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

[mistressofdistr]

Meet my new Great Grand Daughter born Saturday night.

[chemisd]

Haven't had time to post - I read that this morning and oh my goodness that was funny! I tried to bookmark it to my favorites, but it didn't work. Guess I will have to figure out another way. I'd love to email her direct just to tell her I loved her story-telling. Thanks for sharing that!!

[fulltimegrams22]

Hi Everyone and especially Old Fella,

I wanted to let you know about this gal named Dawn who was discovered by someone here on RV.net(see link below) who had a funny listing on eBay about her 6 kids and Pokemon Cards. This listing has catapulted her into some real stardom and now she was asked by many followers about her being paid for her great writings. Her response to this was "no, she didn't feel it was right to do that", but she felt maybe having a button for St. Jude on her website would be good for people to donate to. It has spread to Breast Cancer and she also asked for ideas, so I wrote to her regarding Old Fella not knowing whether my post to her would actually be posted to her website. She must approve all messages before posting them and I am pleased to see she did post my comment. Below is the link to the RV.net ebay listing which will take you to her blog link further in and below that is my post to her requesting a possible donation button for Old Fellas Rescue. Let's see if it goes somewhere..

Funny eBay item link

This is what I wrote to Dawn;

Connie said...
You are a very funny gal and with six kids to keep it coming. I am sure you will keep us all in laughter and tears for years to come. I come from a family of six children also. I have four brother and an identical twin sister. I relate to many of your stories since we were all very close together in age. I have two grown children and two grandchildren now and they sure have their antics don't they? I have laughed and cried and read some of these things to my husband and he laughed too.

I found your eBay listing on our RV.Net webiste and here is the Link
to a thread about old fella(A dog) who is well known because he was rescued by a man from the woods. There is quite a following and a book and movie are in the works. There is a foundation setting up for the old fella rescue for unwanted animals to help place these animals in loving homes and for spay and nueter and veterinary services.

I am telling you about this because I thought you might be interested in having a button for donation to this cause as well as St. Jude and Breast Cancer. All charities are needing funding and old fella is needing funding as well since it is new and a startup rescue. The link will take you to the RV.net thread on Old Fella the old dog rescued from the woods, he had heartworm and almost died from the treatment, his foot is missing partly from a trap injury, he was missing most of his teeth and has been loved and cared for and now there are many followers all over the world. It is truly a heartbreaking and tear jerking story of love and compassion for abandoned animals. Will you take a look at it for RV.net your other followers? Thanks from all of us camping friends. Here is another linkit will take you to many other stories about old fella and the works that have happend because of him.

Thanks for your stories and taking the time to read this.

Connie-aka Fulltimegrams22 on RV.net

August 25, 2007 11:50 PM

[RVSnowbird]

Maybe this will help: East Coast Old Fella Rally .Rutherfordton, NC. August 9-12 2007 Page 31

That link is based on 10 posts per page. It will be different if your preferences are set for 20 posts per page.....

RVSnowbird

[Dandy_Dan]

Dixies Mama, There are a lot of pictures on the East Coast Rally thread starting on page 31. I tried to transfer the link over to here but must not have done it right.
Hope all have had a good week. I have been helping our friends try to get their restaurant back up and running after having 20" of water in it. What a mess and a lot of work.

[E_Texan]

Welcome to the Old Fella thread. One thing for sure, be sure you have a couple of boxes of kleenex if you read the whole thread. I've laughed,cried, worried since day one. It's a great real life story.

[mistressofdistr]

MountainBird, the cd's are really nice and thoughtful of you and as I told you at the rally I will be sending a small donation to Old Fella's cause in Waynesboro, and hopefully others will also as you would not accept payment for the time, trouble and expense of making these cd's.

Hoping to meet up with you and Ericka again in Branson if not before.

Mistressofdistress

[chemisd]

Welcome chengsamantha! Yes, you will indeed need to do some catching up. It is a story well worth the read. There are now rallys planned around Old Fella as he has been called. There is also the Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue - all in the name of the rescued dog! It is a great story and one that I read at least 2times per day! Many friendships have been made and many more will come, so welcome, friend!

[Dashonthedash]

Welcome to the Forum and the Old Fella thread, chengsamantha. Sometime when you have a free week or two, you'll have to go through all 858 pages of posts. A lot has happened in the two years since Dixie Flyer found the old dog at the campground, and it makes for terrific reading. Fella has been part of the Daniels household since October of '05, and some of us have already met The Dog That Launched a Thousand Rescues.

[chengsamantha]

Well that is just sooo nice of you to keep worrying about him and to even consider going back!! You are a great person and this good deed will be returned to you someday! Shame on the people that left him there!! I wonder what the old guy eats when its not camping season?? cheers to you Dixie

[MountainBird]

Today, I am mailing out the first round of cd-roms that contain photos of the East Coast Old Fella Rally held at Four Paws Kingdom Campground August 9-12, 2007. Included are photos taken by Ericka and I of many of the rally activities and participants. Also on the disc are QuickTime format videos of Old Fella, Levi, Suzie, Anna, and our Sophie having a grand ol' time at the Four Paws pond. One of the videos is the one I posted on Youtube but two have never been posted.

I got mailing addresses for the following at the Rally and discs are going out today to:

Dixie Flyer
Dandy Dan
Mistress of Distress and Christy

Attention DIXIESMAMA and everyone else, please send me your snailmail address by PM and I will send you a free photo disc postpaid. This free offer extends to everyone whether you attended the rally or not.


Mark

[maltese-lover2]

Richard,

Scared me too until I got on down on the message. I kept thinking "Did I miss something along the way?" Camp Dixie sounds like a plan and good luck on the OF plan.

[Dashonthedash]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
It sure is sad around here tonight. Suzie's toys are scattered about the house, there is a tennis ball in her kennel crate but there is no Suzie. The quiet is like something out of a novel where you expect a sudden rash of action or something to come out of the dark and grab you. I sit here almost in a state of depression thinking about her tonight and wanting to take her in my arms and hold her.

**Whew** Richard, don't scare us like that :B. I was really relieved when I read that she "merely" had to be dropped at the kennel.

Congratulations on the progress with the city and county on the animal control issues, and best of luck with the property in SC. It's truly amazing how this has all happened so fast, and it all started with a dog, and a simple question on an online forum...

[chemisd]

Hey, I like the Camp Dixie name also - Good one Dan. I always hated to leave our girls home. That is the reason we ended up buying a TT - so they could go with us. Unfortunately, we can't take them with us when we visit relatives either. That would be great to have Camp Dixie!

[DIXIESMAMA]

Dan and Lori, I am thinking about you. What an ordeal!! Scott and I realy enjoyed meeting you at the rally. You took a lot of pictures, can you post some on this thread?

Richard, will you post some that you took.? I didn't get many pictures. The heat just put a damper on my diabedic body. Boy, was it hot. The only thing I missed there was a pool. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to just sink into some cool water. Okay, I know the dogs would have shared their mud hole. I like a little water in my chlorine.

DIXIESMAMA