JWH Moonshine's blog: "Rants"

Rescues. 

They do not always go as planned or end well....this is one of those (fair warning).

I will be here hit or miss and even if I am here, I might not be here...my mind is elsewhere, my heart just a little more battered than before. All because I do what I love. Rescue. 

There are different types of animal rescuers, but we all have the same goal, to save a life. We know we can't save tham all but that won't keep us from trying...

Some work with local shelters and foster adoptable dogs until a home is found.

Others work with rescues, many times breed specfic. Dogs (or cats, horses etc) come from shelters, owner surrenders and animal control. 

Many people take in healthy dogs that are generally happy, but may be a little confused as to where they are, or where their people went. Often these pups are ready to go to their furever home in just a few days. Some may be a little more depressed and need a little more TLC before they head back out into the world. 

These are not the ones I deal with.  I work with the beaten, abused and neglected. I don't just foster, I rehab. 

I work with a breed that long ago captured my heart with their loyalty, intelligence, stubborness, loving and desire to please. I work with Rottweilers. They are labeled a "bully breed" and not legal to own in many areas thanks to BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) which is complete and utter bs...but I won't get started on that one. 

Often the most neglected and abused are the bully breeds. There is no reason or excuse to hurt any animal or child, they are the only true innocents left in this world and should be appreciated as such. 

Right before Christmas, I got a call that there may be a Rottie female in need of urgent rescue. No other details were available at the time. The person that called me knew I was already at my capacity...they wouldn't have called unless it was that bad. So I said yes, I will have a spot ready and waiting and will do the pick up if needed, keep me posted. 

Many times when they find their way to a rescue like me, they have already been through hell. Those are the ones I work with. The ones that have lost all faith in humanity and rightly so. This girl was no different. The call came, so with very little information available I headed out. I met up with the ACO and knew it was going to be bad. The county this pup came from was not bully friendly and did not have any type of restrictions on tying a dog up outside, none. As long as it didn't leave your property, there were no protections in place for the animal. NO requirements for food, shelter etc...

Unable to charge them, the ACO managed to get them to surrender the pup. When we met, he said "now before you kill me...I got her out of there as fast as I could, so she is exactly as I found her. She's in bad shape and another ACO should be here in a few minutes with bolt cutters, then she's all yours". Bolt cutters. DAMN IT. Went to the back seat of his truck and got my first glance of her. I looked over at him and whispered..."who". He said he was working on that, for me to focus on the pup. His friend arrived with the bolt cutters and it was time to get to work. 

Someone had used a chain with a padlock instead of a collar and at the other end of that chain...cinder blocks with another padlock (yes, cinder blocks plural). We were able to cut the locks and most of the chain. We had to leave a lot of the chain because it had started to become embedded in her neck. She was so underweight and so weak...she had to be in extreme pain, but was docile when we removed the locks and I scooped her up and put her in the car.  I got her as comfortable as possible and started driving back towards my county and was dialing the closest vet along the way. 

She was probably just over a year old. Her weight should have been around 60-70, she was 40. Even though she had to be hurting so very, very badly...she was just as sweet as she could be. She couldn't hold her head up,she was that weak...but she would let you hold her and put it in your lap and fall asleep. Her neck was bad, but with time and medicine, it would heal. Her weight, we could fix that, slowly but surely...then the invisible threat was found. Heartworm positive and her case was severe. Even in perfect health, it would have been a hell of a fight...in her condition? Sara (vet) looked at me and asked what I wanted to do..I looked at this poor girl and said, the first thing we are going to do is give her a name. Since she had just gained her freedom and would never be chained again, I named her Independence, Indy for short. Then I said, if she wants to fight, we fight. Indy looked up and gave me slobbery kiss and I said there you have it, we fight. First dose of doxy, a transfusion and fluids to do sub q at home and we were outta there. Still too weak to do much on her own, I had her licking baby food off my fingers to start getting something in her. Gave her a gentle rub down with warm towels to clean her up and make her feel better and we went to bed. Next day, back at vet for more meds then home to some more baby food, soft blankies and a warm bed. We did this for a few days then I called Sara and she was expecting the call....Indy wanted to be loved and wanted to fight, but just wasn't strong enough and another transfusion wasn't an option.  So we planned on seeing Sara the next afternoon and letting Indy cross the bridge. Even that kindness was denied her. I had picked her up and put her in the bed and was laying beside her just telling her about the different pups that I had met through the years, and about the rainbow bridge. When I finished telling her about the bridge, she leaned over just enough to lick my face, put her head down next to mine and slipped away from this world....

Indy, rest easy sweet girl. I will see you at the Bridge.....

If you are not familiar with The Rainbow Bridge, ask anyone that does rescue...or read below. 

The Rescuers Final Reward .....................................

 
"The Rescuer's Final Reward" 
Unlike most days at the Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray.
All the recent arrivals at the Bridge did not know what to think, as they had never seen such a day. But the animals who had been waiting longer for their beloved people to accompany them across the Bridge knew what was happening, and they began to gather at the pathway leading to the Bridge.

Soon an elderly dog came into view, head hung low and tail dragging.
He approached slowly, and though he showed no sign of injury or illness, he was in great emotional pain. Unlike the animals gathered along the pathway, he had not been restored to youth and vigor upon arriving at the Bridge. He felt out of place, and wanted only to cross over and find happiness.

But as he approached the Bridge, his way was barred by an angel, who apologized and explained that the tired and broken-spirited old dog could not cross over. Only those animals accompanied by their people were allowed to cross the Bridge. Having nobody, and with nowhere else to turn, the dog trudged into the field in front of the Bridge.

There he found others like himself, elderly or infirm, sad and discouraged. Unlike the other animals waiting to cross the Bridge, these animals were not running or playing. They simply were lying in the grass, staring forlornly at the pathway across the Rainbow Bridge. The old dog took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.yet not knowing for what he was waiting.

One of the newer dogs at the Bridge asked a cat who had been there longer to explain what was happening. The cat replied, "Those poor animals were abandoned, turned away, or left at rescue places, but never found a home on earth. They all passed on with only the love of a rescuer to comfort them. Because they had no people to love them, they have nobody to escort them across the Rainbow Bridge."

The dog asked the cat, "So what will happen to those animals?" Before the cat could answer, the clouds began to part and the cold turned to
bright sunshine. The cat replied, "Watch, and you will see."

In the distance was a single person, and as he approached the Bridge the old, infirm and sad animals in the field were bathed in a golden light.
They were at once made young and healthy, and stood to see what their fate would be. The animals who had previously gathered at the pathway bowed their heads as the person approached. At each bowed head, the person offered a scratch or hug. One by one, the now youthful and healthy animals from the field fell into line behind the person. Together, they walked across the Rainbow Bridge to a future of happiness and unquestioned love.

The dog asked the cat, "What just happened?"

The cat responded, "That was a rescuer. The animals gathered along the pathway bowing in respect were those who had found their forever homes
because of rescuers. They will cross over when their people arrive at the Bridge. The arrival here of a rescuer is a great and solemn event, and as a
tribute they are permitted to perform one final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort all those poor animals they couldn't place
on earth across the Rainbow Bridge."

The dog thought for a moment, then said, "I like rescuers." The cat smiled and replied, "So does heaven, my friend. So does heaven