A never ending story, Shelby and Lexus

Above, Lexus, a beautiful 2 year old blond Golden.
Below, Shelby, a striking dark red 4 year old Golden lady.

If you will remember, we started some time ago to tell the stories of our fosters.  Each one is a story, each one is a small step in a journey.   The story goes on, we welcome Shelby and Lexus to our pack. 

Lexus is one of the Texas orphans that made the long trip from Texas.  On her arrival, she immediately proved that she is 2 years old and she had been cooped up for a long time during her trip.    She started running in big circles in the back yard until everyone was running with her, chasing and playing, enjoying being a dog with lots of energy.   Within an hour, she was asleep.   The rest of the evening she changed position from time to time, but she was more interested in sleeping once her legs were stretched.   She would love to be someones lap dog, she is small and would hardly even be noticed if you had her on your lap.  She obeys her basic commands, she sat well for treat time shortly after arriving, it was like she had always been part of our pack.    She is still wearing her yellow bandanna with her name printed on it, it was how they were identified in transit.  Lexus found the toy box in just a few minutes, she has taken over several toys and is sleeping tonight with a stuffed pheasant under her chin.   Sleep tight, Lexus, you have earned a long rest.

Shelby is from a local surrender, she is a beautiful dark red lady.    Four years old, she has demonstrated good training and obedience, with a few exceptions.   When Lexus took off in big circles around the back yard, Shelby made one lap, but on the second lap she took a detour.   The tall ones were telling Shelby and Lexus "no" when they went near the cover on the swimming pool, but they were slow about saying "no" when Shelby passed the Koi pond.   Splash!   Shelby was in the Koi pond without slowing down.   She looked so startled that it was funny, no one had time to get angry with her.   They just grabbed her collar and pulled her out, then grabbed a towel and dried her off.  It was a warm evening so it was not cold for her, but the Koi looked scared to death.  Luckily it was clean water, the Koi pond had just gotten rebuilt, enlarged and refilled,  more about the koi pond at a later date.     Once she was dry, she showed us her good manners by sitting for treat time.   All five of us were behaving as if we had always lived together, sitting and waiting for our evening treats.    Shelby is a ball hound, she loves her tennis balls, she carried one until she passed another one, then she traded.   She found the toy box, but balls were her thing.   She is a sweet heart, someone had to have cried when they had to let her go.    Shelby is sleeping on the good couch, that is not allowed, but tonight she has a pass, she is tired and she has had a hard day. 

We expect both Lexus and Shelby to be adopted shortly, they are both such fine ladies that they will have no trouble finding a new home.   We will write more about them when we get to know them better and when their stories catch up to them.     

Mogley G. Retriever

The last rites of summer! It's Top Down time!

Bella, Nala and I like riding in the convertible even more than we like riding with out heads out the window in the SUV.  Since we will be adding another foster soon, we thought it would be a good day to enjoy one last warm day in Colorado.      It is a little hard to have more than three dogs in the convertible along with a chauffeur.  We get our leashes tied to the seat belts just in case we try to mingle with traffic.   We don't get to go very far like this, but it sure is fun.  No, we did not get any photos of our ears flapping in the breeze, maybe next time.   We don't go far or fast anyway.

Yes, they even let me practice my driving, that is me behind the wheel and Nala riding shotgun.   The problem is that the Mustang is a stick shift and I have a hard time working the clutch.   And you wonder why we get excited when we hear the clink of keys?   Do any of you have this much fun?

Mogley G. Retriever

Saturday Morning news

Above, I am exploring the Koi pond in my first summer, shortly after I was adopted.

 About a month ago the annual Golden Retriever Nationals were held in Greeley, just a few miles North of Denver.    We did not go, although we were invited.   Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) had a good turn out when they held the Rescue Parade.   Among things that deserve reporting, rescues from different parts of the country met and agreed to help each other.  

Late last night, GRRR sent out a notice that they have received their first request for assistance.  One out of state rescue is filled with older homeless dogs, and they are running out of room to help the younger ones.   Because senior dogs are slow to adopt out, they do stay longer in foster homes, which keeps younger dogs from finding homes.  

