Delta Gets a New Leash on Life

Delta didn't start out as Delta. At first she was called Lucy, a frisky yellow lab that followed me while I was walking near the Delta Reservations center one day. Skinny and collar-less, she looked like she had been lost a long time. Worried that she might get hit by car, I decided to try and coax her back to my building, which was about a mile away.

Fortunately a painter was working on a house nearby and lent me a nylon strap so I could use it as a leash and get her safely across a very busy intersection. The local police rolled up at that point and told me he had seen her roaming for most of the day and she was new to the neighborhood. He offered a ride, and while some women like men in uniforms, Lucy isn't one of them. She wasn't about to get in the patrol car with this guy, so we continued our journey on foot.

The police stopped by again, this time with several cans of Vienna sausages for Lucy from the local convenience store. Juggling the treats, a bucking pup, and my cellphone was no easy task, but we made it back to Delta Headquarters in one piece. The guards at the gate seemed a little surprised that I had picked up a companion, but didn't ask for her i.d. and waved us through. After wrestling this 60 pound bundle of energy into the car, I took Lucy home with me, and that's when the fun began.

Being an animal lover (as you can probably tell), I already had a full house with 3 dogs and 5 cats. I couldn't take another dog in permanently, but I could try and find a home for her. The fates were working against us, however. It was the end of the year when most people were enjoying the holidays and not looking for a dog to adopt, especially an older one. The shelters were full and not taking in any new residents. I wasn't panicked yet -- but I soon would be.

Having worked with many rescue groups across the country after Katrina, I had a long list of people I could contact who might possibly help. We frequently ship dogs out of the South to other areas of the country that do not have the homeless pet problem we have here. I contacted every single group I knew, and some I didn't know, and no luck. Lucy's prospects were looking pretty grim.

In the meantime, Lucy was not the grateful guest you would expect after being rescued from the streets. As soon as I brought her home, I let her run outside in my fenced back yard, and she immediately started climbing the fence to get out. Uh-oh, flight risk. She never went outside again without a leash.

My pets are very accepting of just about anything that walks in the door, so I knew they wouldn't have a problem with Lucy. This was not a reciprocal agreement, however. If anyone even looked in the direction of her food or rawhide, she quickly put them in their place. Buster, my dog with a death wish, would routinely steal Lucy's rawhide as soon as we left for a walk. How he hauled a bone as long as he was into his favorite chair, I'm not sure, but it's a good thing Lucy never caught him.

Not trusting her alone with the rest of my crew, I made the mistake of leaving her in a bedroom while I went to lunch with a friend. In just 2 hours, she managed to chew the side of a desk, some woodwork, a wooden blind, and was working on the comforter. Lucy would make the Dog Whisperer throw in the towel. At that point I gave up and packed her in the car for a trip to a shelter that will keep animals until they are adopted.

I had donated lots of time and money to this organization and thought surely they would help me out. I went there with Lucy to plead my case, while she was quaking in fear. They refused to take her, so I ended up packing her back into the car and driving home. At this point, I had pretty much run out of hope. We were stuck with each other, at least for awhile.

Despite her mischievousness, Lucy did earn her keep one morning. On one of our daily o'dark-hundred walks (she's an early riser), we were headed down a street and I heard someone say "hey baby". At this hour of the morning, the only people you usually run into are fellow dog walkers and runners, and they usually don't greet you with "hey baby". Lucy knew something was up and wasn't about to lose her meal ticket. She started barking with a fury that would wake the dead -- along with everyone on the street. She made her point, and the pair took off running. It was tempting to let her off leash so she could go after them, but they'd already had enough of a scare for one day. Very proud of herself, she pranced all the way home.

What to do with this dog? In desperation, I made one last call that was going to be a long shot. I had read a story several months earlier, about a prison in Colorado that takes in rescues and companion animals and trains them. I called the manager of the program and explained the situation and asked (begged!) her to take Lucy into the program. She said she'd give it some thought. In the meantime, she called my vet, where Lucy had day boarded for free, and they vouched for her. Lucy was fine with people, and with a little socialization, she could be a good citizen. The Colorado Prison finally agreed to take Lucy. I was so thrilled, I booked her on the next available Delta flight before they could change their mind!

Though Lucy was a handful, we bonded over the month that she lived with me. She was a sweet, loyal dog that was going to make a great companion for some lucky family. It was very hard to send her off, but I knew this was best for her. And my house could return to normal again.

