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

[bonniesoo]

God bless that poor family and poor Roscoe....my heart breaks for them.

[Dixie_Flyer]

This afternoon was kind of sad for us as we said goodbye to some friends. The wife is dying with liver cancer and has only a very short time to live. Her husband is moving her closer to her family taking with him his 80 year old father and three children, one of which is only two years old. His father has been a friend of the family most of my life and has done most of the repairs and remolding of the home Sue and I live in.

He has three dogs, two of which we found homes for. The other will have to be put down as he has bitten two people recently. So Monday I will go over to their home with the city dog catcher and get Roscoe and have him put to sleep. I watched Roscoe today as he was chained to a fence and thought he doesn't understand what is happening and completely confused about the whole thing. Roscoe was kept in the house and will have to spend the night outside tonight and Sunday night chained because there is no where to take him. I was unaware that they were leaving him until this afternoon, too late to make arrangements for him.

I guess with all that is going on it is difficult to think about everything as my friend is watching as his wife is preparing herself for the day that she will pass from this life. Last night Sue and I carried a meal over for them and talked with them for a while. It's hard to watch a young mother and wife suffer so much, not being able to do anything but pray and bring comfort as best as you can. It's little solice to small children who don't understand why their mother is dying and they are having to leave their home they have lived in all of their lives. Roscoe sits out by the fence wagging his tail and pulling against the chain that holds him to the fence wanting to go inside the house that is now empty. As his family leaves he watches wondering why he isn't going, little does he realize what fate holds for him Monday.

I hug Old Fella, Suzie, Levi and Sue and thank God that isn't us. Izzie walks by and rubs my leg so that I don't forget him as well. Somehow life doesn't seem fair when it hands you a deck that is stacked against you. So I thank God for our blessings and sit back in the comfort of my home surrounded by all the love one man could possibly have A wife who loves me more than she should. My children and grandchildren that I have been blessed with and the unconditional love that is poured out on me every day from those creatures that God gave to increase our knowledge of what real love is all about. How blessed I am to have been loved so much, it's a shame it took me a life time to discover what our journey here is all about. It's learning the simplest thing and that is to love as much as you can while you can and never regret having loved with all of your heart and rejoice in the tears that were shed because you couldn't do more.

[Mickey_T]

Mickey T wrote:

ladymc53 wrote:
I am reading everything as fast as I can - it's wonderful to see how God is moving today through all of you.

I have a dilemma - we have a very old stray dog that came to us about 8 yrs. ago,during a severe ice storm...he just wandered up, freezing, sweet and wagging his tail. I couldn't stand to see him in such bad condition, so of course he became ours immediately. He had been recently blinded in 1 eye, developed arthritis in his hips, and because he couldn't see very well, while on a walk with DH down a country road, he was hit by a truck, but it was minor. He has a torn ear...he's a mess, but he's my mess and we have cared for him as best we can. After getting hit he disappeared for quite a while and when he returned he had the torn ear so it could not be sewn up - it wasn't life threatening, just unattractive. Everytime we drive up to the house he greets us with a leaf, stick or whatever in his mouth - my dad said it's his peace offering. We named him Cy (not for cyclops as some have suggested) - it's a name from a Bing Crosby/Bob Hope movie where they greet each other with " Hi Cy!" and "Hi, Hy"...I always thought it was cute...anyway...the problem:

Cy is the sweetest dog we've ever owned and deserves a great life. We are in the middle of remodeling a large home and in order to sell it and go full time we must do some plantings outside. Cy is a total outside dog and lays around all the time - in my flower bed, which is now a huge hole. We will be full timing and cannot take him with us on the road. We will be in a FW and he's too large. I've tried to find him a good home by advertising in the paper, got some calls, but no looks. I would like to place him with a rescue place, but all the rescue's that I know of here in Arkansas are for full bred dogs and he's a mutt. A great mutt, but a mutt. The local animal shelter (not the pound) will take him for a fee, which is not a problem, but the problem is, no one will adopt him and he will live his life out in a cage, which I cannot stand the thought of.

What to do? Help me please!

Thanks in part to Old Fella, I somehow became involved in helping rescues in Arkansas. I volunteer with Paws and Claws in your hometown, Hot Springs, and have fostered and placed 16 dogs (puppy mill "rejects" scheduled to be pts) since last November. PAC is part of a network of rescues that work to place dogs from our area in great homes in the New England area. Seems odd to think that we're putting dogs down every day here, while there are waiting lists for mixed breeds in other parts of the country.

Please contact me and I will work on listing Cy on our Petfinders site. Additionally, if I can get more detailed information on Cy (breeds, age, weight, temperament, personality, health, spayed/neutered) along with a photo, I will try to include him in the list of adoptable dogs that we share with our network of rescues.

Mickey

Linda:
I just got your email and sent you a response. If you can care for Cy while we work on finding him the perfect home, that would be ideal...kind of like fostering your own dog. Our fosters are all at their max. Well, ABOVE, to be honest.