This Saturday night (tonight) the transport wagon will roll in from Texas with about 12 Goldens.   A call went out for volunteers who could meet the orphans about midnight tonight, and take some weary and homeless dogs home.   When Bella and Nala heard about the need, we agreed to share our warm home with someone.   So it will be a late night tonight, and probably a little hectic as we bring a new face home after a two day drive from Texas. 

Some of the stories are truly heart breaking.   One 3 1/2 year old Golden lady is dying of cancer and needs to spend her last months or days in a loving home.    She was in an apartment where she was not getting the attention she deserves in her last days.   Another couple at 9 & 11 years old have had only each other as friends during a divorce, they were banned to the back yard, food and water was hit and miss during this time.  They just want a home where someone will pet them and care about them, they are attention starved.   One 11 year old lady lost her family to cancer and she is now seeking a home that will take in a very loved and well behaved lady that just needs a chance to start over.   One senior lady is recovering from a very vicious attack by neighbor dogs.   She is recovering well, but has a fear of other dogs and will need to learn trust of other dogs again.    So many dogs, so few homes. 

Since GRRR still has the normal flow of rescues coming in, these additional dogs will test our volunteers and our network to see if we can step up and help at a critical time.   Great dogs such as Moose, see the photo in our Halloween party post, still needs a foster home.  We also need donations, if you can help us help these homeless dogs, please go to this link to donate to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies.    Donate Here!

Mogley G. Retriever

GRRR Halloween Party

Above, Bella and I are getting our costumes on, getting ready for the judging parade.

Today was party day!   Of course when you are a party hounds like Bella and I, almost every day is party day.   Today was a little bigger party, Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies hosted their annual Halloween Party.   Bella and I went as Duck Hunters.   We would have won if we had just entered as ourselves, but you know how humans are, they have to embellish greatness, but the costume would not stay on very well.  But you can see we had some very good competition.

Below, Spider Dog.  

Below, Riley, River and Samson, as a swarm of bees.

Below, Scuba Do.  He has his diving mask and snorkel at the ready.

Some enjoyed wearing costumes more than others.

Below, part of the parade line up.

If you wanted to buy something with a picture of a Golden Retriever on it, it was all there.  They had claw and nail trimming and all sorts of extra things to do.   Bella and I had our nails clipped and hair trimmed. 

Several of our former foster brothers and sisters were there.   Last year Rusty Muffin was adopted at the party, she came back to see us this year.   She says she is doing very well, she is happy with her new home and hopes that many more homeless dogs will find their homes like she has.   The best reunion was with Stella.   She had only been gone for 20 days, and she was excited to see us.   Of course, Stella is always excited to see anyone or do anything.   She is always excited.   She greeted Molly and Piper and their family.  She bounced around us a lot and it was great to see her doing so well.  

Below is Stella, at speed, greeting us with big, fast, circles.

Below, Muffin shows off her family.

The guards were kept busy at the food tent, keeping hungry Golden's at bay and out of the kitchen.

One of the newest fosters, Moose is well named.  He had a good time getting acquainted.  He made friends with everyone.   To help raise money for the rescue, we may adopt Moose out by the pound. 

 Nala did not take part in the costume part, but she had a good time exploring and making friends.  Many people said that Nala looks great, she is trim and her new coat is very pretty. 

A good time was had by all, sorry you could not be there, but we will see you next time.  

Mogley G. Retriever

Halloween Party

Above, Five of us are in the woods, hunting ducks.

I need your help.   The chauffeur is getting lazy.    You see, we have the Annual Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies Halloween Party coming up this weekend, Sunday the 24th.    Since all of the in crowd will be there, we will be attending in our best costume.   But the chauffeur has not made us a costume this year.   He says he does not have time, he says he is just going to put an orange hunting vest on Bella and I and let us go to the party as Duck Hunters.   Now I have to admit that we are good duck hunters, but I am sure someone has a better idea for our costumes.  Our cousins will be going with their togas on, now that is a real costume.    One year I went as a Golden Angel, they said the costume was fine buy my acting was not that good.   I wonder what they meant by that?

That is not to say that Bella and I are not good duck hunters, below is an older photo of us tearing a duck from limb to limb.

Below, I am fetching my Christmas duck, I always get a duck for Christmas.

So shall we go as Duck Hunters, or something else?

