Tag: The Dodo

We humans!

No clear reaction comes to mind.

I came across this post yesterday and thought that it would make a good article for today. But the truth is that I, and I expect many other readers, do not understand the article.

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Employees Heartbroken When They See Someone Tied To ‘Do Not Abandon Animals’ Sign

She waited there 11 hours 💔

By Caitlin Jill Anders, Published on the 11th April, 2024.

Outside the front door of the Harbor Humane Society sits a sign. “Do not abandon an animal here,” the sign reads. “Wait until business hours. No fee for bringing an animal to HHS. For the sake of the animal, please be humane.” An older, outdated version of the same sign sits at the back of the shelter, too, near some picnic tables where employees can take a break. When they arrived at work one morning recently, there were no animals waiting for them out front.

Harbor Humane Society

Sadly, the same could not be said for the sign in the back.

Tied to the base of the “do not abandon animals” sign was a tiny dog who had been abandoned there the night before. Security footage showed the dog, later named Trixie, had been tied to the sign around 9 p.m. and wasn’t found until 7:30 a.m. the next morning, meaning she’d waited there for 11 hours.

Harbor Humane Society

“Our team member was just about to unarm the building (had just arrived to start their morning shift) when she noticed the dog tied to the signpost near our intake door located toward the back side of the shelter,” Jen Nuernberg, director of marketing and strategic initiatives at Harbor Humane Society, told The Dodo. “Initially, she was nervous and scared, barking at her. But once she crouched down and gave her some time, she quickly warmed up and crawled right into her lap. She has been very friendly ever since!”

Harbor Humane Society

Trixie was terrified out there all alone, wondering why she’d ended up there. As soon as she met her rescuer, though, all was well. She was rushed inside and eventually met the rest of the staff members, who were just as heartbroken by the situation. Thankfully, Trixie seemed to be pretty healthy, just a little confused — as was everyone at the shelter.

“When someone abandons an animal without any information, we are just left to guess,” Jen Self Aulgur, executive director at Harbor Humane Society, told The Dodo. “So we can assume she is about 3 to 4 years old, but we don’t know her story, her name, her likes, her favorite treats or toys. This is all information we try to get on animals when they are surrendered to the shelter.”

Harbor Humane Society

The shelter employees are still hoping someone might come forward to give them some information about Trixie before she’s adopted, just to make sure she’s getting the best care possible.

“This pup deserves to have her story and history known,” Self Aulgur said. “We do not want to shame or get you in trouble — we just want to help this poor pup.”

Harbor Humane Society

Trixie is safe now and will be available for adoption in about a week or so. Until then, she’s getting as many kisses and cuddles as the staff can give her while she dreams of her loving forever family.

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Let me add my wishes to the Harbor Humane Society in hoping that very soon Trixie will be adopted by that loving family.

A dog train, no less!

Looking after their ex-rescue dogs.

This was an article on The Dodo and I thought it should be shared with you because it is a wonderful way of transporting their dogs.

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Couple Builds A ‘Dog Train’ To Take Their Rescue Pups Out On Little Adventures

“They just love it. They absolutely love it.”

By Stephen Messenger Published on the 15th March, 2022.

On Friday evenings, just before sunset, the din of traffic on the roads around Lehigh Acres, Florida, gives way to a sound far more pleasing — the cheerful chorus of happy pups on the move.

It’s at this time, like clockwork, a dog train takes to the streets just to brighten the lives of its furry passengers.

Alice E. Herrick

Alice Johnston and her husband, Paul, moved to Lehigh Acres about eight years ago, after years spent operating an animal rescue shelter in Costa Rica. But they didn’t relocate alone. They also brought along the more than a dozen dogs under their care there — all of whom had been saved from the streets.

Now in the suburbs, the Johnstons decided to get creative.

Alice E. Herrick

“We have so many dogs, of course we couldn’t walk them all or put them in the car to take them for a ride,” Alice Johnston told The Dodo. “So, my husband build a train so that we could take them out, drive around the community. He pulls the train with a lawnmower, and I ride a little scooter behind him to keep an eye on things, to make sure they’re safe.”

The happy gang is a sight to behold.

The idea for the Wonderland Express, as its known, was inspired by a Texas man who built a dog train for his own rescue pups. And the Johnstons’ dogs love it just as much.

“The dogs get so excited. They just love it. They absolutely love it,” Johnston said. “They know it’s Friday better than we do. It’s amazing how they know.”

