One Person Can Rescue

I keep saying that you don’t have to have a big company, a building, land, or 501c3 status to rescue. Do you think I got where I am overnight? One woman, one dog, one adoption, then the next, and the next, and with a lot of hard work, a year later, we have volunteers, transporters, and fosters throughout the country. If you love animals, and have the time and patience to help them, you can rescue. Here’s a Christmas story for you, that hasn’t ended yet, and it’s just a little bit early.

November 29, 2010

Hi Gisele,
I follow your organization on Facebook, and I know you don’t usually deal with Catahoula dogs, but today a friend and I were driving back to her horse farm when we saw a dog lying still on the side of the road. When we got out and approached him, all he could do was wag his tail. He didn’t move a muscle otherwise.

He is quite emaciated, and we couldn’t tell if he had been hit by a car or not.
We got a blanket underneath him and lifted him up in the truck and started calling veterinarians. Two of them would not see him and suggested we just call Animal Control (which we refused to do, especially if he was dying…we were NOT going to let him die alone in some cold plastic cage)….but the third vet took him in and is caring for him now. I am going to pay all of his vet bills plus heartworm treatment and neutering when he is strong enough. Turns out he is emaciated, anemic, HW positive and has buckshot in him, so at some point he was shot…..through this all, he has shown no aggression and, as they usually do, just seems so thankful to be warm, safe and loved.

Tomorrow I am going to go to the vet office to try to snap some photos of him to send to the Florida Catahoula Rescue folks, and to anybody I can find to spread the word about this sweet boy.

ANY help spreading the word would be greatly appreciated!!! Maybe through all of your contacts, you might know someone who would like a Catahoula. Like I said, all of his bills will be paid for….I just want him to find his forever human who will love him and take better care of him than his last human did.

Thank you,
Karen
Titusville, Florida

I sent Karen an email immediately, asking for a photo of the dog, and suggesting that she hold off on getting him neutered because of his heartworm status. She replied.

Gisele,

I’m looking forward to future updates about this special dog! I’m wondering if the Catahoula Rescue has room for him, or if we can help Karen re-home this dog for her. Whatever it is she needs, I’m sure there’s something we can do to help. I’d also like to thank the veterinary staff that took this dog in. Amazing story of kindness, patience, and faith.

Here’s a photo of my first rescue, Bonnie Belle!