She knows dog and cat food better than anyone I know. We hire people that get it. If it’s not all about the animals, then it won’t work. Frankly, this is a horrible job. Hot, cold, stinky, sweaty, heavy lifting, and then there’s the human!
A. I talk to stores all over the country. I’ve spoken at pet trade shows on how we do what we do. You have to reinvent yourself. You need a great vet. You need a couple of trainers that can help with dogs and humans. Expect to lose some money. If you are doing this for the money, don’t start.
A. We are over 2,000 dogs in the last seven years. Nearly 500 in cats/kittens. It represents so much work by so many great people.
A. Our goal is to make the process simpler and more fun. We are the only store around that can let your kids play with puppies that are not from mills. While it costs a bit more to adopt from us, we do all the vet work and are there with answers to all of the questions that pop up. We spend a lot of time finding the right diet to work for each individual. Also, all of the money stays local. When you shop at a local independent store, more than 70% of your money stays in your community.
A. It feels good to know that so many animals are alive and thriving because of what we do
We thank Greg Gordon for his honest and informative responses.
Want to see this idea for yourself? Make a trip to Dog Patch Pet and Feed and decide. SPOILER ALERT WARNING! You may have your heart stolen. At the very least, you will find many “gotta have it” items for your resident four foots. Yes! HERE the dogs (and cats) are winning!
]]>In 2004, we met on a hot summer day on the sidewalk in front of Wet Nose in Geneva Commons. Lying under the table, she, along with a few others were looking for their forever homes.
Shopping for dog food, I pushed through the gathering into the dog store, and on the way out paused long enough for her to surface from her safe place. She was a beautiful Walker Treeing Coon Hound. Engaging me with her soulful dark eyes, she moved toward me on 3 ½ legs. In situations like that you try to ignore all that you see, especially the inherent and impending responsibility. I was actually looking at the little white fluffy blind dog. I petted Hannah and she earnestly leaned against me.
The next morning I could still feel her weight from that “lean”. Mentally I talked hard to myself not to get involved with the hound.
My fingers punched in my vet’s phone number. “Can you make a peg leg for a dog?” I inquired. Then I called the dog store to see if the white dog was still available. Gone. “What about the Coon Hound?” “Oh she’s still here, no one will take her.” My response shot from my mouth, ”I am bringing my Jack Russell to town, and if they don’t hate each other, Hannah is coming home with us!”
That is precisely how it happened through forces greater than we, that Hannah came to Blue Sky. Weeks and months allowed her to finish healing from her heartworm treatment. When the treatment was complete, her partial leg was removed. After her body again healed, she swam every week, growing strong and balanced. Hannah proved to be my consumate teacher. So high in her expectations of herself and others, she became the life force engine supporting me as I began to work on the Sniff-it. She helped select Ava as her successor and opened my heart’s door and house’s door to the stream of hounds that continue to continue...
A special thank you to Appi Preusen who chose to bring Hannah to Illinois, pay for her heartworm treatment out of her own pocket, would not accept reimbursement and kept her safe and close until I met them.
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