On a chilly January morning, we drove to the Delta Air Cargo facility for the flight to her new home. I was like a nervous mother making sure her crate door was secure and her sedative for the long flight was kicking in. Lucy was taking this all in stride and was ready for a new chapter in her life. I tracked her progress online to be sure she was loaded on the right flight and that she arrived safely at the cargo center in Denver. Her chauffeur from the Denver prison called me as soon as she picked up Lucy to let me know she was okay, although a little surprised at all the white stuff on the ground in Denver.

Since there were already a lot of Lucys in the program, she was renamed Delta, Colorado Inmate #881. Delta adjusted quickly to her life behind bars and was happy to have a steady stream of affection and 2 squares a day. She bonded quickly with her new handler. Once she completed her training, she was ready for adoption. Her profile was posted to the adoption site and described her as "charismatic, very gentle, with loyalties that run deep". Some lucky family appreciated those qualities, and she rode off with them to her new home.

Dogs can teach you valuable lessons if you are willing to listen, like how to give unconditional love and to revel in the simple joys of life, like a long nap in the warm sun. Delta taught me to have patience. No matter how insurmountable a problem may seem, things always seem to sort themselves out. Wishing you many long naps in the warm sun Delta!

Read the USA Today article about the Colorado Prison Trained K9 Program, "Dogs do time to earn good behavior"

Visit the Colorado Prison site. Click on K-9 Companion

Against All Odds

After several years of working with rescue groups across the country, I realized I needed to take a break from the daily drama of so many needy, homeless animals. One day as I was walking by a neighborhood message center, a flyer caught my eye. As I stopped to read the poster, it jogged my memory about a news story I had heard in passing several weeks before. A dog had been dragged behind a truck, and after the rope slipped from his neck, he was pulled to safety by a woman following the truck. Battling for his life, the pup was taken to a nearby veterinary hospital. The flyer was posted by a local rescue group trying to raise funds to pay for his spiraling veterinary care. At first I thought, 'no, I'm not going to get involved', and then I thought 'there's no way I can't get involved'. This is another one of the it-takes-a-village-type stories.


Nicknamed "Sparky", for his ineffable personality and indomitable will to live, this plucky pup became a frequent news item in the local media. Because of the severity of his wounds, every day was a struggle between life and death. He would not be out of the woods for some time, so a web site kept everyone updated on his day-to-day progress between news stories. A very generous patron even donated a billboard near where the incident happened, in the hopes that whoever did this could be brought to justice.

The veterinary clinic, where Sparky spent many months in recovery, thought that he would need skin grafts to close the largest wounds. Sparky surprised everyone when the wounds healed on their own, and he was pronounced fit for adoption. There was no shortage of people who wanted to give the little guy a home. After an exhaustive review of potential adopters, Sparky rode off with his new owner.

Sparky became the official spokesdog for Atlanta Pet Rescue, which sponsored his rescue and recovery. His new owner attended their annual fundraiser, where Sparky was the focal point of the event. An artist had donated a painting of Sparky in his festive surgical socks. I bid well beyond my budget on the painting. I figured if I couldn't have Sparky, at least I'd have his painting. My bid was left in the dust as the bidding quickly accelerated to a winning bid of $5,000. The winner, as he was accepting his prize, called Sparky's new owner up to the stage and presented the painting to him. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Some would question why so much money and effort was spent on one dog when there are so many other needy pets. Sparky is the poster dog for all those other less fortunate animals, and he has helped build awareness of the need to take a firm stand against animal cruelty and prosecute those responsible.

If you would like to make a donation in Sparky's honor to help other homeless and injured pets, or read about his amazing recovery against all odds, click on the following Atlanta Pet Rescue link: http://www.atlantapetrescue.org/www_ver2/sparky.htm

It Takes a Village to Save a Stray

Our neighborhood is very pet-oriented, and you will always see people walking their pets or headed to the park to play with them. One very cold winter, a bedraggled Chow mix started roaming the area. Many tried to coax him into their cars or try and get him to come to them, but he would always shy away.

After weeks of trying catch him, we set up a central command post with me as Mission Control. Several volunteers drove around the neighborhood routinely to try and find him, while others set up feeding stations and a shelter. I would get daily calls and emails of sightings of the Chow we nicknamed "Travis", who found a way to cross very busy city streets and frequently showed up in adjacent neighborhoods a mile away.

