Davey

As our Clancy walked out of the woods at the Rainbow Bridge, he was standing in a grassy field; the wind blew through his hair, walking a little farther, he reached the edge of the bridge where once a pet crosses, they never cross back. In the distance, Clancy saw a Border Collie limping, struggling to walk, and unable to see. As the dog got closer, his legs became stable, and he walked a little straighter. The scars on his face faded, and the puss in his eyes vanished, and he could see again as he reached the end of the bridge. "Are you Clancy?" "I am," Clancy said as he stood still and listened as he had many times before, and the stories were sad. "I heard about you; your name was said several times before I passed away, and I saw you," the dog said. "I was here, but you saw my helpers; I knew you were coming and waited for you as I will wait for all of them that come after you."I received this email from a shelter we work with one Friday afternoon, "He probably only weighs about 30 pounds, and his eyes are very cloudy. He needs to see a vet ASAP, so please let me know if you can do that." After talking to the shelter manager at 6:30 the following morning, we left the house hurriedly because it seemed bad. Driving a few hours, you never know what lies ahead. But I thought we were prepared, but we weren't.

On the way to the shelter, I called my Vet and tried to get an appointment because I felt we would need to see them as soon as possible; after the conversation, no appointments were open. The shelter was closed, but having the inside number, I called the Manager, and she met me and Maddie, my Granddaughter, at the back door. Maddie loved the inside work at shelters and often went with me. 

Once inside the shelter, the dog was in the "special care room," where the special dogs needed more help. One look told me this was bad. When I sat next to the dog on the floor, I reached out to his paw, holding it, knowing it was serious. Anything over 103 degrees is usually a bad sign, and his paw was burning up, and this dog was sick. His eyes were nearly shut because of the puss, and a hole on his forehead was infected along with his ears. I looked at the Manager and said this dog was dying, and he was. I contacted another Vet in Louisville trying to get him in; they were closing in just a short time because of Saturday hours, but they knew it was severe because my voice was breaking. A 30-pound dog that should have weighed 60 pounds was dying before us. He was picked up the day before by animal control on a dead-end road, where he was dumped along with broken pieces of his doghouse. He hadn't left the safety of it on that abandoned road because he was also blind. I would assume his old owner wanted everything gone, and it was.

My speech was slurred, and I was embarrassed because I was tearing up; how could a dog suffer this much for so long? He could still hear out of one ear, and I softly talked to him and stroked his scarred face and bony body; he wagged his tail, and that was all he could move. After all the pain and suffering he had gone through, he still wagged his tail from the hand of an unknown human he trusted and wanted someone to love him, and I did. The dog soon passed away, but before he left this world, someone loved him, but he knew peace on his last breath.

Not many words were spoken between Maddie and me on the long drive home, and many times, I just stared out the window, holding back tears. One of the few things I did said, "Now you have seen the ugly side of a rescue, and we couldn't help, but we tried."

As the dog and Clancy walked and talked, he asked, will I see him again?" "Who," Clancy asked. "The man who came to see me," he said. "yes, this is a special place; he will come soon." Clancy said. "What about the other man, the man where I lived that hurt me?" "There is a very special place for people like him, and you will never see him again," Clancy said.

Davey

When I got home, I walked around the farm with my dogs to clear my head. The first place I stopped was Clancy's grave; the wind chimes started as usual. Clancy told me that Davey was home and thanked Maddie and me for trying.

Rest and play in eternal peace, Davey; you certainly deserve it. It was one of the worst things I have ever seen, but we tried. I will never forget the wag of his tail from a broken and suffering dog that had no hope and none was available, but he knew on his last breaths someone loved him, and we did.

The meaning of the name "Davey" is: "Beloved." We named him; we wanted him to have a name. 

Whispers the story continues.

Notes from Marybeth Harr.

I got Kenny's message @6:38am & knew something important was going on. After taking about 5 minutes to get my pack settled down to their morning routine, I called to see what was going on. 

