A very old stray {The Old Fella Story}

[Dixie_Flyer]

Went camping this weekend at a campground on the lake, had not been there for a few years. Once there I began to walk around looking at the different sites when I noticed a very old dog. He just lay there until I got too close then he got up on three legs and hobbled away. Just judging I would say he is at least 11 years old. Well back to my story. The next afternoon he wanders into camp and just sits there looking. He looked so sad, so the wife got a bowl of our dog's food and put it down for him and he came over and ate. He then walked over to our dog and the two of them sniffed each other over and then they lay down together for the rest of the afternoon. That night he disappeared.
The next morning he was back and was a little more receptive of me. I looked at his injured leg and found that half of his rear foot was gone. It had healed and was not causing any problem except that he was walking on the stub that was left with no foot pad which causes him to limp. His front teeth were gone except for one canine tooth and it looked decayed. His eyes were tired looking and showing his age. He spent the rest of the day just laying around looking for a handout and by afternoon the campground host came around and saw him. I enquired about the dog and was told he had been there for three years and that most of the campers were tolerant of him and gave him food.
So what to do? Do you pick him up and bring him home or do you let nature take it course. He can't harm anyone, he has no teeth and he isn't a nuisance unless you don't like dogs, and no one seems to mind him being there. He is gentle and likes other animals as seen by his interaction with our dog. He still would not let me touch him but he would eat from my hand. Enough said, what would you do???

On June 28th 2008 Old Fella passed away of complications caused by bone cancer. Fella spent almost three years with his new family and became the icon of rescued old stray dogs. He will be greatly missed but his foot prints have been left in our hearts forever.

Now Charlie, the ten year old rescued Golden Lab has come to be a part of the continuing Old Fella story. (*Note, Charlie took his journey to Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly September 30, 2008)Suzie continues to charm her way into our hearts with her antics as she has grown from a puppy into a young lady. Togther they will carry on the Old Fella legacy. Come join us in their daily lives and be a part of the best feel good thread in RV.NET history. The legacy lives on.


HIghways Article Puppy Love

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning. We are getting some much needed rain. The girls don't like it but they went outside and took care of business anyway. The coffee sure is good this morning. Maybe because its rainy weather and stormy looking outside and I can sit inside at the table and enjoy looking out the window. Izzie is running through the the house like he is upset about something. That is what he usually does when something isn't to his liking. The girls just leave him alone when he gets like this and most likely that is a good idea.

Today I don't have much planned. There is a Georgia football game on this afternoon that is going to get my attention as they play Tennessee. I hope it continues to rain all day as that will give me an excuse to stay inside and watch the game without feeling guilty.

Sue's birthday is tomorrow and we will get together with the girls for lunch to celebrate. The weather person just said we can expect this weather to last all day.:B

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning. The girls are doing fine and ready for a walk. I am fine and ready to go take a nap.:Z

Sue had an exciting day yesterday with someone trying to pull a scam on her business. She and Ava got it handled. Boy did I get an education about mother and daughter sticking together. The old saying about blood is thicker than water, well let me tell you, I don't want two women coming after me at the same time especially a mother daughter tag team.

The day is going to be nice with cool temps and cloudy skies. Mama is doing okay but still having a hard time in the mornings getting around. Suzie is her usual self just full of mischief, looking for something to get into while Hobo is trying to stay out of harm's way. Peaches is waiting for me to go take a shower so she can go into the bathroom with me. Okay I need to go, talk with you later.

[Dixie_Flyer]

We have decided to go to Myrtle Beach in October. So we won't be going through Atlanta neither will we have to travel Interstate 85 south.

[Dandy_Dan]

Richard, If you don't want to take I-85, you are welcome to come north a few miles. Might not be able to supply the sewer aspect as you can but you are always welcome. If the card doesn't get there prior to Sunday, please give Sue a big Hug from us on this end.

[Dashonthedash]

I-85 may be the worst in the Southeast, but it sure ain't the worst in the East. I grew up in Philly, and still have nightmares about the Schuylkill ("Surekill") Expressway. It hasn't gotten any better, but now it has a cross-town rival, the Delaware Expressway (I-95), which opened when I was a kid. I dread the trip from the airport every time I visit relatives.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Looks as if you have dinner on the hoof roaming around your back yard Gary. We have a lot of deer in our area but they only come out at night or just before sun rise. Elk have been stocked in the Smoky Mountains that can bee seen on the drive from Cherokee, NC to Gatlinburg, TN. Here in the Piedmomnt area we have White Tail deer that are in abundance. We also have a lot of Wild Turkey in the area. We have a group that hangs around the fields close to the house that you can see sometimes early in the morning or late in the evening.