But the pups aren’t the only ones thrilled about their weekly trips.

“We have people who wait for us every week [to pass by on the street],” Johnston said. “Some people come out and give the dogs treats. They really enjoy it.”

The Johnstons have put all that attention the train gets to some very good use.

“My husband has signs all over the train encouraging people to adopt, and not shop,” Johnston said. “There are so many homeless dogs, and they make wonderful pets. Anything we can do to encourage people to give these dogs a chance, we are happy to do it.”

The Johnstons don’t aim to publicize their Wonderland Express dog train, though they are glad people are happy to see it. For them, it’s all about their dogs’ enjoyment — and spreading the word about the joy of adopting.

“It gives us so much joy to know that dogs are getting a second chance,” Johnston said. “And it really gives us satisfaction knowing we’re giving our dogs a good life.”

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That last image I had real trouble with but I left it in the post just in case when it is published it comes out. But even without that photograph one gets the clear idea of the pleasure the Johnstons give to their dogs.

Perfect!

I can’t stop thinking about our dogs

They are so precious!

We went to a Humanists garden party on Tuesday afternoon and two other attendees had brought their dogs with them. The dogs were so friendly and gentle, as well as being highly sociable, that the conversation frequently was about dogs.

In a similar vein, on The Dodo yesterday was this:

Dande
Rescue Vizsla mix, 3.5 years old.“Dande was rescued from Waco,Texas, after a hurricane and flooding. She probably got separated from her humans. She was very skittish and afraid of everything when I first rescued her. She has come a long way. She is the most affectionate dog of the four that I have owned. I love her so much!” — her person

In a world which seems so strange at present, thank goodness we have our dogs.

Another beautiful dog story

A story about a dog that was first thought to be dead.

Dear reader,

We had so much going on Wednesday afternoon that I was tempted to give this post a miss. But then I changed my mind considering how beautiful the story is.

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‘Dead’ Dog Abandoned In Amazon Box Turns Out To Be A Total Lovebug

He just needed someone to care.

By Maeve Dunigan, Published on the 7th March. 

Earlier this year, on a sunny day in Pennsylvania, a woman stepped out onto her porch and found a horrifying package. Lying in an open cardboard box was a fluffy white dog — and he wasn’t moving.

Alarmed, the woman quickly called her daughter, who works for Speranza Animal Rescue.

“[M]y mom called me in a panic because she found a ‘dead’ dog dropped on her porch in an Amazon box,” the rescue wrote in a Facebook post about the event. “Turns out this boy wasn’t dead, he was just unconscious.”

FACEBOOK/SPERANZA ANIMAL RESCUE

When rescuers arrived, they were heartbroken to realize the pup was barely a year old. His pupils were cloudy, and he suffered from seizures. Rescuers moved the sick dog, later named G.I. Joe, into veterinary care, where he began receiving necessary treatment.

FACEBOOK/SPERANZA ANIMAL RESCUE

Within days, G.I. Joe’s gentle spirit began returning. He moved in with Karen Spangler, an experienced foster mom, and made friends with his new dog siblings. Though she immediately loved G.I. Joe, Spangler initially insisted that the situation would only be temporary.

“I didn’t want another permanent dog to add to my family,” Spangler told The Dodo. “I told multiple family and friends I would not become a foster fail.”

FACEBOOK/SPERANZA ANIMAL RESCUE

But as the weeks went on, Spangler realized G.I. Joe, or “Joey,” as she calls him, was too special to let go. The curious, quiet rescue pup had already bonded with her grandchildren and with her other two dogs. Spangler adored G.I. Joe, and she wanted him to feel safe and secure.

“I could not put him through another change,” Spangler said. “That was it. I became a foster fail.”

KAREN SPANGLER

These days, Spangler can’t imagine her life without G.I. Joe. Her new pup has already proven to be a great influence on her other dogs, encouraging them to play and exercise. Spangler looks forward to G.I. Joe’s continued training and hopes to walk him on neighborhood country roads soon.

“They always say things happen for a reason, and this is so true,” Spangler said. “My family needed Joey. Never in a million years did I think he would turn out to be so sweet and smart. [I]m looking forward to seeing where he takes us.”

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Karen Spangler is a very kind soul and clearly loves dogs. Congratulations to her and to the Speranza Animal Rescue. Finally, many thanks to Maeve Dunigan for writing the story.

This beggars belief!