Kenny had been notified about a dog that was at a shelter here in NY & in pretty rough shape. Was I familiar with the shelter & was it anywhere nearby? Would I be able to assist in evaluating the dog & possibly fostering her until she could be brought into the rescue? Clancy James was certainly barking the orders on this one! What a "coincidence" that I had a Dr. appt. that very morning just 10 minutes from the shelter! This shelter has an incredible reputation in the community. They are located on several acres of land, complete with barns for livestock rescues, quarantine facilities, an army of Humane Officers, a gift shop, full-time veterinarians & a clinic. 

I met with Lyndsay, the Intake Coordinator & followed her through a series of locked doors to a secure building in a very restricted area- completely off-limits to all but a few staff members. No matter how clean & well run an organization is, you can never really erase the smell associated with a shelter & it hit my nostrils hard as we stepped into the segregated kennel area. There were 4 or 5 total dogs in there & their barking echoed & amplified off the concrete walls. In the third kennel, almost hidden from view, crouched the tiniest Border Collie I'd ever seen. To say she was skinny is an understatement. Upon admittance to the shelter, she had earned a "starvation score" of 1/9 (1 being that close to death). She was so terrified that it took Lyndsay a minute to get her leashed up & out to a quieter area. 

As we sat in the corridor to the main building, several staff members walked by & made comments & offered treats, which she readily accepted. Since she had been segregated from the public, many of the staff were unaware she was even there. Her owners had been ignorantly blind to this poor girl's unmistakably disturbing condition. They had called the shelter to take advantage of their "Community Vet Assistance Program" because their dog had an "eye issue." 

What the shelter volunteers witnessed in the back seat of the car was sobering...this dog was unable to lift her head or stand on her own. The pain from her bulging & ruptured eye was evident. She was covered in feces. Her white fur was stained yellow & she had urine burns on her paws. The nails on her back feet were untrimmed & curled into her paws, poking into the pads. The front nails were ragged, bloody & torn- an obvious attempt to free herself from whatever space confined her. The owners were given an ultimatum: surrender her to the shelter or be escorted by Humane Officers to a local ER Vet, where they would be responsible for all bills. They surrendered her.

Immediately upon admission, she was given IV pain medication, nutrition & rehydrated. She underwent surgery the next day to remove her eye. Her wounds were treated & she was bathed. Despite the care & obvious devotion she was receiving at the shelter, the environment was stressing her out & she began exhibiting the behavior common with Border Collies in high-stress situations- inability to settle, pacing, circling & vocalizing. Her "owners" had been making attempts to get her back. Being that the shelter had an "Open Adoption" policy, it was feared she would once again fall into the wrong hands. She needs to be transferred out & continue to rehab in a foster home. That's where Clancy's Dream entered the picture. 

I got her settled in my truck on a bed & began the almost 2hrs drive home. I had decided to name her Whisper for her quiet, gentle demeanor & her clearly fragile condition. After a few minutes of peeking out the windows & then she curled up on the bed & fell asleep! It was probably the first peaceful rest of her young life. Speaking of age, the vets at the shelter originally thought that the condition of her teeth showed a dog about 7yrs old. However, upon spaying, her tiny uterus indicated she was probably only a year old. Malnutrition had stunted the bone formation & left her petite & delicate. 

Upon arrival at my farm, I sequestered my 6 member dog pack to the fenced yard. This way, they could see & smell but have limited contact in case of trouble. My dogs are pretty used to seeing "new" faces, so after the initial "sniff & greet," they went about their business. Whisper showed no aggression, nor was she overly submissive. She was cautious but curious and watched everything that my dogs did. This was Saturday & chores had to be done, so noise was a constant...lawnmowers, tractors, power tools, etc. We had people drop in for a casual visit & through it all, Whisper sat quietly and observed. She found one of the dog bones in the yard & started gnawing on it. I wanted to test her temperament, so I softly spoke to her as I reached for the bone. 

She readily gave it up with no adverse reaction. That night, I put her in the crate & she slept all night. The following night I repeated her bedtime in the crate, but @ some point in the evening, she managed to "escape," & I woke to her sleeping beside me! That was the last night she spent in the crate. 