The fur gang continues to enjoy themselves with Mama having good days and bad days. The weather is turning into fall as the nights and days get cooler. The fire ants are busy building nest everywhere. I have never seen them so active. I ought the Fire Ant grandules to spread out on and around the nest and they love it! It hasn't bothered them in the least.

I have been looking at different places to go camping and just can't settle on anything. I know we need to go to Blakely, Georgia to visit Robin but it is 325 miles from here and you have to go through Atlanta on Interstate 85 which is the worst section in the South East to travel. When we lived in Waynesboro you traveled on Interstate 20 through Atlanta and it wasn't any trouble at all. You just zipped right through without a problem, but 85 is the worst I have ever seen as far as stop and go on the interstate and people traveling 90mph switching lanes without regard of safety.

Oh well I will figure it out, have a nice day and I will talk with you later.

[SGTJOE]

Nice pic Gary. Need to borrow my bow?

[Uppercrust]

Wow!

[dogdiva]

WOW

[Dashonthedash]

Just got this picture from my back door. He is huge and has a harem to match:


BTW, the white stuff on the ground is hail, not snow. Not yet.

[dogdiva]

Politicans.................................UGHHHHH

[SGTJOE]

That's too bad. Right now times are a little rough everywhere. Calif had three cities declare bankruptsy. Hope they go with the plan for next July. Your folks back in Waynesboro have really put a lot of blood, sweat and tears in the Old Fella Program, it would be sad to see it all go by the wayside.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Not so good news from Waynesboro about the county helping Old Fella. What was supposed to be a done deal is now in question because of the hospital situation and the county having to come up with five million dollars to get it out of debt.


Old Fella offers compromise on animal control contract




By Anne Marie Kyzer

annemariek@thetruecitizen.com

They’re hoping to meet in the middle, or at least in the third quarter.

Members of Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue have offered a compromise to commissioners in hopes of getting some sort of animal control established in the county in the coming year.

Earlier this year, the group proposed to provide all facets of animal control services under an annual contract of $175,000.


But commissioners, still not knowing what funding might be needed at the hospital, have shied away from establishing a new county service and weren’t likely to raise taxes to do it.

However, the county has property it is willing to provide for the animal shelter, including land and a vacant church building located near the county’s landfill on Clarks Place Road. While Old Fella representatives said the offer is helpful, the building does them no good without the funds to operate the shelter.

“We understand about the issues with the money,” Old Fella’s Jodi Pope said. “We are willing to work with you and feel that it’s imperative to start this year. The offer of the building and the land are very generous. But with the overhead, we can’t take the county up on that offer without a contract.”

So, Old Fella is proposing a plan that would take their contract price down to $43,750 by putting their start date off until the third quarter of the fiscal year, or next July. The plan would allow the county to phase in animal control instead of fully funding it in the first year.

“When we found out the county didn’t have enough money this year, we tried to come up with different alternatives,” Pope explained.

Commission vice chairman Henry Tinley said it was an option worth considering.

Until now, Old Fella has operated as a volunteer organization, depending on grants and donations to operate as a rescue. They transport many animals out-of-state to adoptive homes, organize a foster home program and also manage a spay-neuter program. Commissioners have allocated $5,000 toward the spayneuter program for the past three years and propose to continue this year.

Chairman Wayne Crockett said commissioners will likely decide whether they’ll agree to a revised contract at their last budget workshop, which is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m.

They had hoped to pass a budget for the fiscal year before it begins Oct. 1, but that’s not possible now.

Once they approve a budget, it must be advertised for two weeks before it’s official.
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[dogdiva]

Mama looks good Her eyes are bright and full of life Hope she can drop a few more pounds....I sure need to drop some weight.. since i banged up my knee i havent been walking much

[Dixie_Flyer]

We have been for our walk thisorning. Mama was bringing up the rear limping as she walked. Either her right front leg is bothering her or her shoulder. She is resting now so I hope she will feel better after a while.



She is such a sweetheart and will endure the pain just to be included in the family activities. She reminds me of Fella when he was in pain but wanted so much to go where ever we went. When he couldn't walk with us and we bought the red wagon for him to ride in he enjoyed that so much. I can still see him with his head held high as we pulled him through the neighborhoods of Waynesboro.