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

[RommiesMom]

Link to pet pics

Well, I can never get pics in the posts to work so hope this link will work.

Rommie thinks SHE could make Old Fella play...she's gotten lots of dogs at the dog park to give in and play with her.

Most of the cats were rescues as well, of one sort or another. Powdie, the long-haired black one, was adopted the day she was supposed to be put to sleep around 12 years ago. She's licking my fingers as i'm trying to type this...

I get a lot of CBIFOS errors (Cat butt in front of screen)...

[CatandJim]

Quote: come to think of it, it would be cool to just have special rescue bandanas for rescue'd RV pets so you could always tell at a campground who was a specially lucky kitty or dog...
_______________

What a wonderful idea and a great way to promote rescue!! :B

[RommiesMom]

I'm sure I won't be able to make the rally (wish I could) but might I suggest you have a "Parade of Rescues" as part of the festivities (or has this already been suggested?).

Perhaps we should take up a collection to have special bandanas (of course OF's would have to be extra fancy) for all the rescue pets who attend the rally, so you could see just by looking who'd been a rescue...

come to think of it, it would be cool to just have special rescue bandanas for rescue'd RV pets so you could always tell at a campground who was a specially lucky kitty or dog...

[Dixie_Flyer]

Next week we go to Disney and we will be gone November 6th - 12th. We are taking Old Fella and Levi with us. I will be taking pictures of our trip and will post them when we get back.

As I look at Old Fella sleeping at my feet I am so thankful for all that has been accomplished. Sue and I are excited about the rally in Branson and look forward to meeting everyone. I want everyone to see what a gentle soul Old Fella is and how he appreciates all that has been done for him. What has happened has been magical and still amazes me. The people of RV.Net have proven they are a loving and compassionate people. I am excited about the Disney trip and promise to take some good picture to share with you when we get back.

[nifty250]

Thanks for the smile, Richard. :B

[capehank]

How about posting a before and after picture. That would be very interesting to see OF beside himself.

[whimstock]

Rich, when I read your comment about OF's eye shape, I remembered how scared he looked in the first pic. One thing I've thought about lately is how much you have really interacted and enjoyed each other. I wonder how many of us, even here on the "pet threads," always put that much effort, attention and love into our daily interactions with our pets.

You're a wonderful example of this, and also of how well it pays off.

Barbara

[vickiebec]

Go Izzy! I had a big white rescue cat named Too and we we moved into a new neighborhood the neighbor told me his Dalmation wood chase cats. Where low and behold he went over there right away. The neighbor told me he was watching him out the window and the dog started chasing him and too started to run then stopped dead in his tracks, turned around and looked the dog in his eyes as if to say go ahead chase me. Well the dog turned around and went back to the house. My neighbor said we wouldn't have to worry about them again. I had him for eight years, lost him a year and half ago. Still miss him. He use to sleep on my back in bed. Keep up the good work Richard. I would love to take in more cats but my DH says no more.

[robbins1]

My latest rescue kitty is called Pumpkin. At 6 weeks old she was the size of a 4 week old. She's now 12 weeks old and ten feet tall and bullet proof! She can certainly make my dogs sit up and take notice. On the other hand, my 9 year old cat hasn't been anywhere near the kitchen since we brought a puppy home 6 years ago. She's a big old gal,but has no truck with dogs. I agree about the numbers...gotta have at least 2 to have fun. It might be that Izzy reminds Ole Fella how much fun there is to be had. Sounds like Ole Fella is getting younger at heart every day!

~~~ruth~~~

[Chemgoddess1]

I think to get the full enjoyment out of our furkids you have to have 2. Not an evening goes by that I am not laughing from Quincy's and Chloe's antics. I think it helps that they are both goofballs to start.

[Buz2b]

jdreid wrote:
Please keep posting the animal antics - I'm laughing so hard I'm crying! (Someone pass the Kleenex.) I've got cats (rescue) and dogs (rescue) also, and I LOVE to get one over on my cats.:B

Our kitty Pita is like Izzy; just a "small thing" at 22 lbs. Years ago when we had a young Sheppard/Husky mix pup, we used to look out the sliding glass doors to the backyard and see the dog chasing Pita in one direction around the yard. Then you'd blink once and you'd see Pita chasing the dog around in the opposite direction. :B They'd go on like that for several minutes until Pita would get tired and sit up on the top of the fence to torment the pup. Needless to say, we got a lot of laughs with those two.

[lynno62]

So nice to be smiling when reading this thread vrs. crying. Oh how I love the updates.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Happytraveler wrote:
I really don't know to much about cats. Can the cat get away from the dogs without getting hurt.

Believe me this cat can hold his own with any two dogs. He weights 23 pounds and has razor claws and paws the size of a ---- well a 23 pound cat. The dogs really don't mean him any harm, they just love the chase. When Izzie gets enough he stands his ground and the dogs do a causal retreat. What is so funny is, Izzie has had the rule of the house until tonight. But if I know Izzie he is planning something for tomorrow just to get his dignity back.

[Mokie_s_Mama]

Please keep posting the animal antics - I'm laughing so hard I'm crying! (Someone pass the Kleenex.) I've got cats (rescue) and dogs (rescue) also, and I LOVE to get one over on my cats.:B

[Happytraveler]

I really don't know to much about cats. Can the cat get away from the dogs without getting hurt. All I know about cats are my dogs are scaredy cats when it comes to cats. I think their scared of cats, opossums and skunks. How funny two big dogs chasing a cat and can't make it through the doorway.