Is there a Sign on my door that says "Rescuer?"

Well, it finally happened. I have been dreaming, since I was a small child I have fantasized about finding puppies and taking care of them. Well today I was watching a TV show on haunting and it had the weirdest sound effect, a crying kitten. But it was too persistent for that... I muted the TV and the crying continued. Oh no...


I ran to the front door and there stood a tiny 8 week old grey kitten, wailing. He tried to come in the minute the door opened but I scooped him up the minute I saw him, partly so Leia wouldn't possibly eat him. I turned around, kitten in arms, and stared at Tom, "Holy crap, there is a kitten at our door." I was in a hurry to go to a coffee date so I cleaned a small crate, put him in, and we went to coffee because while Leia was curious about him, I didn't want to leave both of them with Tom (too much of a burden). On the way out I posted a "found kitten" flier and told the office I had him. They said someone had asked about him earlier so I left my number with them. We were off to coffee!

A lady stopped when she realized I was sitting at a table with a kitten in a crate and asked about it. I explained what happened and she basically begged me not to take him to a kill shelter. I told her not to worry, no chance I'd do that to him.

Becky humored me and we sat our side with a kitten in a crate as our third guest. He slept through coffee and was very good, but I was worried about what would happen if his owners didn't call today, or ever. I'd have to get cat food-- and what the heck do I know about litter training?! We came home and I sat him, in his crate on the floor and let Leia sniff and get the curiosity out of her system. She didn't bark or growl, just sniffed. He swatted at her through the bars and she looked at me like "Seriously? What did I do to him??"  Tom nicknamed him George. I called him Punk cause he was feisty. 

As I sat, trying to figure out what to do, my phone rang. The front office said his owner was there. I told them I'd be right over. A tall thin man stood before me. He spoke a little English but wasn't quiet fluent. He explained that the kitten bumped out of the door this morning and just disappeared. I explained how I found him and he laughed in surprise. It was good to see the two of them together again.


When I returned home I sat the empty crate on the floor and let Leia out. She ran to the crate, sniffed, realized it was empty, and cried a little. She missed her little... "friend." Really, this isn't a Transport Tale, but we joke in rescue all the time about things like "Do I have a sign in my lawn that says 'hey lost pets, come here' or something?" Apparently I have that sign on my door now, and even though it kinda threw a wrench in my day, I am glad he found his way here, and that I could help get him home, even if it was just across the street.

Helping Hugo - My First Pull?

It started with an email. My husband Tom plays table top games about once a week with 3 nice guys, two of which were very close friends and this week one sent him an email

Hugo when he was first found.

"Hey, you and your wife do dog rescue right? Some huge douchenozzel abandoned 3 dogs in our complex last night, 1 was a puppy and got picked up, 1 was a large dog that got hit and the third is a little dude that we took in and cleaned up. He is pretty worse for wear but he is friendly and affectionate and good with dogs and cats, if we cant find him a home I dont want to take him to the humane society just to get killed. Do you guys know anyone that could take him? Chris' sister might but just in case I want to make sure he doesn't get killed."

It took a day for Tom to be able to forward Jon's email to me but the minute I got it, asked a few more questions, and I was off to Facebook to post everything I knew about this little dog, who they called Francis:

"DOG IN NEED OF HOME::::
Hey guys, more details coming but I am trying to help some friends find a home for a dog abandoned in an apartment complex. There were 3 dogs dumped. One was saved by a good Samaritan, one was hit by a car an killed, and the third is the one we are working with friends to help. My understanding thus far is that he is a maltipoo sort of mix, younger and a small breed. People have stepped up and got him medicated for some itchy scabs and someone has volunteered to pay for his neuter. Pictures coming soon but be thinking of if you know anyone looking for a doggy."

Within minutes I got a text from Gisele saying we had enough space for the little dog. I immediately emailed Jon and asked (since we were going to meet up anyway) if he could bring the pup with him and I could take him into our rescue. Right before we had to leave I got confirmation, I'd be picking up the little dog. I waited in the parking lot until Jon and Chris pulled up with a small cat carrier, and inside was a sweet cream colored pup.

Jon and Chris had taken the time to cut some of the larger mats out of his fur and to give him medicine for the fleas which were tormenting him. They took him in off the streets and made a deal with their apartments to allow him to stay just until they could find him a place to go, other than the shelters.

I am still stunned how anyone could throw this little guy out like trash... one of the other dogs was lucky and found a home, but the oldest was hit by a car and died... I will never understand how people can leave their dogs to the cruelty of the streets.