The transformation over the next few days was wondrous & heartwarming. She chose my pupper, Dashiell, as her playmate & there were no limits to their antics. Dashiell would pummel her & send her rolling through the grass, but it didn't phase her a bit. She gave as good as she took! Her intelligence manifested in so many ways, but especially her ability to mimic our daily routines & quickly adapt to everything around her. She never wanted to stray far from my side & within a few days, she was allowed free roam of the property & understood the boundaries. It was like she'd been here the whole time. 

Such is the joy that comes from fostering. You take a dog that is hobbled by an unimaginable environment of oppression and watch them blossom into a REAL dog! Whisper changed so rapidly that it was comical at times. She commanded a huge space even though she was small. She would stretch herself out anywhere - the couch, dog bed, the grass - and relish in the feeling of freedom. That tiny body that had previously appeared fragile was now engineered by a dynamo! Her confidence was intoxicating. 

Whisper still has a lot of recovery left, but she's prepared for what the rest of her life has to offer & ready to meet it headlong. This week, she starts the journey to Her FurEver. I will miss her so much. But, I am 100% happy in the knowledge that she is going to the best possible home this side of Heaven. So, thank you, Clancy James, for coordinating this rescue! The Dream continues...

Marybeth Harr is a member of Clancy's Dream and has assisted us many times, never saying no to helping a dog with a transport or, like in this case, dropping everything to help. Marybeth decided to name her Whisper for her quiet, gentle demeanor & her clearly fragile condition, and it was very fitting.

When border collies that need help come up, sometimes it's a relinquishment from a home, and time is not a factor. When we get notified about shelter dogs, they are placed in the front of our "to-do" list, and we immediately start working toward helping the dog. Sometimes, there is no waiting, and a dog needs help as soon as it can be arranged. One thing different about Clancy's Dream, we answer our phones 24 hours a day. And while this can be difficult because, in Google's search engine, we are usually at the top of the "rescue" list, resulting in calls about cats, goats, and many other critters but we have a list of most local rescues, we steer them to the right place. The only downside is the calls you get between 11 pm and 8 am.

Last Sunday, I decided to visit Whisper and meet her adopted family, which decided to adopt her. Usually, project dogs take a bigger part of your heart because there is much more interaction, love, and pain, but with triumph, the one you will never forget.

As I approached the home of Kim and Sandy Wade, I was eager to see Whispers as I pulled in the long drive. Even before I opened the door, I felt welcome because Koda, their GSD, approached my car. When I opened the door, he bounced in, licking my face while I scratched his ears. I was, in some ways, home because my GSD Levy does the same thing. Sandy, Kim's husband, met me with a hearty handshake and led me into the house to meet Kim and Whispers, who was shy and cautious of any stranger. After talking about Whisper's past and meeting her, I sat on the floor and often inched up to her within reaching distance. Talking is my soft talk; in just a few minutes, she approached my soft hand and ear scratches. Kim wanted to co-mingle Koda, and Whispers had been introduced but slowly. I ask her to bring Koad inside, and let's get started. As he came in the door, he was put on a lead, as was Whispers, both tails started to wag, and they were eager to see each other. Whispers bounced up and danced around Koda, and seemed comfortable. One of Kim's concerns was that Whispers would not be a farm dog and stay close. After some more talk, I said let's go outside which we did. Koda and Whispers seemed friends, and Koda even play-bounced, wanting Whispers to play too, which she did. Before I left, several walks were taken with Kim, myself, and two happy dogs interacting.

Sitting on their back porch, many world problems were solved through great conversations while 

Whispers and Koda lay by our rockers. It was sad leaving their home, but I had to get home to my dogs, but I knew Whispers was home.

Many times, we see a dog that appears broken with little hope or future; it could be that it's emotional or physical, but the efforts to help the dog, it always pays off in many ways. Whispered originally appeared that "things were just too late" to be able to help, but things changed because of the excellent Vet Care at Lolly pop farm. Today, Whispers is part of our Clancy's Dream family and is on the road to a full recovery and has been adopted by Kim and Sandy Wade.