So who can help us come up with a better idea for a costume?

Help.

Mogley G. Retriever

Why we foster, Part five: Nala

Photo of Mogley, Nala and Bella, guarding the entryway door.

We foster because of Nala. We decided to feature foster Nala today because her story is still going on and it is so heart warming. We are so happy to have her, she is a great companion that in fact, we are not trying too hard to find her a new home. Here is Nala's story, remember, it is a story that is not over yet. We get to enjoy her every day and she is an ongoing member of our blog updates.

Her before and after photos show the difference that volunteering to rescue can make on one dogs life. Above is Nala shortly after she arrived in the spring with her “Sleep in the snow coat”. Below is the “new Nala”, with her pampered golden lady coat. What a difference a rescue makes.

When she arrived she had a very heavy winter coat, winters outdoors in Colorado had left her with fur that would make most sheep envious. Many combings and several months later, her snow suit is gone and she has a beautiful pampered Golden Lady coat. Nutritional supplements and quality food have improved her mobility, she is getting around like a much younger dog. At first she could not do stairs very well, now she is taking on stairs with enthusiasm. At first she did not run, rather she limped rapidly across the lawn, now she is keeping up with the young dogs.

Nala was about 12 years old when she was surrendered to Golden Retriever Rescue. The owner admitted that she had been an outdoor dog, not welcome in the house, kept in the back yard where she had to brave the elements of the Colorado winter and the spring rains.   When she was surrendered to GRRR, she was found to be mostly deaf, she had heart worms, most of her front teeth were missing, her coat was very matted, she had a kidney infection, and she had a large swollen "thing" on her face. That “thing” was an infected tooth that was coming out through the lip.   Her heart worm treatment left her weak and made her very slow to respond, she was still drugged when we first met her. She was in pain from all of her problems, but she was wagging and happy to meet new people and eager to go forward with her new life. She was nervous in a house, she apparently was not allowed inside at her old home. Even treats were something new to her, she was not used to getting anything that was not in a bowl. She is still learning the joy of lining up with Mogley and Bella at treat time to receive her share of the goodies.

She was used to a head pat when she got her dinner, beyond that, human contact was foreign. She took a while to learn that if she hung around inside the house, she could get lots of attention, so as time goes on, she spends more and more time in the house, less and less time outdoor. Her tail has never stopped. She is so happy, she wags all the time. It is easy to tell if Nala is awake, if her tail is still, she is asleep.

The dog door quickly became her best friend. With the dog door she could go out when she wanted, make herself comfortable when she had the need to revert to her old habits by being outside, then come back in and keep track of what was happening in the house. Her day is spent making rounds. She makes a round of the house, then outside where she makes a round of the yard. Then she repeats, stopping by the computer chair for a quick ear rub and chest scratch, then back to her rounds. She can do this 30 or 40 times per hour, then it is time for a quick nap. Once the nap is over, it is back to making the rounds again.

Since she was deaf she could not hear commands, so we began teaching her hand signs. She can hear some loud, high pitched sounds, she hears women better than men. She hears the clang of her food dish pretty well. She wakes with a start when someone touches her during a nap, she can't hear dogs or people coming up on her so she always jumps when she wakes. It is funny to see her asleep just inside the glass entry doors, you can step inside without her waking. When she wakes, she jumps and if a stranger has arrived, she goes into guard dog mode and begins barking, while wagging up a storm to greet newcomers. Mogley and Bella can be barking right over the top of her for some time before she wakes to the fact that someone is at the door.   Below, Nala, Bella and Mogley guard the door. 

Her eye sight is fading, the hand signs she is learning have to be big sweeps of the arm, not small movements of the hand. She sees pretty good in the bright light, in the dark her cataracts are limiting her ability to see. A strange car in the driveway in the daylight is fine, at night it is cause for alarm, long after the guests have been accepted into the home. She will visit the guests inside, but return to bark at the door, warning us that a strange car is outside. When the wind blows and the flag flaps, it is a barkable event. The trees swaying in the wind are barkable events when you can not see clearly what is moving outside.

If she can't find anyone, she will move from room to room, barking, looking for her “pack”. She will move from room to room in the house and outside, pausing to bark for help, someone to rescue her from her alone moments. Mogley or Bella will eventually come out of their nap places to see what she is barking for, then life is good, her family has been found.