[Dixie_Flyer]

This tread started September 2005 with an old black dog, the man who found him and the people across the United States who help save him. From that came the the Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue a year later. As I think of how fast the rescue effort has grown and how this thread continues to attract readers it amazes me. I can't help but think of this as being Old Fella and Dixie Flyers' thread but then I realize it belongs to all of us who have become involved in this beautiful story. Sometimes folks read the thread and are drawn to the picture of that old black dog's picture taken that fateful day in September 2005. Those haunting eyes looking out from that drawn face with lines of anticipation across his brow and from that realize there are others just like him out there waiting for someone to take them in and give them another chance at life.

When I read how people have joined in working at shelters as volunteers because of this heart felt story it lets me know this old dog has touched people's hearts and have given them a different view of life and love. Thank you for your support and thank you for keeping Old Fella's story alive.

[fulltimegrams22]

Great news for Old Fella

[E_Texan]

That's good news for sure.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Today I go to the property with a person who will help me decide on just how to clear the growth so we can have a sight plan done. Tomorrow I will also take one of our member's husband to the site to get his opinion as well. As it looks right now the driveway will be donated to the rescue at no cost. Moving right along...

[Dixie_Flyer]

For those who are interested a group of Ladies from the Old Fella rescue will be leaving the weekend of the 28th going to Massachuttes with 18 Dixie Dogs. They will need help along the way with walking the animals at rest stops. I am going to post their route in a few days along with cell phone numbers for those who would like to call and check on the progress and where their next stop will be so if some of you would like to meet them at the rest areas and help walk some of the dogs you can.

The Dixie Dog Transport will be more than happy to meet some of the good friends of Old Fella and just think of the stories you can tell the folks on the thread. So east coast friends of Old Fella here is your chance to help make Old Fella history.

[fulltimegrams22]

Growing stronger everyday, seems the more people hear about Old Fella, the more others want to help in the stray population issue.

Fulltimegrams22

[Dixie_Flyer]

Anyone notice the thread went over 340,000 views last night.

[Dixie_Flyer]

chemisd wrote:
That would be fun!!! Goodness knows there are many of us along the way that could perhaps meet up with them somewhere.
Great coverage, too. I saw that it mentioned 35 members. Are they the folks that are in Waynesboro? Just wondered and thought perhaps some of us on here would be interested in long distance memberships. Just needed to know details....

All 35 are from this area. I don't see why you couldn't join if you wanted to. If you are interested PM me and I will tell you how you can join.

[chemisd]

That would be fun!!! Goodness knows there are many of us along the way that could perhaps meet up with them somewhere.
Great coverage, too. I saw that it mentioned 35 members. Are they the folks that are in Waynesboro? Just wondered and thought perhaps some of us on here would be interested in long distance memberships. Just needed to know details....

[Dixie_Flyer]

I just had an idea. When the ladies leave Waynesboro heading for Massachusetts I will let you know when they leave and the route they will be taking, maybe along the way some of you may see them at a rest area some where so you can tell them how much you appreciate what they are doing. Shake their hands and you will have touched a real heroine.

[Dixie_Flyer]

dogdiva wrote:
I just wanted to say Thanks for all your TIME and EFFORTand LOVE that you have put into this endeavor and may you continue to be Blessed.
you have given hope to us and especially those that you have rescued

This has been more than a one person effort. The volunteers of the Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue deserve most of the credit. They have worked tirelessly behind the scenes giving more than I could ever do as one person. Tonight I had a meeting with the Vice President of the organization going over some of the programs and getting the agenda ready for tomorrow nights meeting. Donna has worked very hard from the beginning and all she has asked is that the animals be taken care of and that what we do, we do with integrity. We have another lady, Rett that has worked very hard applying for grants for us. Jodi, Vicki, Anne, Drucilla, Louise, Linda, Hilda, Bruce, Silke, Steven, Art, Tamara, Jeff, Sue, Beth, Patti and the list goes on {sorry I can't name them all} have put in a lot of effort. When I saw three of our ladies get into a van with eight dogs and travel from Waynesboro, GA to Massachusetts to deliver them to good homes that spoke volumes to me of love an dedication. They are planning another trip soon to Massachusetts to take another load of rescues to find homes. No my friend I can't take all the credit when so much credit is due to those who have made my effort look pale in comparison. All I did was start the vision, they have taken that vision and made it a beacon that shines so bright it has brought light into the dark corners of lost hope and given life to those who were without hope.

So when you speak of the Old Fella rescue effort remember these who have given so much of their time and talent to make us a success. Greatness comes to those who put others first. They have surely done that.

[dogdiva]

I just wanted to say Thanks for all your TIME and EFFORTand LOVE that you have put into this endeavor and may you continue to be Blessed.
you have given hope to us and especially those that you have rescued