What some people get up to!

I know (alright assume) that everyone who reads this blog is a dog lover. Indeed, millions more to add to that count who do not read the blog.

So I just do not understand how this dog came to be abandoned. As reported recently in The Dodo.

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Beautiful White Puppy Left Tied To Pole Waits Days For Someone To Rescue Him

He had no food or water 😔

By Maeve Dunigan

Published on the 15th February, 2024

Alone on a cracked patch of cement, a white dog named Buckley stared up the street from where he was left tied to a pole in Santa Monica, California. For days, the gentle dog waited for someone to notice him, hoping they might take him somewhere safe.

LOVE LEO RESCUE

One day, a local rescuer passing by noticed Buckley’s big brown eyes. She couldn’t believe the 6-month-old husky puppy was alone without food or water. She knew she had to help.

Soon, Buckley was off the streets, safe in the expert hands of Love Leo Rescue.

LOVE LEO RESCUE

Meeting the pup for the first time, rescuers felt moved by Buckley’s warmth and resilience.

“Buckley is an exceptional dog,” Love Leo Rescue director Sasha Abelson told The Dodo. “He is well balanced and loving and didn’t let his previous experiences change his lovely personality.”

The wayward pup eventually moved in with a foster family. Lately, he’s enjoyed spending lots of time outside with his new friends.

“Buckley is a typical, happy-go-lucky husky,” Leo said. “He loves playing with his dog friends and learning new skills. He loves going for hikes and also cuddling near his humans. He is just a perfect family dog.”

LOVE LEO RESCUE

For now, Buckley is still searching for his forever home, hoping his family finds him soon.

“Buckley would love to go into a home that is active and preferably a home with another playful, balanced dog,” Leo said. “We think a dog brother or sister would be wonderful for him.”

With any luck, Buckley won’t be waiting very much longer.

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Now it is just possible that a person who reads this story will want to adopt Buckley. If that is the case then visit the Love Leo Rescue website for more details.

Fingers very tightly crossed that Buckley finds his home soon!

A dog in an Arizona desert

For the last day in February, a wonderful story!

This is a post taken directly from The Dodo. It was published by The Dodo on the 8th February this year so it is very current.

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Sisters Driving Through Desert Spot A Lost Dog With Something Stuck To His Side

“He growled at us at first …”

By Caitlin Jill Anders, Published on February 8th, 2024

Vanessa Keating, Theresa Burge and Aubrey Metropulos, a group of full-time RVers and Vanlifers, were wandering around Bulldog Canyon in Arizona one day, looking for a specific type of cactus. They weren’t far from their campsite when they spotted someone tiny and furry, and quickly realized it was a dog out in the desert all alone.

They immediately knew they couldn’t leave the pup out there by himself and began the process of trying to win him over. Thankfully, it didn’t end up taking very long. The sweet dog was more than ready to be rescued.

“He growled at us at first and took some convincing to come over,” Keating told The Dodo. “It only took a few minutes for him to come up to my sister, Theresa, first, but he was still nervous. We quickly realized he had a cholla cactus stuck to the side of him, and once she pulled it off, he warmed up and got excited. So many kisses, and he even had the zoomies!”

Vanessa Keating

Once the cactus was safely removed from his fur, the lost dog felt so much better and jumped for joy that he’d finally be found. His new friends gave him all the cuddles he’d been missing and started asking around their campsite about him, trying to find his family. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any luck, but they refused to stop trying.

Vanessa Keating

The next day, they took the lost dog to get scanned for a microchip and were overjoyed when they discovered he had one. They got in touch with his dad, who told them the pup’s name was Echo, and quickly made arrangements for a long-awaited reunion.

“The reunion was amazing,” Keating said. “Lots of tears. He thought Echo had been eaten by a coyote and was giving up hope … He was so grateful and relieved.”

Echo had only been lost in the desert for a few days before he was found, thankfully, and he was so excited once he was back in his dad’s arms. He knew once the three women found him that they would be the ones to get him back home safely, and he was right.

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Echo is a lucky dog and being reunited with his Dad must have been magical. But then again, the three women that stopped to gain the attention of this lost dog, and then cuddled him and gave him perfect love are really special

So here’s to Vanessa, Theresa, and Aubrey. Well done all three of you.

Pure love!

This article is so beautiful!

As Stephen Messenger, the author of the article, says: “It was a moment of pure awe.” I am not going to waffle on in a prelude to this story, that was taken from The Dodo, so I am going straight into it.