At first we forced her to come sleep beside the bed, but she was very uncomfortable. We gave up and let her sleep where she wanted. For a while she spent her nights sleeping inside in front of the door, then outside where she had a hole under a tree as a den. Now she has learned the joy of being indoors, she is voluntarily sleeping part time in the bedroom and part time in the entryway, her den is now only for use when the sun makes it a warm spot to nap.   Many years of living outside and alone has made it slow for her to accept the new life she is being offered, she is learning to accept the treats and attention, as well as the comfort of a soft bed, it will take some more time for her to learn to be a spoiled golden, but she is trying to be spoiled.

She is becoming a lover now, she has separation anxiety when we leave her alone, and she is learning to sleep under our feet. She is learning the joys of ear scratches and tummy rubs. What a difference a rescue makes in one dogs life!

Nala is why we rescue. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped her on her way to our home. You did good, don't take our word for it, just ask Nala!

By Mogley's family,

Mogley G. Retriever

News update

We have to take a break from posting our rescue stories from the past to post some stories that are going on now, stories that you won't want to miss and in which you can help.

First, visit http://lifeon3legs.wordpress.com/ and read about Courage.   Courage had a very bad accident, his leg was badly hurt and they have been trying to save it.   After giving it some time to heal, it looks like it is not going to get better.   Read about Courage and his battle to recover, it will do you good. 

The complete story on Courage is at this link:
http://www.foreverfriendsgoldenrescue.org/2dinfirmary.html


Then visit our friends The BumPass Hounds, they have posted a real time story about Cooper.   When the Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue reveived him, he was almost starved to death, you won't believe how skinny he is.   He has several health problems and they are working now to save him.   Click on this link:
     http://bumpasshounds.blogspot.com/2010/10/almost-heaven-needs-special-help-if-you.html

For continuing updates, watch the BumPass Hounds and Kittens for news.


Then visit Golden Luke at http://goldenboyluke.blogspot.com/ , Luke needs all the support we can give.  His exploratory surgery revealed a bad cancer, he is undergoing treatment, but he needs some words of encouragement for himself and his humans.

These are rescues and friends that need help now, go visit them and give them your kind words.

Mogley G. Retriever

Sunday confessions

I am taking back my blog for today to straighten out some misconceptions. Not all of our rescue stories are sad, we have some wonderfully happy ones and I will try and get the chauffeur to post some of them for you.

Bella and I got into a lot of trouble this last week. You can see the pretty sunflower blossoms in the photo above. The chauffeur asked Bella and I to watch them and to guard them carefully. They wanted the flowers to grow, and then they were going to save the seeds to plant again next spring. Below is what they found when they went out to collect the seeds.

The squirrels had chewed off the stems and carried the dried blossoms off to their hiding places. The very tall ones they had cut down at the bottom so they could get to the blossoms. Bella and I were yelled at because we did not watch the squirrels closely enough and keep them away. We were not able to guard them day and night, we were not even allowed close to the flowers. They did not even acknowledge that they put a wire fence around the garden to keep Bella and I out so we would not trample them when they were smaller, they blamed us anyway. Nala did not get any of the blame, she said that since she is deaf and mostly blind, she should not be responsible for guard duty. Now there are no blossoms, no seeds to plant in the spring. The good news is that we will have some very fat squirrels come spring, that should make them easier to catch.

While my blog was taken over by the chauffeur I had time to do some research. I got on Google and tried to find out if any humans were good at blogging. If you search "Dogs who blog" on the Internet, you will get 120,000,000 items. If you search "Humans who blog" you will get only 16,900,000 items. You can see from the numbers that dogs are much better bloggers than are humans. Humans are not even as good at blogging as cats. If you search “Cats who blog” you get 83,600,000. I don't think that proves that the cats are very good at blogging, it just proves that humans are barely ¼ as good as cats are at blogging. Dogs are the best bloggers, the numbers prove it clearly.

At best I can only apologize for letting the amateurs take over the blog, I will be careful to edit their posts in the future.

