The never ending rescue

I wrote these articles last year. They were supposed to be published, but the magazine flipped it’s lid. I thought I would share anyways.

The Beginning Journey

Hunger pains wrenching, the cold piercing enough to make a polar bear
shiver, scared, not understanding why left and abandoned. This is just a
very small description of how an animal feels being left at a shelter or
abandoned on the street. Unfortunately, everyone has seen a stray, hungry
animal or witnessed an abusive case of animal neglect. It is saddening.
The question then becomes what action will one take to make a change, to
make a difference in a little life. For me it was never a question even
as a child rescuing strays and helping them find a home to now being apart
of an amazing animal rescue. Animals always a first love in my life, I
somehow knew I would become apart of something bigger, I wanted to be in
that small few that took action to make change and not just talked about
it. So it began eight years ago with rescuing my first two dogs, Ansli
and Conrad. Ansli was rescued at three months from a Nashville Animal
Shelter. My first shelter experience-seeing her so sad and alone, I knew
she needed me. Little did I know how much I would need her in my life.
Two months later, unexpectedly, Conrad would join our family. He was
found in deplorable conditions, he lived next to my friend, Courtney. He
was only three months and already roaming the rough neighborhoods, getting
beat up by the bigger dogs. Courtney couldn’t stand it any longer so she
called me. We found him that frigid, winter day in a bucket filled with
ice and water, he was so sick. We asked the house where he belonged if we
could have him, luckily, she said yes. I took my last 300 dollars in my
savings and took Conrad to the vet. My life has never been the same since,
these two throughout the years bringing such joy to my life, opening my
eyes to a whole new way of seeing things, making my world all about dogs.

A few years later we moved to Los Angeles, feeling restless, I still knew
there was something more to achieve than just existing. I felt like there
was something I could contribute whether it be photographing animals for
rescues or walking dogs, but it was overwhelming with where to begin.
Late nights I would find myself looking at shelter websites, rescue sites,
craigslist. Looking at all the dogs, especially the shelter dogs that
faced death, I would cry for hours. However, I knew my tears weren’t
going to change anything, so I wanted to find a rescue I could volunteer
with. When I was looking at craigslist I kept seeing these flyers of the
most sad, heart wrenching photos and stories of dogs that needed urgent
help-posted by Nikki and the Dogs. She was the one I wanted to help, so
nervously I emailed her asking if she needed help. She wrote me back
enthusiastic that someone would want to help her, she was a one-woman
team, and help was appreciated. She let me start out by walking a couple
dogs she had in boarding. We just clicked, that same week we became
rescue partners and my life has never been the same.

The Rescue

Two years ago, December 2005 became very busy. The beginning of a small
yet powerful rescue, our name became The Mutt Scouts-scouting out mutts,
the underdog and helping them find homes. Nikki had been doing rescue
alone years before I joined her, when I came along she already had four
dogs in her care; two in boarding and two at her house. Not wanting to
overload ourselves physically and financially we focused on photographing
and networking shelter dogs. Both Nikki and I are photographers so as
often as we weren’t working our day jobs we were at the shelter taking
photographs, getting to know the dogs, making fancy flyers and networking
them to other rescues and independent people. We have taken thousands of
pictures and worked countless hours networking, the reward is that these
animals find good homes. However, being at the shelter so often is not
easy. Gazing upon hopeful eyes, hearing whaling cries and seeing them
reach out with their paw trying to touch you, pulling you close so they
can feel wanted and love, if for only for that moment. There are many
rescues out there pulling or networking different types of dogs from pit
bulls to poodles. We fall for the underdogs, the older ones, and the one
eyed mongrels, the ones that might get passed by because they are quite or
have a medical condition. The ones that most likely will not have a
chance, we see their beauty, their potential, their need for love and
attention. We have rescued many dogs, we have limits, but most of the
time we go above and beyond that. It can be difficult when there is a
need for medication, food, medical and training. Through our network
community we have been able to fundraise for needed surgeries, but some of
the time, expenses can be out of pocket. We try to keep expenses down in
that we foster our own dogs, which is actually a benefit in that we get to
know the personalities of the animal, their quirks, like and dislikes.
They are able to socialize in a pack and social settings; although time
consuming, this makes for a better-rounded dog especially when meeting
potential adopters.
Last year Jf joined our rescue, which has been such an asset to both
Nikki and I, for fostering dogs and being another person to help with the
adoption process and all the other details. We are a tight knit group,
which is needed in this industry. There is a lot of strain emotionally
and physically in dealing with each aspect of the rescue from the very
beginning process of seeing the dog at the shelter, the actual rescue to
the rehabilitation of medical or training to finding the best home.
Depending on the animal this could take a couple weeks or a few months.
The process can be long and tiring but forgotten when we receive a happy
family portrait and update of how happy and grateful everyone is to have
found each other.
There has been a lot of growth the last two years as a rescue group, but
there was a restless feeling for change. A change to make a bigger
difference in the animal world, so a new journey has begun for a short
time. Our goal is to have a small animal sanctuary for the disabled, the
old, and the unwanted animals-not just limited to dogs, but all animals.
We will continue to rescue and network as we always have just on a
slightly larger level. We needed more room to train, board and
rehabilitate. So we have spread out for a while to gain the resources to
buy our sanctuary. Jf will stay in Los Angeles as our west coast contact
and Nikki and I will venture to a new land where we can house, help,
rehabilitate and find homes for all types of animals, but have the room if
needed for them to stay as well. There is much excitement for this new
excursion, however, the journey getting there is hard work, but without
saying…worth it in every way.

Making a Difference

Many people ask us how they can be apart of helping the animals, however,
many say they could never go into a shelter; I was actually one of those
people. The shelter experience is not for the faint of heart, however, I
wanted to make a difference, so somehow you just deal with it. The
conditions in most shelters are not glamorous on any level. However, if
going into the shelter is not something you can cope with, there are so
many other ways to help. Most people in rescue are truly grateful for any
kind of help offered, through walking or socializing dogs to helping out
at adoption fairs. If you want to start out rescuing, volunteer to see
how things work. Gain an understanding of everything from financial
obligations, dealing with dogs with issues to finding best homes for the
animals. If you want to rescue dogs yourself, it is so important to keep
your limits in check concerning how many dogs you can rescue. I have seen
many rescuers go beyond their means and have problems with aggression in
the dog or medical that cannot be afforded. I was fortunate enough to
have found someone that has years of rescue knowledge and she knows people
with years beyond hers; knowledge and insight are important in rescue.
However, I started with only knowing I wanted to help animals beyond that
I didn’t know mange from parvo, but I used every resource I could find to
educate myself on rescue, from training and nutrition to fundraising and
better ways to network shelter dogs.

The Way Home

Gandhi said, “ Be the change you want to see in the world”. There were
times that I would get upset looking at the bigger picture of all the
shelter animals and strays, that what we did would never be enough,
because there would always be another dog to take the place of the one
rescued. Nikki would always say “ we do what we can, even if it is only
one dog, it makes a difference to that dog.” I found comfort in that
statement, realizing that nothing was too small if you are helping someone
else. Volunteering your time or making a contribution to help a shelter
or rescue is an event that will change you, because you are helping to
save lives and that is nothing small.