Sometimes life is a struggle, even with some dogs not getting a fair shake, and we know it sometimes takes much effort. You have to pull up your bootstraps and change the situation, no matter how hopeless it seems. What a mess the Whispers was in, but when hope, love, and medical care were given, it was amazing, and life for all of us was changed for the better. 

It is a blessing and a lesson we could all learn. If you help others, you are always helping yourself... 

 Ken & Whispers

Strawberry

When you think things can't get any worse...

An email from Lillie Goodrich of Glen Highland Border Collie Rescue & Sanctuary

I heard you have a volunteer somewhere near Rochester, NY- I wanted to send this along.

From,

Lindsay Kuhn

Animal Intake & Resource Manager

Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester

Hello,

I am reaching out from Lollypop Farm in Rochester, NY. We have a dog who really needs rescue help. I apologize if this story and photos are upsetting. 

Strawberry is a 7 yr old Border Collie who came into our care on June 14th. We were called by her owners requesting help with medical care for an injured eye. 

Strawberry arrived emaciated with a body condition of 1/6, weighing just 15 lbs. Too weak to stand, she was stained with urine like she'd been confined in a small space, had a ruptured eye, and the other eye had a minor injury. Her nails were overgrown, and some were broken and bloodied. She also had abrasions in a few different places.

In her condition, Strawberry was undoubtedly in pain; she let me pick her up and carry her inside and allowed all handling by our vets and clinic staff. 

Our vets had to take a few days to stabilize Strawberry, so it was safe to operate and remove her eye. We ran bloodwork, and some levels were off, but they were consistent with starvation. Her one eye has been removed and has healed well. Her other eye has been treated and has improved significantly, so she is still able to see. She has increased her body weight by 24% and needs to continue gaining slowly.  

Strawberry is a new dog today. She is now 19 lbs, and we think she will always be on the small side, likely due to long-term malnutrition. She has energy again but is shy and lacks confidence. We don't blame her at all after what she's been through- but she is extremely stressed in our kennels and really deserves to finish her recovery in the comfort of a foster home. She's displayed stress in the kennel, an inability to settle, repetitive circling movements, and vocalizing, which are signals that she needs out- needs more interaction, exercise, and a lower-stress environment where she can continue to heal and learn that people are good from now on. She has not shown any aggression and is dog friendly. She LOVES walks! She is only on gabapentin for kennel stress at this time. 

Please respond if you can help our dear girl, Strawberry. Thank you for reading this and for the work you do! 

Lindsay Kuhn

Animal Intake & Resource Manager

There is no time to ponder in circumstances like this because a decision must be made and made fast. Contacting Marybeth Harr, an owner of several Clancy's Dream dogs who live in New Your State, was my first thought, and my first words to her were, "We need help!" Marybeth said she knew exactly where the shelter was and said, "In fact, I have a doctor's appointment just a few minutes away from there this morning." In less than a few hours, Strawberry was in the folds and protection of Clancy's Dream. A few days later, Strawberry was on Marybeth's farm, her first taste of freedom. She was learning how to be a dog, smell the clean air, and get fed good food, none of which she had access to before. 

Several times during this period, Lindsay Kuhn, Animal Intake & Resource Manager at Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester, would send me emails. 

"I consider myself a pretty hard nut to crack working intake at our very busy shelter covering a city with severe poverty. But this dog's situation rocked me. I usually can find a way to at least justify that the owners brought a dog to us rather than letting it suffer and die, but with this dog, I couldn't find any bright spot- just pure fury. So, on a personal note, I just want to thank you for helping her. I've lost sleep over this dog and the persistence of the owners trying to get her back. She's one of 3 dogs that I'll just never forget. So, I just want to thank you again for responding so quickly and getting her a safe place to land."

I answered: 

I know exactly what you mean; I have been in the dog world for about 30 years, and 15 have been with rescue; some people will never understand our job and the struggles that go on inside our brains; it even keeps us awake at night. 

While this is so heartbreaking, there is a silver lining. Strawberry was saved because many people joined together to do what was right, all in just a few hours across hundreds of miles.