But Travis always ended up back in Peachtree Hills. With temperatures in the single digits and desperate to try and catch him, we expanded our circle of help to include Animal Control, rescue groups, a dog whisperer, and even the neighborhood vet for advice on how to bring Travis in. Once he was captured, a temporary and long term housing solution were lined up until a permanent home could be found.

Travis eventually was captured by Animal Control. Once he was examined by their vet, Travis, sadly, was found to have a heart worm condition that was beyond treatment. Travis was already suffering from congestive heart failure, and heart worm treatment would hasten his untimely end. It was a heartbreaking moment, but the collective decision was that the most humane thing to do was to put Travis to sleep, rather than let him suffer an agonizing death.

But Travis' spirit lives on. Since Travis loved to roam our neighborhood so much, a Japanese Maple will be planted at the entrance to the neighborhood in his memory with the hope that he is finally at peace.

How to Find the Right Dog Breed for Your Lifestyle

Most of my dogs that have wandered into my life were strays, so I have never given much thought to finding a dog that fit my lifestyle. I guess I've adapted my lifestyle to accommodate them. If you are looking for a new addition to your family, it is a good idea to research the different types of dog breeds and be familiar with their personality type, energy level, and care requirements. Doing the research up front will help you determine if the dog will be a good fit with your family and can prevent having to deal with behaviour problems or finding the dog another home.

Some breeds are high maintenance and require regular grooming or lots of exercise. If your schedule doesn't permit enough free time to properly care for a particular type of dog, you may want to consider a different breed. The Animal Planet web site has a fun, 10-question survey that will help you identify what breed may be best suited to your situation. It also has a Dog Breed Directory that lists characteristics for each breed.

Out of curiosity, I completed the survey and had a 99% match with a Canaan, which is a herding dog. Ironically, I've owned mostly large herding dogs, but lately the strays that have have been showing up on my doorstep are getting more diminutive with each addition. The latest is a Chihuahua/Boston Terrier mix. Even the cats are bigger than he is.

If you are considering a pure-bred dog, check out the rescue groups that place breed-specific animals that have been given up for adoption. A local veterinarian or animal shelter should be able to provide you with a list of the groups in your area. If you decide to use a breeder, be sure to verify that they are a reputable operation. Some breeders, who breed strictly for profit, may not keep the animals in a humane environment, or breed without any concern for latent medical problems which can result in expensive vet bills down the road.

So do yourself and the dog a favor and know what you are in for before you choose a new pet. And consider giving a rescued dog a second chance at a better life.

To use the Animal Planet Dog Breed Selector or to access its Dog Breed Directory, click on the following link: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do

Financial resources for pet rescues

A friend in rescue passed along this list that may be helpful to someone. It is a list of organizations that can help owners that cannot afford vet care, for rescue organizations, or those adopting homeless pets with life-threatening illneses. I am not personally familiar with any of these organizations, except one. I received a small grant from United Animal Nations Lifeline program when I adopted Buster, a Katrina survivor with stage 3 heartworm. Lifeline paid the grant directly to the animal hospital who was treating Buster.

American Animal Hospital Association
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home/
"The heartbreak happens all too often a pet owner is unable to afford treatment and their sick or injured companion animal pays the price. If the owner is elderly, disabled or on a fixed income, the cost ofcare may be too much of a stretch for their pocketbook."

Angels 4 Animals
http://www.Angels4Animals.org
"Angels4Animals, a non-profit organization and a program of Inner Voice Community Services, has a mission to serve as the guardian angel of animals whose caretakers find themselves in difficult financialsituations."

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/
"The NEED & The HELP: Seniors, People with disabilities, People who havelost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any ofthese folks may need financial assistance to save a belovedcompanion."

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html
"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the workingpoor. For lonely seniors, physically/mentally challenged individuals andchildren of working parents, pets represent much more than a diversion."

IMOM http://www.imom.org
"Mission Statement: Helping people help pets. To better the lives of sick, injured andabused companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companionanimal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged."

Maddie's Fund
http://www.maddiesfund.org/index.html

The Pet Fund
http://thepetfund.com/
"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association thatprovides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who needurgent veterinary care."

United Animal Nations
http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html
"The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and immediate emergency veterinary care."

Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:
Corgi Aid http://www.corgiaid.org/

HandicappedPets.com http://www.handicappedpets.com

Labrador Lifeline http://www.labradorlifeline.org/success/2005-abbey.htm

LabMed Rx For Rescued Labs http://www.labmed.org/aid_main.html