Mogley G. Retriever

Why we foster, Part four: Agnes

We foster because of Agnes. Ten-twelve year old Agnes came to us on December 2, 2009, from a distant shelter, she had been picked up as a stray, no tags, no identification, a sign of an “on purpose” stray. The shelter said her coat was so bad they did not want to deal with it, they called Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. When she arrived at rescue, her coat was terribly matted and dirty, so bad that she hurt when she was petted. The transport team had tried to help her, but her coat was so bad that they could not do anything to help, it would require some serious grooming. Her coat was extra heavy and long, a sign she had been outside in the cold for a long time. The groomers took extra time with her, they wanted her to be comfortable in a home.


A trip to the vet disclosed that she was heart worm positive, suffered from arthritis and joint problems. The rescue was very concerned about her, her heart worm infection was very advanced and in her weakened condition there was worry that she might not survive the treatment that would be necessary to start her back on the road to health. She was treated, then kept for observation for several days. When we picked her up, she was still very quiet, she was still under some strong drugs. We had a follow up vet appointment for her after Christmas, they wanted to get her over the heart worm first.

Her trip to our home was uneventful, she rode in a car like she had done so many times before. She was quiet, she was still taking some pretty powerful drugs and she was still fighting off the heart worm treatment. We often wonder what an older rescue feels as they ride to a new home, do they look back on their old home, wondering where their familiar faces are, or do they look forward with anticipation to a new life? We decided that Agnes was just happy to be off of the street and in a warm place.

In a few days it was clear that Agnes had successfully defeated her heart worm. For a few days she was noticeably weak, but she fought the fight and won. She came to us, knowing that she would be hard to place, she was old and she was somewhat stiff in her movements. Old dogs are slow to find new homes.

Mogley and Bella welcomed her into the pack for a long stay. She quickly became a loved member of our home, she was teaching us about the joys of older Golden's. As the drugs lost their hold on her, she became a lover, she had missed the attention and love while she was a stray, then again while she was under the drugs and while her coat was healing. She soon became a hand follower, if a hand went by, she would follow it just in case it would stop where she could put her head under it. Her favorite place was beside any chair that someone was sitting in. She quickly proved that she was a toy hound. We gave her an early Christmas.  Because she enjoyed toys so much, we gave her some brand new ones. She had a toy or a ball in her mouth at all times, a sign she was feeling much better.

She did not like the stairs to the upstairs bedroom, but she would struggle up each night so that she could sleep beside the bed. We soon had a routine involving hauling a bed up and down the stairs so she would have a place to lay during the day on the main floor beside the big chair. The rescue has a vest with a handle on the back, on our next trip we would get that so we could help her up and down the stairs, she would not let us go up stairs without her, so we would have to help.

For an older lady, she had an adventurous streak in her. One cold sunny afternoon we watched her sniff around the edge of the Koi pond, she was interested in the floating ice and splashing water. Then she stepped into the cold water and sank. We dropped the camera and helped her back onto dry land, then rushed her in to dry her off and warm her up. She liked being wrapped in a blanket. From then on, we would frequently pull a blanket over her when she laid down on her bed. She would lay still with it on top and quickly go to sleep. We did not get a photo of her once she went in the pond, we were too busy getting her out and dried off.

One afternoon during her potty trip to the back yard, she was way out with the other dogs, barking at the back fence where walkers were on the trail in the park. We called then all in for treat and pill time. Everyone ran to the door, Agnes came in her usual “stroll”, half way to the house, she slipped on some hard snow or ice under the trees and fell. When she made two vain attempts to get up, we ran out to see what had happened. She was obviously in pain, and she could not move her left rear leg. We called a neighbor to come help put her on a blanket-stretcher, made a call to the vet that we were coming and headed out. The vet confirmed that Agnes had broken her hip. She had advanced bone cancer, her hips were laced with cancer, there was no hope of recovery, no way the hips could heal with so little bone left intact, there was no hope for her to move or walk again.

After only 13 days with us we had to let Agnes go. We hope we were worthy of her, she was a wonderful lady that deserved more than she was given in the last days of her life. Her passing was helped by the wonderful, loving actions of the rescue veterinarian staff. Agnes was a treat hound, she loved treats. Dr. Carpenter and the Arvada West Veterinary Hospital staff were wonderful. For her last moments, they made sure the pain medications were taking care of her so that she would be comfortable. Then the staff raided the refrigerator and gave Agnes all the “bad” things they had, bits of sandwiches and even chocolate candy, all those wonderful, forbidden treats. They did all they could to make her last moments happy. Yes, Agnes, there were people who loved you and cared for you to the very end of your life.