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Animal Shelter Finds A Crate At The Door — And Most Touching Handwritten Note

“It was a moment of pure awe.”

By Stephen Messenger

Published on the 18th January, 2024

Earlier this week, staff at North Carolina’s Fayetteville Animal Protection Society arrived to find that a crate has been placed outside their door, covered in a blanket.

In an instant, their hearts sank.

“Our first thought was, ‘Oh no, not another case of irresponsible pet ownership,’” Jackie Peery, executive director of the shelter, told The Dodo. “We were bracing for an accidental litter dumped at our doorstep due to not spaying/neutering, or someone moving and not willing to bring their pet.”

Inside the crate was indeed a litter of bouncy puppies. But there was more.

“Then we saw the note,” Peery said. “It was a moment of pure awe.”

As the note explained, this wasn’t an act of abandonment.

It was an act of love.

The letter reads as follows:

“Please help! I found these puppies sadly after noticing a local stray dog that I would often feed when I could, dead by the road. She had been hit by a car. I knew from feeding her that she had puppies somewhere and after searching where I would usually see her I found them. I’m sorry for leaving them like this but I myself am homeless and cannot afford to care for them …”

“My heart shatters for them and their mother. I just want them to be given the chance their mother, like myself, was never given. Please do not think poorly of me but it felt wrong leaving them alone in the cold waiting on a mother that would not be coming home. Sincerely, nameless man.”

He’d saved them.

Reading the note, Peery was stunned.

“This nameless man made it his mission to find these puppies to ensure their safety,” she said. “He remains a mystery — our very own nameless hero.”

Meanwhile, the puppies he rescued are now thriving, thanks to him.

“When they first arrived, you could tell they weren’t in the best shape. But now, it’s a whole different story,” Peery said. “It’s like they understand they’ve been given a second chance and are just soaking up all the love and joy.”

In time, Peery has no doubt that each of the puppies will be adopted into loving homes. But she hopes the unnamed hero will make himself known so he can be the recipient of the same sort of kindness he’s shown.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he comes forward,” Peery said. “There’s a whole community here ready to support him just as I have supported these puppies. It would be wonderful to thank him in person and perhaps even help him in return.”

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I am almost lost for words that this event, that was written in 2024, is so beautiful.

Are there any persons who would like to adopt a puppy? Because I want to leave you with the address, email address and contact telephone number for the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society.

Email address: info@fapspet.org

The address is 3927 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303.

The telephone number is +1 910 864-9040.

Thank you, Stephen!

This IS a rescue story.

A woman who knew no bounds when it came to rescuing three large dogs.

This is such a beautiful account of Veronica Shea taking action, and personal risks, to provide, firstly trust, and then love for Princess George, Grace and Steve, as they were named. The story was published on The Dodo.

Please read for yourself.

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Woman Visits Mountain Every Day To Convince Huge Dogs To Let Her Rescue Them

“They couldn’t be touched. They couldn’t be leashed. They were just terrified.”

By Elizabeth Claire Alberts

Published on the 26th October, 2023

In 2020, Veronica Shea was out hiking with her dog in the Angeles National Forest in California, when she spotted something strange moving ahead of them.

“We whip around the curve, and I look over and there was this huge black thing,” Shea told The Dodo. “He went up the side of a cliff.”

Veronica Shea

Shea followed the furry animal and came face to face with three malnourished dogs alone in the wilderness. Realizing the dogs had been abandoned, she knew she had to help them. Every day for several weeks, Shea trudged up the mountain to feed the dogs and work on gaining their trust.

Veronica Shea

Slowly, the dogs got used to her and even began eating out of her hand. But Shea had no idea how to get them off the mountain. If she trapped one dog, would the others flee? She knew she couldn’t do it alone.

Veronica Shea

When she asked for help, a whole team of rescuers stepped forward. Together, they carried equipment up the mountain and put together a makeshift cage. The rescuers carefully lured the dogs inside and carried them down the mountain.

The three dogs —mastiffs named Princess George, Grace and Steve, who are believed to be siblings — were safe now. But they still had a long journey ahead.

Veronica Shea

The rescuers approached Cheri Wulff Lucas, a well known dog behaviorist and trainer in California, to see if she could help the nervous dogs learn to trust again.

“They weren’t adoptable the way they came,” Lucas told The Dodo. “They couldn’t be touched. They couldn’t be leashed. They were just terrified.”

