The Transport That Became Two - Pepito, Perry Como, and ... Where's Heidi!?

Pepito!

2/4/14
Today I knew I was meeting a transport, I knew where, but I didn't know when. As the day went on I knew I'd hear when they were in route to the meeting location, what I didn't know was that I would find this out 20 minutes before they got there. After 3 I got a text letting me know they'd be there in 20 minutes, at which time I jumped up and ran like a made woman, because I was over 20 minutes away from the location... oops!

So I hopped in the car and floored it. I am pretty sure I made record time. First I was passed  this adorable little fellow, Pepito, and promptly fell in love. He is soft as silk, loving and did pretty well on a leash. He also makes the most adorable puppy sounds when you pick him up! I loaded him in the car after a minor wrestling match to get him in the crate. He was NOT a fan of getting off a multi-hour transport only to be put right back in a crate. Sorry little guy!

Perry Como

Next I met Perry Como. As they lifted him out of the van it hit me in the chest... I'd seen his shelter photo, I knew it would be bad, but nothing is quite as real as when you pet a dog and can feel the bones, including the rare one which connects to his skull... They set him on the ground and immediately he looked at me and wagged his tail.

From what we know of his past, his family moved, and left him chained with no food... he starved until he was picked up. How a dog who had been so betrayed by people could meet me, a stranger, and wag his tail is still beyond me. What love. He is a total love and happily walked around in the grass. Every interaction, whether talking to him or petting him, seemed to make him happy. As his transporter so perfectly said, "he is a great boy, just needs groceries."  I loaded him up in the car, which was far to easy for how big he is, and he quietly settled down into the comfy blanket.

Then "our third dog" was brought out... I looked at the dog before me, and suddenly i knew there was a problem... I'd never seen this dog before in my life... but I had seen the dogs who were supposed to be on transport to us... First two matched up, but the sweet hound-like dog in front of me was not the dog I was supposed to be getting. I called Gisele and told her that I only had 2 out of 3. She stated that I should have a 3rd dog, a German shepherd pup named Heidi. I told her that Heidi was not here, which meant... uh oh- she was going to tampa! CRUD!

Both Gisele and I began dialing trying to find Heidi. We discovered that she and one other pup were both in Tampa and would need to come back up in the morning, but she was safe and had a temp foster for the night so we relaxed a little. We'd have to figure this out, but right now it was okay for the transport to roll out.

When the car got moving the pup stopped screaming and promptly fell asleep, demonstrating a wide variety of what I think must be the most uncomfortable sleeping positions for a puppy.  Paws spread, one paw on the cage door and one on the roof of the cage, head twisted upside down and backwards, and he chose  to sleep this way.

Meanwhile just behind me Perry Como peaked out of the crate. Occasionally he would stand to see out the window. He is the only dog I have ever had in the car who clunked when he lay down, even with the fluffy blankie. I begged him to just lay down and promised we wouldn't be on the road long.

We got to Gisele's without a hitch and passed Pepito to his awesome foster mama who fell in love with him in an instant (who wouldn't?) and put Perry in his crate with a nice big bowl of food after a brief photoshoot.

We then discussed Heidi and with the help of some texts, phone calls, and emails it was decided that in the morning I'd be getting up (very early) to meet the transporter in Wildwood. The Transporter, who I discovered was also named Sara, volunteered to drive the two dogs who had been lost on transport back up to meet me. I mean she had already driven from Alabama in a day, and was driving back the next morning, (what a superhero!) so she figured what was one more stop?

Now, notice I said 2 dogs. Another rescue was in the same position we were and they needed a way to get their dog back to the vet we originally met the transport at. SO the plan was that I would get them both (my first dog from another rescue) take Heidi to Gisele, and drop of this golden dog at the vet on the way home.

2/5/14

Heidi

I woke up at 5 in the morning and was shortly on the road. I brought some Banana bread to Sara as a thank you for going out of her way (i later heard she loved it) and she brought the pups. Heidi came out of the van and immediately aimed to please. She ran up, and sat at my feet, wagging. Hard not to love that enthusiasm.  Then I met the golden dog. She was uncertain and was not a big fan of the slip leash. We gave them both a chance to do their business and then we loaded up, hugged and parted ways.

Both dogs were quiet in the car but we did have just one more stop before Gisele's. We dropped off a crate and some medication to one of our fosters. She loved getting to see the pups on transport and admired how stunning Heidi was.  After brief hellos and goodbyes we were back on the road.

At Gisele's all the pups were given a chance to stretch their legs, G and I had a brief bite, and we got some pictures of Heidi, who puts on quite a show for the camera. We looked her over and determined that she was a little skinny but nothing  few bowls of puppy food wouldn't fix.

Golden dog

A short while later I was back on the road with the golden dog, who was less than thrilled to be getting back in the car again. We arrived at the vet and I warned them that she could be a flight risk at time, spinning on the leash. The dog, of course, promptly proved me completely wrong and walked in like a champ after 3 separate spinning episodes prior on transport. Apparently she likes going to the vet. Ok then! We snapped a picture for her rescue and then I was off duty.

Two long days, 4 lives starting over. Sounds fair to me.