Every Time a Bell Rings, A Dog Gets a New Home...

That's right folks, we have another success story on our hands!  Just yesterday, Artie, the small dog rescued a few months back from a Houston-area gas station, has found a forever home.  His new mom and dad live next to a dog park were he will be getting lots of exercise and playtime with new friends.  

I wish them all the best and I am sure they will bring each other much happiness for years to come.

Maybe MY Dingo Ate Your Baby...

I know that my presence here has been limited lately, but that is not due to a lack of action on the rescue front.  Some of you may recall my most recent story of the beagle rescued from the freeway which subsequently had to be put down.  Well, not 36 hours after that distressing experience, I encountered another little darling...

It was Thursday morning, November 11th to be exact, and I headed out the front door on my way to work.  To my surprise, hiding behind a planter on my front porch, was a very small, fairly malnourished puppy.  She seemed extremely timid and hesitant to remove herself from the nook in which she was tightly positioned.  With a little coaxing, out she came and I scooped her up and we headed to the office.  The whole ride there I could not believe that this was happening again, and so soon! She was the cutest little thing and looked like a cross between a dingo and a baby kangaroo.  A few days passed and I took her to the vet.  She received her shots and was given a clean bill of health.  I named her Joey due to her marsupial-like features, and she is now very responsive when called. 

Joey is a very obedient girl.  She is leery of strangers, but warms up very quickly.  She loves to play with other dogs no matter what the size, and she is house and kennel trained.  I would love to hang on to this one, but I am afraid my hands are full (Artie is also still available for adoption). If you or someone you know might be interested, please feel free to leave a comment in the quote line or drop me a message.

Beagle with No Name...

This poem was written for me by a co-worker after she got word that the rescue from yesterday had to be put down.  Her words sum up yesterday's experience.

On a beautiful morning, 

On my way to work, 

I caught a glimpse of a little dog

By the side of the road...

Beagle with No Name

He was lying there all alone, 

And frightened, I pulled over and

Stopped to help him, the poor little thing...

Beagle with No Name

When he saw me, too weak and in pain, 

He mustered enough strength to stand, 

As if to say, I'm here and waiting...

Beagle with No Name

He fell and I cradled him in my arms, 

Watching as the cars passed me.

How many people have passed but

Have not stopped?

Beagle with No Name

I laid him in my car seat, next to me, 

His eyes so loving and sweet, 

How can I leave him there all alone?

Beagle with No Name

So I took him with me along for the ride, 

On my way to work, and I thought

How can I help him? What do I do?

I know what I must do to save him...

Beagle with No Name

So I tell my friends at work  of another, 

Dog I picked up to help him, and

They surrounded him with awe and wonder, 

With such emotion...

Beagle with No Name

I gave him water and he drank it. He tried to 

Sit up straight but could not stand for long, 

Was he boy or girl?

The accident you see, we could not tell...

Beagle with No Name

I brought a tablecloth and wrapped him with it, 

He laid down, tired and weak, 

But fell quickly to sleep...

Beagle with No Name

I called the vet to bring him in, 

I took the little dog, held in my arms.

Out the door I  went...

Beagle with No Name

And then the news came, 

Fractured hip, Damaged bladder, 

and intestines. How can that be?

Beagle with No Name

And sadly it cam to be?

The best remedy was sleep.

Then I breathe with a sigh, 

And with pain in my heart...

I have to let him free.

Beagle with No Name

At least I know he was not alone, 

That he didn't die by the side of the road, 

That he went into a deep, deep, sleep, 

No longer in pain and in peace...

Beagle with No Name

I will miss his sad little face, 

Those eyes that reflected his soul, 

For only a  moment he was here, 

He was not alone...

Beagle with No Name.

-Dani Palmieri 11-09-2010

Thank you Dani for your kind words.  This chapter has come to a close, but I assure you, it won't be long before the next.  Stay tuned...

I-45 Round-up...

I am not sure what made me think that this week would be different from any other. 

After running a work-related errand, I realized that I had left my cell phone on my bed-side table and decided to make a quick run by the house to pick it up.  

I pulled out of the neighborhood onto the feeder of I-45 south near Telephone Road.  As I approached the u-turn I saw a small, mostly black, creature laying on a small patch of grass between the feeder and the freeway.  I then became aware of what I was looking at, a little dog with beagle markings, eyes illuminated with fear.  

I quickly made a cut through the neighborhood and back around.  By now the dog was standing in a lane of traffic. I put on my emergency flashers and stopped about 20 feet in front of the dog.  I whistled and the tail started to wag, but it was clear that the dog was unable to walk due to injury.  He seemed friendly and I cautiously covered him with a blanket and scooped him up as car after car whizzed past (some even kind enough to honk).

I gently placed him in the car and we were off. 

The dog has an injured leg.  It looks to be more of a dislocation then severe trauma, and he has some older lacerations on his face and body.  We are headed to the vet today at 3:30 and I will be sure to post an update as soon as more information is available.

Shug overNite...

I just got word that Shug will be coming to visit on Saturday night!  It is most certainly going to be a full house, but I am sure she will be excited to reunite with her old buddies.  I just hope we don't get any rain this weekend, 16 muddy paws would be a nightmare!

