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

[woodstick]

Congrats Richard and Sue on your new family member. love the addition to your signature.

The paw print of Old Fella was an awesome, thoughtful gift for them to include, so very special.

[GizmosMom]

An Angel went down to Georgia!

(And Donna (bonniesoo) there are now signs posted at Choke Canyon)

[Hiker3]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
Charlie has not been chipped, so it looks as if he has found his forever home. At least I know I have done my part in finding out about him, so from now on Charlie is officially Charlie Daniels and clan.

Charlie Daniels! Priceless! Thanks for making my day. :B

[rockhillmanor]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
Charlie has not been chipped, so it looks as if he has found his forever home. At least I know I have done my part in finding out about him, so from now on Charlie is officially Charlie Daniels and clan.

Congratulations on your new addition. Old Fella would be proud of your choice, knowing that his legacy will now live on thru Charlie.

[Hiker3]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
I say all of this to mention to you not to leave your animals tied outside if they are not being watched, it only takes a minute for something to happen that could have been avoided. The woods here are full of predators looking for an opportunity for an easy meal.

Good advice! We see this all the time in Florida lakes. Glad you saved that stranger and her two dogs from another gator tragedy.

Lots of folks will read your advice and be forewarned and safer. Good story!

[Hoops]

Oh how sweet that was of them to give you a paw print. I agree with you, that photo should be buried with him at the memorial. That dog did love you Richard.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I am going to put this picture inside the box with Fella's ashes to be buried at his memorial.

[Dixie_Flyer]

While we were gone over the weekend Old Fella's remains came in the mail. When I opened the beautiful wooden box I found this surprise inside.

[bonniesoo]

Yippee...I was holding my breath all afternoon waiting for your post after the trip to the vet. I'm so glad Charlie has become a member of the Daniel's clan. I truly believe he was sent by Old Fella as once again there is a smile on our faces as we hear of the daily news of now Charlie, Suzie, Izzie, Sue & Richard.

Wow GizmosMom...we have been to Choke Canyon many times and I never knew there were alligators there. With all the wild life in that park that would be yummy dinners for them I'm really surprised there aren't signs warning the campers.

[mrskti]

that's very nice for you richard, and if there had been a chip, the honorable thing to do. I would sure hate to think someone wouldnt get checked for a chip if it were my babies. Now you can enjoy Charlie with a clear conscience. Hard to think of someone dumping a dog like him.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Charlie has not been chipped, so it looks as if he has found his forever home. At least I know I have done my part in finding out about him, so from now on Charlie is officially Charlie Daniels and clan.

[chemisd]

First thing they do here is scan the dog, although if it was one that was "turned in", maybe they wouldn't. It would be nice to get any kind of information on why they turned Charlie in. If it was a stolen dog, how thankful those folks will be!

[joelbaker]

Richard, I sure hope you find that one way or another, Charlie stays with you. It sure looks from the pictures like Suzie has bonded with him.

[GizmosMom]

There are also alligators in some Texas lakes. Choke Canyon and Lake Fork are two that I know of.

Richard, loved looking at the photos. I totally understand why you want to get Charlie scanned. Two ways of looking, IMO: He will find his old people who perhaps lost him and are broken hearted; old owners no longer can keep him, or no chip and he has found his loving forever home. All win, as I see it.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Sue and I were camping at Laura S Walker State Park in Waycross, Georgia for a week while my mother was in the hospital. Each afternoon we watched a huge alligator cruise the banks of the lake looking for an evening meal. One evening we came in and watched a lady with two small dogs in the edge of the lake playing. I jumped out of the truck and ran down to the water yelling as loud as I could to get out of the water. The lady seemed offended at me for yelling at her and couldn't understand why I didn't want her and her dogs in the water. As she picked up her dogs and started to walk out of the lake her husband came toward me as if he wanted to hit me. It was then this huge alligator about sixteen feet long came charging out of the water. He weighed well over 1,200 pounds and could have made an easy meal out of her and the dogs.

She almost fainted after it was over and asked where the signs were warning people about the alligators, there were none and to my knowledge there still isn't any.

The Deep South is known for its alligators and snakes. The forest and swamp lands are beautiful but they are also deadly if you are not aware of the dangers. A dog to an alligator is like icing on the cake, nothing better and also easy prey. The lapping noise an animal makes drinking water is a dinner bell for a gator. They come into the bank under the water rising at the last second before grabbing its meal and there is nothing that can be done once those jaws lock onto something but sit back and watch as he goes into the death roll drowning its prey and then crushing it with those powerful jaws before swallowing it.

As a teen hunting the swamps with my dogs I have lost my share to the gators. It didn't make me like them at all. But I will never forget one night hunting in the Savannah River swamp when my Coon dogs came across two huge cats of the Cougar type that migrated up from Florida, lost both dogs that night. Their wounds were so bad they couldn’t be saved.

I say all of this to mention to you not to leave your animals tied outside if they are not being watched, it only takes a minute for something to happen that could have been avoided. The woods here are full of predators looking for an opportunity for an easy meal.