Princess George, Grace and Steve responded well to Lucas’ training. Still, they continued to have a “very strong startle reflex,” said Lucas. This made it difficult to find them the perfect home.

“It was going to take a very special home for them to go into because they’re not the kind of dogs that are going to go to the dog park,” Lucas said. “Even walking them on city streets would be a lot for them. And if they do spook, they weigh 125 pounds, so [they would be] very hard to contain.”

But Lucas knew the dogs were safe on her own property.

“I’m out in the middle of nowhere,” Lucas said. “There’s no traffic around here. You can’t even see another home from here. So if they did get out, they would just come back here to me.”

Veronica Shea

While Lucas never planned on keeping the dogs herself, that’s exactly what she ended up doing. This turned out to be the best decision for everyone. Princess George, Grace, and Steve continued to live in a safe and supportive environment. And Lucas discovered that the dogs could help her with her work as a trainer.

“If I get dogs that needs socialization — to be more familiar and less reactive with other dogs — I use my pack to help rehabilitate them,” Lucas said. “And all three of them are highly social with dogs. They know how to smell properly, how to not overpower the dog that needs the socialization. They’re just flawless. And that’s not something I taught them — they came that way.”

Veronica Shea

The threesome were particularly helpful when Lucas started working with another dog named Andi, who was rescued from a hoarding case.

“She had lived in a pen for seven years without human touch or being leashed or anything and she was terrified,” Lucas said. “They just came in and really made her feel comfortable. It was really sweet to see. They brought her around in a way that I never could as a human.”

Lucas ended up adopting Andi as well, bringing her personal pack of dogs to 12.

Princess George, Grace and Steve have been living with Lucas now for over three years, and they’re completely different dogs now.

“They’re incredibly playful,” Lucas said. “If you came to my house and did not know their backstory, you would think they were like any other dog.”

Lucas describes George as a “couch potato” who loves hanging around the house and socializing with the other dogs. Steve is the one who likes to play endless games of “chase” out in the yard. Grace remains a bit timid, but she shares a very close relationship with Steve.

“They’re pets — they’re really pets now,” she said. “They’re not cases for me anymore.”

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Lucas sums it up perfectly in that last sentence; “They’re pets – they’re really pets now,“

Lucas reminds me of Jean for when we first met, in December 2007, Jean had more than twenty dogs at home, all rescues, and led to me publishing my first book in 2009: Learning from Dogs.

Just a wonderful video of a dog rescue

Perfect for the last day of November, 2023!

It is also Jean’s birthday and a happy day all round.

I saw this three minute video yesterday and just had to share it with you all!

I saw it first on The Dodo but then I found it was also on YouTube which is much easier from my blogging point of view.

It is amazing what one sees on the road!

This is an account of an Amazon delivery driver!

This story was originally published on The Dodo and I thought it would make a brilliant share with you all. Here it is!

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Amazon Delivery Driver Spots The Weirdest-Looking ‘Dog’ Trotting Toward His Truck

“This is so funny, what the heck” 😂
By Caitlin Jill Anders

Published on the 24th August, 2023

An Amazon delivery driver named Erik was out delivering packages as usual when he noticed someone furry walking in front of his truck. He figured it was a dog coming to say hi, which happens to him a lot on his route. He was getting excited to greet the dog and see if he’d ever met this one before — then suddenly realized he wasn’t a dog at all.

When the animal made it to the door of his truck, Erik realized the friendly neighbor was actually a goat.

Erik and the goat stood watching each other for a few seconds, both assessing the situation. Then, the goat decided Erik was friendly and climbed on the truck, greeting Erik just like a dog would. Erik couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

“This is so funny, what the heck,” Erik said in a video about the encounter.

The goat jumped up onto Erik to say hi and even stuck his little tongue out. He was wearing a collar and a leash, which made Erik think this kind of thing probably happens a lot.

A TikTok user who has goats commented, “[T]hat bell means he’s the problem goat.”

Luckily, using the leash, Erik was able to lead the friendly goat back to where he came from. He was glad it didn’t turn into a neighborhood-dog-who-wouldn’t-leave-his-truck, which has happened to him before.

Erik didn’t expect to see a goat during his shift that day, but now he hopes it’ll happen again.

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There were three videos inserted in the original, all from TikTok, but I chose not to include them. If you want to watch them then please go here.

However, it is a delightful story!