Three Dog Night...

As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a new addition to the pack at Casa de Kimbrough which makes the dog to human ratio 3:1.  I have named him Artie, not for any particular reason, but it seems fitting for his little body and big personality. 

      Monday afternoon I had to run out and take care of a few errands, one of which was a quick stop at a nearby gas station.  As I pulled off I-45, on to the feeder and into the Exxon parking lot, I immediately noticed this little guy dodging vehicles in the parking lot.  Now, keep in mind that not only is this Exxon on the feeder to the freeway, but it is also bordered on all sides by major thoroughfares.  I  grew increasingly concerned for the dog's safety.  I entered the store to find an attendent chatting with a distributor near the counter.  

       "Load that dog up in your truck before he gets hit by a car, " the clerk exclaimed to the man. He responded rapidly with a shake of the head and a rolling of his eyes.  As I waited in line, I mentioned to the pair that I would be happy to try and get him in my car, and that I had rescued several animals in the past.  I think I threw in that last part so they wouldn't think I was crazy, but in retrospect, the only crazy thing was that while the dog was in danger the two were just chatting away and watching this dog like a rat in a maze.  

        I walked to my car and called the dog.  He was timid but seemed to be comforted by my voice.  I proceeded with caution as the little ones tend to be biters.  I stroked his back and used a soothing voice as not to appear threatening.  He warmed up to me just long enough for me to scoop him up and place him in the front seat.  I went back inside let them know that the dog was safe and left my contact information in case anyone showed up looking for the dog.

       Artie is neutered, he has beautiful teeth, and a nice shiny coat.  If I had to guess I would say he weighs somewhere between 12-15 pounds.  He seems to have been well taken care of and he is a happy little guy.  I am keeping him for now, but he would make a great companion.  Monday I plan to swing him by the vet to see if he might have a microchip.

If you have any information on this dog, or if you are interested in providing a forever home, be sure to message me.

The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor,

"Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?"

                                                -Jeremy Bentham

Spoonful of Shug...

So I have for you now, the story of Sugar, or 'Shug' as we like to call her. 

It was memorial day weekend and I was working in the yard.  Both the front and back fence gates were open so that I could move from the front yard to the back with ease.  All of the sudden, and much to my surprise, a mid-sized, brown dog darted into my back yard with excitement like that of a miner who just struck gold.  I greeted her cautiously and gave her a quick little rub down to let her now that I was not a threat, and it was clear at that point that neither was she.  I continued with my yard work as she made herself at home sniffing around the yard at the scents left by my other dogs which were inside at the time.

       Now, I had seen this dog on a few occasions prior.  She and another dog of equal size, color, and breed, had found themselves numerous times gallivanting in my front yard.  I was certain they belonged to the people that lived three houses down from me.  I found it odd that she was alone this time and thought that perhaps she had gotten out of the fence.  I walked down to the house with her behind me like a four-legged shadow.  Upon arrival, I noticed that a significant amount of mail was piled near the front door step.  The curtains were no longer in place and it became clear that the once occupied house was now empty.  A aluminum pan , like that in which you would cook a Thanksgiving turkey was placed under a tree in the front yard and it seemed someone had filled it with water.  
        Come to find out from another neighbor that the residents of that home had moved and left their dogs behind.  I fear that the other dog, who I believed to be Shug's brother had been stolen.  He too, was a chocolate Lab and he had not yet been neutered.
       Upon receiving this news I decided that Shug, named for her sweetness and excitable nature, would stay with me until I could find a home for her.  She was a wonderful dog and I very much enjoyed having her as part of the family.  

       Six months had passed and I had not been able to find a home for her.  One Sunday afternoon I had a few friends over to the house, one of which had never been there before.  His connection with Shug was immediate.  A few weeks after their initial meeting Shug had a forever home.  I was sad to see her go as I cannot describe with words how gentle and loving she was, but I am excited that she can now bring joy to someone else's life as she did to mine, even if it was only for a short while.  Also, with the exit of Shug to her new home, I was left susceptible to new arrivals.  As of Monday, I am now home to a new little guy who's 'tail' will be shared in an upcoming entry.  Stay tuned...
      

The 411 on 311...

So here is a little tip if you are unfortunate enough to encounter a dead animal on the freeway or any other city street...

For those of us in the great nation of Texas, 311 is helpful in removal of these animals as long as they are not located on private property.  However, if the animals are located on an exit ramp or feeder road, this removal is the responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).  To report an issue in your local area, they can be reached toll free at (800) 558-9368.

Unfortunately, in the last few days, I have had to report two large dogs that had been hit (apparently by numerous vehicles) on the highway.

You gotta start somewhere....

I never thought I would be the blogging type, yet I find myself here, eager to share insider details of my life with you.  Well, parts of it, but mainly just the parts that involve my pups, their antics, as well as the stories of many dogs that I have rescued over the years. Now, if you are thinking that this blog is going to be all fun and games, you are in store for a reality check.  While many of my rescues stories are accompanied by heart-warming 'tails', there are also some that come with grim de'tails'.  It is here where you will get an idea of my 'Leash on Life' and experience compassion and inhumanity through the eyes of my four legged friends.