We still regret that we had overlooked one of the symptoms of her cancer. Agnes had spotted the carpet twice in the days just prior to her slipping on the ice. We thought that the medications were making her incontinent. We responded by making sure she went out on a regular schedule, we did not consider that she was in too much pain to make the trek outside on her own through the dog door. Had we given it more thought, we may have arrived at the conclusion that her hips were worse than we thought and needed some attention. This has made us watch our fosters much more closely, looking for signs that something else may be going on. We should have known that a lady such as Agnes would never make an error in the house unless there was something very bad happening.

Yes, Agnes, we foster because of you and so many more that need our help, even if only for a few days or hours. Thank you Agnes, you made a very big impression on our lives. The rescue volunteers worked together to help her, from picking her up in Southern Colorado, transporting her, grooming her, it took many volunteers to help her along her last journey. Thanks to all of you, you made a wonderful Golden Lady's life a little better. We will always remember you.

Posted for the many rescue volunteers that make it all possible.

Mogley G. Retriever

An update on Stella

We interrupt our series on rescue stories to bring you an update on one of our special lady's and former fosters.  Stella deserves, and will get, a special blog on her wonderful story at some point. In the meantime, Stella sent us this photo from her new Forever Home and we had to share it. This photo shows Stella and her new best friend, Holly, taking a nap together. She reports that she and Holly play “Toy, toy, who has the toy”? Stella steals a toy and takes off running with it, beginning a spirited game of chase. Stella says it is a lot of fun to share a home with a golden that is her own age. Stella admits that she and Holly have had several discussions about ownership of toys and about their status in the house. But that is in the past, they are best of buddy's now. She says she will keep us updated on her future.


Mogley G. Retriever

Why we foster, Part three: Jake G. Retriever, US Air Force, Retired

We foster because of Jake G. Retriever, US Air Force, Retired.  On December 20, 2009, we drove to Colorado Springs, CO where we picked up Jake at his home just before the movers were coming to pack up the family to leave for overseas.  Duty had called them once again to sacrifice for their country. At 10 years of age, Jake, who had seen five countries and three continents, was being asked to make one more sacrifice for his country.  Jake's family was being sent overseas again, overseas travel and months of quarantine is not kind to old dogs. Jake was showing signs of stiffness in his joints and slowing of his movements, arthritis was moving into his joints.  Transit overseas is never easy, first he would have to spend time in small apartments and transient housing, then he would be separated from his family while separate travel arrangements were made.  The family loved Jake, they loved him enough that they did not want to lock him in a small airline crate and see him spend a day and a half on a plane going overseas. They did not want him to have to spend several weeks in quarantine before joining his family in a small apartment in a foreign land. Then he would be faced with the same confinement in order to come home again in two years, only he would be older and his confinement to travel would be even more painful. Jake was asked to make the ultimate sacrifice for a loving Golden Retriever. He was asked to say farewell to his family and to stay behind and find a new Forever Home, a place to enjoy a well deserved retirement.

Jake had impeccable manners, he had traveled the world, he knew how to behave in every situation. If ever a dog could be “worldly” Jake certainly was. He knew what protocol called for, he knew how to be the perfect companion. He knew how to behave and he knew how to bring love and joy to a home. He was indeed the perfect dog.  Most of us have never been to Japan, but Jake has.  Placing Jake into a new home was easy, the hard part was finding a home that was worthy of him, a home that understood how to treat a hero.   He already had a waiting list of people that wanted to help him in his retirement.  It took two days to find Jake a new Forever Home, he took his bed, his bowl and several favorite toys with him, memories for his retirement.  His bed was so important to him, it was a constant in his ever changing life.   Jake was in his new Forever Home in time for Christmas.  

Below, Jake and I share a moment, he is telling me about his many travels. 

