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]

Ryan Tia is a beautiful puppy. As far as the kids teasing her. Sit on them and tickle their bare feet with a feather!

[Code2High]

Kids teasing Tia? Pull their shoes off and let her loose.... :B :B

[bonniesoo]

My oh my....what great pics of Fella & Tia. She is a real beauty and quite a ham for the camera.

[CindyNRoger]

Thanks for the pictures of Tia! What a beauty. She is sitting there like she owns the world. She looks GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[W7SFO]

My big issue was the kids teasing Tia. Then they finally wanted to know what happened to her leg. They got the whole story. Many of the adults could not believe what this lil lady has been through. And that it all happed because of one "old fella"!

[Dixie_Flyer]

You should have seen them walking Old Fella and Levi around the campground. They were having so much fun and so full of questions. Once they had the story down anyone who ask about the dogs got the full version.

[AFritz01]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
I may need their names. There is a magazine that is interested in the Old Fella Story and I submitted this picture and they loved it.

Sorry but I could not tell you who they are. Burt and jill my friends that were there did not know them. They just said how much fun they had with Ol Fella.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Has anyone heard from Camper Carl and Pattie? I wonder how he is doing. Pattie worked so hard to get Old Fella some media coverage but for some reason it never came together. While we were at Mountaindale campground I had several missed calls on my cell phone but I couldn't call back because the number was listed as restricted.

I could never get in touch with the right people at the station in Denver for the interview. I felt so sorry for Pattie because I know how hard she worked on this. Phil Moyers from KNBC told me she was determined to get someone to give Fella a break. Anyway I hope all is well with them and that Carl is getting well.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I may need their names. There is a magazine that is interested in the Old Fella Story and I submitted this picture and they loved it.

[AFritz01]

I was camping at Cheney State Park in Kansas this past weeekend and was telling some friends of mine about this thread. Burt my friend stopped me and asked me if the dogs name was Ol Fella? With an astonished look on my face I said yes. He then explained to me that he met DF and the gang on the other side of the lake the weekend before. He said that the neighbor kids loved playing with Ol Fella and that DF handed out Rally t-shirts to the kids. I thought what a small world.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Meanwhile in Waynesboro things were getting ready for a rescue. With the encouragement from the folks on the forum a trip to the campground was about to take place. The white truck pulled out of the yard early that morning and headed for the lake shores of South Carolina. Along the way a lot of thinking was going on. Just what am I going to do with this old dog when I catch him? Is he going to put up a fight, is he going to be aggressive? All of these thoughts were going through the mind of the man behind the steering wheel of the white truck as he made his way to the campground. Once there the truck stopped at the gatehouse and the man asked the lady inside if she had seen the old black dog explaining that he had come on a mission of mercy. “I’ve come to take the old black dog to a veterinarian and get him some help.” “Looking astonished the lady said. “Well it’s about time someone did something for that old dog. The last time I saw him he was down at the children’s playground sleeping under the sliding board. I hope you can catch him.” With that the trucked pulled away down the drive in the direction of the children’s playground. Once there a quick glance and no dog. “I wonder where he could be thought the man”. I’ll drive around the campground and see if I can find him.”

Driving slowly through the roads of the campground looking over every campsite the elusive black dog had become invisible. That day Old Fella was taking a walk over to the horse ranch next door hoping to find some food. The handout’s that morning had not been that great so maybe there were some better offerings at the stables. Fella missed being in the right place that morning for an encounter with the would be rescuer. Having covered the entire campground he left to come back another day.

Continued:

[bonniesoo]

Oh my....where's that tissue box again....even though I know this story ...hearing it from Fella's point of view just makes me sooooo sad for him. I'm so glad you rescued him. Please keep writing Richard.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Back at the campground Fella was thinking about some of the things that had happened to him over the years. He was still carrying some shotgun pellets under his skin where he had been shot. Then there was the time he got his foot caught in the steel trap and he lay there for days trying to get out. He believed that was the worse time of his life. He was young and full of energy, exploring the woods was fascinating to him. He had just arrived at the campground with his family for a stop over just for the night. With his folks being busy setting up camp Fella found an opportunity to explore the woods. But waiting in the woods were the jaws of death. When Fella turned up missing a search began in the surrounding area but he could not be found. Having to leave the campground the next morning his family mentioned to the gatekeeper about their missing dog and would call back later to see if he showed up. The gatekeeper told them he would watch out for him as they drove off never to be heard from again. The gate keeper was looking for a healthy black dog with all four feet and a good set of good teeth, little did he realize when Fella began to show himself around the campground in the months ahead that he was the missing dog. Fella was in a lot of pain with the toes of his foot being cut off. It was difficult to get around and with the nerves of the front teeth being exposed where he had chewed the jaws of the steel trap until his lower teeth were worn down to the root canal, his lower and upper front teeth were all broken out he didn’t feel like eating. He was a mess to look at, yet inside was that determination to live. He must find a way to wait for his family to return and rescue him. There was a horse ranch next door that had some dogs and the folks there felt sorry for the old black dog and began to leave food out for him along with their other dogs. Fella understood the way of things and would wait until their dogs had eaten their fill before coming in to find what was left. Fella also found shelter in the horse barn making a bed in the hay staying warm there in the winter when the campground was closed. Those were the hard days of finding enough food to eat. With the campers home for the winter and the campground being closed there would be no begging for food from the campground. His only hope was rummaging through the trash cans at the only food market in the small town and at the dumpster just down the road. Going to the houses in the area was risky business, that’s how he got the birdshot under his skin. Then there was the time he was crossing the road and got hit by a car. He was lucky that he didn’t die from that one, but he received some damage to his hip and already injured leg. Fella thought, most would have given up but his desire was to find his loving family once again and go home.

Going back to his family didn’t seem to be an option now as years had past and if they were coming back surely they would have by now. So Fella began to think about the family he had just met and wondered if they could trusted.

Continued:

[Dixie_Flyer]

Buzz-ette wrote:
Dear Richard and Forum Friends,

Thank you for the t-shirt from the Western Rally and the beautiful card. Attending the Rally in Branson will always be one of my fondest memories. I cannot tell you how often Bill wore the t-shirt from that Rally,including that last trip to the hospital. He told the "Old Fella" story at every opportunity.

Fondly,

Pixie (Buzz-ette)

Pixie you are more than welcome. At the rally you and Bill were mention a often and when it was decided to have the 2008 Rally in Branson how fitting it was to remember you and Bill and all the help you put into making it a success. The T shirt and card was just a small token of our appreciation for all that you and Bill have contributed to the forum and the Old Fella thread. He is greatly missed.

Richard

[Code2High]

Pixie, I hope you know people are thinking of you and hoping you're doing okay. Bill was a good guy, we never met face to face, but you could tell it just reading his posts. He is missed here, though not as much I'm sure as he is in your life.