This sweet pup let me pluck him from his crate and hug him. He wiggled happily and tried to figure out what was going on. I thanked Jon and Chris for being so kind to him. They couldn't understand how anyone could do this to him. He was good with other dogs, cats, and was house trained. As they said their goodbyes and wished him luck Chris paused, sad to see him go.



I carried him to his transport crate and snapped a few pictures of him to send to Gisele. 

He was precious and occasionally made soft little whines as we drove along, curious about where he was going. It took an hour but he relaxed to classical music the entire way.

Once we got there he was excited to get out of the car and see where he was at. Gisele was waiting for him with a big can Doc's Stew (holiday turkey flavored!) which this little guy promptly went face first into and I swear he didn't breathe until he had inhaled the entire can. I swear I would have eaten it if he hadn't. You could see meat, corn, noodles, green beans, and plenty of other good flavors.

Gisele had me stay for dinner so I got to walk him into the house to meet the other dogs and watch him socialize in the back yard while we grilled. He's brave and wasn't at all phased by playing with dogs 3 times his size.

We discussed names and threw around all sorts of cute ones. It finally came down to Hugo because he looked similar to Wiigo, a small dog we had just adopted out.

Our friend Brittney came over and we tried to figure out what breed he was. He wasn't a maltipoo. We finally guessed that he is likely part yorkie and part lhasa apso (a yorkie apso).

Hugo is so sweet and so good I don't know, I really cannot possibly fathom, how anyone could leave him. It was hard enough for me to leave when it was time to go home, knowing full well he was going to see a vet, a groomer, and be eating amazing food!

I am considering Hugo my first "pull" (a dog suggested for the rescue and got from their situation) even though really all the credit goes to Jon and Chris who took the time to scoop him up and take care of him on their own dime, simply because it was the right thing to do. I am so proud to call Hugo a TDL dog, his story is what it is all about, doing the right thing when the owners refuse to, caring for those and standing up for those, who can not defend themselves. I know  from here there is only happiness for Hugo, and that is a beautiful thing!

All Posts on Hugo

→ Helping Hugo - My First Pull?

→ Hugo's TDL Page 

Still waiting to go home. 

Mz Sweet Tea - 10/6/12

 I meet up with little Mz Sweet Tea at a 711 as she came off of another transport. She came in with quite a story as to why they were a bit late. Apparently the last transport had allowed some of the dogs to wander in the car and a little Scottie or a schnauzer had wandered to the front of the car while they were getting ready to get the dogs out of the car. The driver had left the car running to keep the pups (including Sweet Tea) cool and this little schnauzer stepped on the auto door lock and locked them all out. It took them almost a half hour and a game of peekaboo to get the dog to run back over and unlock the car.

When I met Sweet Tea she patiently waited for me to lift her from the SUV, she wasn't about to jump down, she was a southern belle who wished to be carried. I tried to give her a chance to go potty but she didn't seem interested. I then lifted her into her crate and we were off.  She rode like a princess and lay with her paws crossed.

As we drove I saw first one pillar of rainbow, and then a second. Rainbows are always somewhat ominous in rescue. We see them as a sign of the dogs who have gone before looking back down on us. I snapped the picture just bellow this paragraph. You can see each pillar of rainbow just right of each power-line pole. When I later talked to G I found out that that day was the Reckless, G's border collie who's loss prompted the founding of the rescue, and passed. Perhaps it was Reckless watching over Sweet Tea's transport

We arrived at G's and again she was lifted from the car. She walked well on the leash, leaving slack and came to the porch where we sat and relaxed with G for a while. We chitchatted about how refined Sweat Tea acted, like a southern Belle, and as we sat on the porch it occurred to us, the only thing missing was some Sweet Tea... and then we realized she was right there with us, that would be her name.

Shortly after we arrived we walked her right inside and she made herself right at home. She sat with us during dinner and didn't beg. She followed the younger children around and watched over them. She is such a gentle spirit and  so sweet, just like her name suggests. Later on she disappeared and we found her on the bed, watching over G's daughter. She was so proud of herself for doing a good job. I swear this is one dog that is lucky to have gotten to her destination, she is so sweet I'd of kept her.

"Hi Mrs. G! I've been watching over your daughter like a good girl!"

All Posts on Sweet Tea

→ Mz Sweet Tea

→ Sweet Tea's TDL Page

Sweet Tea went home: 10/10/12!