We were proud to help this veteran find peace in his retirement, we were privileged to help him and to help his family serve their country. We thank his family for giving him up so that he could retire in good health and in comfort. We thank the family that adopted him. They knew they had a hero and welcomed him in their home, promising to give him a life worthy of his long service to his country. Thank you for your service, Jake, and have a long and happy retirement.

Mogley G. Retriever

Why we foster, Part two: Clyde

We picked up 6-8 year old Clyde, at a local pound in June of 2009. He had been placed in the night drop pen along with an older lab, no note, no tags, no goodbye to a long time friend. Until we picked him up, we did not even know that the shelters had outside pens where people could just drive up and drop an unwanted dog. Drive through dog disposal, the ultimate convenience for a disposable society. Clyde had been in a small pen, sleeping on concrete floors for seven days, our rescue had a hold on him but he had to wait for the required holding period in case someone changed their minds and claimed him. When we went in the pound, they just told us a pen number and pointed back to the confinement area, we found him in a small run. You can not believe the excitement he showed as he welcomed us and saw a leash. Because of crowding or because of his bad knee, Clyde was in a pen that did not allow him much room. When we walked him out the door we had to prop him up, his legs did not work from the lack of exercise in the small pen. Once he was lifted into the car, he placed his head on the seat rest where we could pet him on the way.  His tail beat constantly all the way to the veterinarian clinic for his checkup. His physical exam disclosed that he would need a knee operation for a torn ACL and he had an ear infection. We headed home with his tail beating like a drum on the back of our car seats. He walked into the house and past the cat without batting an eye, clearly he was familiar with cats. He went in and out of the dog door in minutes, he had used a dog door before. It was immediately clear that Clyde was a toy hound, he had been toy deprived for the ten days he spent in the doggie jail. When he came into our home, he found the toy bin and he emptied it day after day. He would take out toys, carry them, then drop them to go back and get a new one. He loved balls and would fetch like the professional he was. Within a week he was chasing balls and running again, not very far or fast because of his knee, but running none the less. His tail never stopped, he was a very happy boy.

No one knew what name he had before that fateful night. We tried to find his name, we called “here Rusty, here Red, here Fred, here Bill, here Rex, here Pete, here Max, and here Sam".  No matter what name we called, he came. You could call him Sally and he would come running. Finally the rescue decided he would be a “Clyde”.

Clyde was confused, he had done everything his owners asked. He sat when asked, he came when called, he walked nicely on a leash, he did not chase cats or tear up cushions. He went potty outside when told, no spots on the carpet with him. He knew the rules, he knew what they wanted from him. He knew how to be the perfect family best friend. He had done nothing wrong, he had brought so much love to his home and family. Then one evening he was taken for a car ride in the dark of night, at the other end of the ride he was placed in a empty drop pen at a dog pound, a click of a closing gate was his goodbye after years of service and love. He was such a wonderful companion that we knew someone had to be very desperate to drop him in a tiny cage in the dark of night without a goodbye note or a final assurance that he would be cared for. Maybe his family felt they could not afford the knee operation he would need before he could run again, maybe they had lost their home, maybe they just lost interest in their best friend of so many years. A disposable friend in a disposable society.

He was placed in a Forever Home in mid August. His new family knew how to spoil a Golden, they promised he would never again be locked up, he would be cared for and loved for the rest of his days. His new home had squirrels in the trees for him to chase, and there was a very nice Golden lady to be his companion. When we sent him to his new Forever Home, we sent along some of his favorite toys, a blue football and a few tennis balls, so he would never be without his most beloved toys again.  They were prepared to nurse him back to health after his knee operation. Clyde was home again. Have a great life, Clyde.

We have helped to rescue many different breeds of dogs, we have enjoyed being involved with them all. Labs, Poodles, St Bernards, Aussies, Shelties, and mixed. We were just asked to do a home inspection for a Rottie rescue. There are so many ways you can help in rescue. Volunteers transport, they do home inspections, they update web sites, they organize events, they review adoption applications, they walk kennel dogs, they take phone calls, they look for postings on bulletin boards of dogs that may be unwanted and they monitor local pounds for dogs that need assistance. There are so many ways you can help, we hope you will step forward and help your local rescue. Help dogs like Clyde and Mogley live to see another day, live to find another home.

This is why we volunteer to rescue.

Mogley G. Retriever