When you see circumstances like this, the adrenaline kicks in, and there is no time to reflect, and the pain, anger, and tears come later, but now is the time to act.

Exam notes: 

- Body condition score1 - Emaciated- BCS 1/9

- Obtunded mentation; unable to stand unassisted

- All white fur is stained dark yellow

- Left eye is severely swollen, either proposed or ruptured. Infected with purulent, malodorous discharge

- Right eye is sunken with a divot in the center of the cornea. No fluoro uptake when stained

- Superficial wounds between digits 4 and 5 on the right front and right hind paws

- Nails on left hind paw ripped and ragged with dried blood

- Abrasion inside left elbow

As hard as we try, there's always more to do in rescue, even as hard as we work, sometimes more. It's overwhelming and unbearable and beyond my reasoning at times. I have seen so much of the ugly side of people that I did not want to see but did. The only solace is the person who gave Strawberry up before it was too late. 

Anger at the person is never the answer; you can ask that question of "why" a thousand times, "How can this happen" and there is no answer and never will be; you do your best and try to keep a stiff upper lip. After the messages and phone calls, I walked around the farm with my dogs to clear my head. The first place I always stop is Clancy's grave for comfort, and as usual, the wind chimes speak, and I knew Clancy was telling me that Strawberry would be safe, but I was reminded these things would happen again, and they will, there will always be more dogs needing help.

Rest and get well, Strawberry; you certainly deserve it. It was one of the worst things I have ever seen for such a young dog.

When my time comes, before I pass into eternity, I want to stop and see Clancy again. I want to sit beside him, smell his fur, and stroke his head. After our hellos and hugs, I want the dogs he saved to come and greet me once again; I want to also touch them and know they are OK because I loved every one of them! Who knows, with God's infinite wisdom, this may be my Heaven, and I can stay...

Thank you,

Lillie Goodrich

Lindsay Kuhn

Klingstein Veterinary Clinic

to be continued...

When it's Time - I was wrong

Photo Credit: Travis Patenaude

"Pets, it turns out, also have last wishes before they die, but it's only known by veterinarians who put old and sick animals to sleep. Jesse Dietrich asked a vet what the most difficult part of his job was.

The specialist answered without hesitation that it was the hardest for him to see how old or sick animals look for their owners with the eyes of their owners before going to sleep. 

Veterinarians ask the owners to be close to the animals until the very end. ′′It's inevitable that they die before you. Don't forget that you were the center of their life. Maybe they were just a part of you. But they are also your family. No matter how hard it is, don't leave them.

Don't let them die in a room with a stranger in a place they don't like. It is very painful for veterinarians to see how pets cannot find their owner during the last minutes of their life. They don't understand why the owner left them. After all, they needed their owner's consolation.

Veterinarians do everything possible to ensure that animals are not so scared, but they are complete strangers to them. Don't be a coward because it's too painful for you. Think about the pet. Endure this pain for the sake of their sake. Be with them until the end."

- Tricia Moore

I wrote this after I recently saw this post on Socal Media that struck me very deeply.  As a deep thinker, I have learned because of my mistakes, but sometimes it was very painful.

I have made many mistakes in my life, but one stands right up at the head of the class.  Over 35 years ago, I went through a divorce, and my son lived with me.  I loved him very much, and as all parents do, I tried to take care of any needs.  In the absence of a mother, I purchased a dog for him to care for and help him learn some responsibilities.  Patches, better known as Patchy Doodly, was purchased from a breeder who was my friend.  She was a black and white cocker spaniel and was cute as a button and the love of everyone's life.  

We got her before I was married to Elaine, and for several years, it was me, Patches, and my son.  They always were running through the house, and Patches would sleep with him through the night.  He loved her, and I loved her too, but she was his dog, not mine.  When my son would visit his mother a couple of times a month for the weekend. Patches and I would sit on the couch in front of the fireplace with a bottle of Chardonnay, I would feel sorry for myself, and I told her all my troubles; she was a great listener. Patches was always there for me, always.

