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

[dogdiva]

Perhaps you could take Mama or Hobo with you to sniff out the puppies....Poor puppies must be starving and so frightened

[chrisnpat]

Good Luck with the puppies........Im saying a prayer that you find them all alive.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Tomorrow Sue and I leave for St. Augustine, Florida to meet Sandi, ELBIGDODGEO to pass off the mommy cat and her kittens. We are going to meet at North Beach Resort Campwhere Sue and I will stay until Monday before coming back home. The people at the campground made room for us when we told them our mission, se we are very grateful for them doing that. If you have a chance send them an email and thank them for becoming a part of the Old Fella Story and the RVer of the year.

There are still a lot of nice people out there who are willing to help when they hear the rest of the story. I am looking forward to some time to get away and relax before coming back home and hitting the grind again with the endless supply of animals in need of homes. God has been so good in providing us with just what we need when we need it. Now to go look for the other puppies from yesterday.

[Uppercrust]

What a cute puppy!

[Dixie_Flyer]

Hobo is getting so playful and her confidence is growing with every day. Just a while ago she went to one of the dog beds and started chewing on it just like a puppy. I hope she doesn’t turn into a chewer like someone else I knew as a puppy. The sleeping arrangements have change a bit as they do with Hobo’s trying to find where it is she wants to call her bed. Mama has moved into the bedroom taking Suzie’s bed while Suzie has taken to sleeping with us at the foot of the bed keeping our feet warm. Peaches still sleeps in her kennel crate while Hobo really wants to be in her crate, but with Mama being somewhere else she is not happy in the back room by herself. So she wanders from the back room to the bedroom trying out all the beds trying to find a place she is comfortable with. There are two dog beds in the bedroom close to my side of the bed, but she can’t see Mama from there so she is not happy with that arrangement either. So she goes back and forth for a good bit if the night until she finally settles down.

What started all of this was Mama’s wanting to sleep in the room with us. To make sure she would get the bed she wanted she would slip off at the first sign of darkness settling in to the bedroom and claim her spot. Then she would be stubborn to move or to go outside to take care of business before retiring for the night. So Sue and I started letting her sleep in the room of her choice, thus leaving Hobo alone in the back room. So Hobo became unhappy with the arrangements and started coming into the bedroom so she could be next to Mama. The saying “If Mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy”, isn’t exactly true. If Hobo isn’t happy nobody sleeps is the real truth of the matter. I have never heard a dog walk so heavy in my life as Hobo. She is a big girl that’s for sure, but you can not only hear her coming, you can feel her coming as she walks through the house at night.

Okay, that enough of my rambling. I have places to go and people to see so I had better get going.

[wmshaw55]

Great work Richard. I still see fear in those little eyes. She needs a forever home with a forever Mom and Dad. After what she's been through, she deserves no less!

Bill

[Dixie_Flyer]

Today as Sue and I ate lunch I was looking out the window at Hobo and Suzie playing thinking that this is the first time Hobo really had someone to play with. I watched as she picked up a stick and teased Suzie with it and then took off running while Suzie chased her. Her tail was wagging so hard while she had the biggest smile on her face. So much joy to see such happiness come to life.

Then I thought about the little puppy in the kennel crate in the dinning room and how close she was to losing her life and how afraid she was when I picked up and then she settled into my arms and all the fear disappeared. She rode home curled up in my lap sound asleep. When I got home I put some towels in the crate and watched as she settled into a sound sleep. After about an hour I woke her up and took her outside so she could take care of business. She wouldn’t leave my side and when I lay down she came and snuggled next to me and just lay there. It is scenes like this that keep me going on the calls when there are puppies left at dumpsters. I pray God is keeping an eye out for those poor helpless critters every day. And when I see prayers answered it renews my faith in a merciful God.

[Dandy_Dan]

For those of you that may have not gotten your Highway's Magazine for March yet, Richard is again mentioned in it. There were a couple from California that wrote in and wanted to commend Richard for his work with the rescue and for being the RVer of the Year. Also a pretty nice response from the "editors" in their comment. I believe Richard has got more in print in the last 6 months than probably in his entire lifetime. (except when they were looking for him drag racing):B:B:B:B:B:B

[chemisd]

Showed my son the picture...he actually thought it was Claire as a puppy - I had shown him that too....I told him I'd take that puppy in a heartbeat it was so cute. He said well some people are like that...they need that psychological love from an animal....I asked him if he thought I was one of those psychos... hahahahaha...you should have heard him trying to talk his way out of that one! The thing is, he is only 11 and really does "get" it as far as that love of an animal.....just funny to share.
Hope the others are found....

[chrisnpat]

That is so heartwrenching to read, Susan your right......

Chris

[chemisd]

I don't know what it is about those little black faces that just simply melt my heart. I hope you are able to find the others. Everytime I see a box by the side of the road I always slow down, just in case....

[Code2High]

You might get somewhere by having one of the dogs go out and root around with you.

Sometimes people really do suck.

[ElBigDodgeO]

He is an adorable pup. Hope you find more alive.

[Dixie_Flyer]

This little guy was found this morning in a ditch by some dumpsters. We had a report that there were eight of this little fellows. A search last night turned up nothing. This morning when I went out I found this puppy inside a drainage pipe that ran underneath the road. After last night's storm, he may be the only one that survived.

[SGTJOE]

Great job, sure hope you find the rest.