After nearly four years, I fell in love with Elaine, and she moved into our house after we were married.  Now it was five of us, and Patches loved Elaine and her children too, but Elaine was a little unsure about Patches.  It never causes a problem except once.  I got a call from Elaine at my work, and Patches got into a garbage can in the kitchen, which wasn't her first time.  During that phone call, I got that ultimatum; "Patches needs to go."  Knowing not to say much to Elaine, I stopped at my cousin's house before returning home from work to vent my anguish.  Being an avid dog lover, and in a very clear voice, my cousin said. "you do know you can get another wife," and was serious.  After our talk, I drove home wondering what to do.  When I got to the front door, Elaine met me and said, "we'll work this out.  I know how much Patches means to the kids."   Whew... 

Over the years, Elaine and Patches became best friends and best buddies, and life was good. After a few years, Elaine and I retired early but went to work for a good friend of ours who was a veterinarian.  Because we worked at the Vet's office, health care cost for the dogs was next to nothing.  We had Patches groomed, along with any medical needs which seemed to be increasing with her age.  One issue that cocker spaniels have is ear infections because their ears don't get nearly the ventilation they need.  Getting the best vet care possible wasn't helping; in fact, her condition was getting worse. After many attempts to help her, she kept getting worse.

Patches was tired; we didn't know how tired she was.  We took her in one morning to get groomed and some much-needed medical attention.  She stayed in the office with us, but when everyone was gone but the Doctor at lunchtime, we took her to the examination room and sat her on the table and after a thorough exam. he said.  "We can't help her anymore; she is suffering; it's time."  My heart exploded with pain; I was dimmed with anguish; this can't be, I thought.  Elaine spoke up said, "I know," my heart said no, but my brain said yes; it was time, and it was.  Elaine looked into my eyes through tears, and I looked back with the same.  The Doctor gave us a moment to be with her, and when he came back into the room, he was carrying the evilest injection we had in the office, which was known to the staff as the blue shot because the serum was blue, which meant death.  Standing at the table and knowing what was coming.  He said, "are you ready?"  "NO, I can't do this, I can't be here," I turned and, through tears, said to Elaine, "please be with her; I can't, I just can't."  After it was over and with everyone still gone to lunch, I carried her body to the grooming area, where I cried over her body.  My first thought was that I was a coward and thought of how she was always there for me.   My mind flashes back to when it was just Patches and me, and we would sit on the couch and watch the fire in the fireplace.  I had nobody but her, and I let her down when she needed me the most. I was wrong, very, very wrong with the decision I made that day.

Elaine and I had purchased property in Brown County, Indiana, to build a house on.  We were a few years away from starting construction and the day Patches died, I stroked her face and told her I was sorry through tears, but she was going home. She was cleaned and wrapped in a new blanket.  With the utmost care and as gentle as I could, I got her ready for her new home.

Elaine and I drove Patches to our land in Brown County, and she was buried there with the utmost love as could be.  That day changed my life!  Three years later, Elaine and I moved into our home, and it became known as Dogwood Ridge.  Patches was the first to reside on the farm, and many of our dogs have followed.  

Since then, I made a point to be with them when that time came, including any of our rescue dogs that passed. Many years ago, I was told by a friend that lost their dog what helped them when that time came.  Since then, for every dog that passed, I was with them to the end.  The Doctor waited until I was ready, and I would bend down and stroke their face, rubbing their ears and look into their eyes that always pierced my heart and soul.  After I knew they were comforted and at peace, I gave the OK, saying to my beloved pet, "it's OK, I'm here for you just like you were always there for me, I love you." I position my face next to theirs and breathed in their last breath. 

 The death of a loyal companion is brutal, I know.  Number 10, the most important lesson from 10 Life Lessons from a Dog's Point of View.

"Please go with me on that difficult journey.  Never say I can't watch; it's too painful.  Everything is easier for me when you are near me, even death, this is when I will need you the most. Your face will be the last thing I will ever see, and then I will know you loved me as much as I loved you... and through it all, always remember I loved you."  Patches, I'm sorry.  Ken