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]

Hoops wrote:
Nice article Richard. Our Old Fella has touched so many people.

Yes he has...

[Hoops]

Nice article Richard. Our Old Fella has touched so many people.

[chrisnpat]

That was nice Gentle Spirit, and Yes, that Must be for Richard.

[Gentle_Spirit]

I think the following poem was written about Richard.... Get the kleenex!


ONE BY ONE
One by one, they file past my cage Too old, too worn, too broken, no way, way past his time, he can't run and play Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way

A little old man, arthritic and sore It seems I am not wanted anymore I once had a home, I once had a bed A place that was warm, and where I was fed

Now my muzzle is gray, and my eyes slowly fail Who wants a dog so old and so frail? My family decided I didn't belong I got in their way; my attitude was wrong

Whatever excuse they made in their head Can't justify how they left me for dead Now I sit in this cage, where day after day The younger dogs all get adopted away

When I had almost come to the end of my rope You saw my face, and I finally had hope You saw through the gray and the legs bent with age And felt that I still had life beyond this cage

You took me home, gave me food and a bed And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head We snuggle and play and you talk to me low You love me so dearly, you want me to know

I may have lived most of my life with another But you outshine them with a love so much stronger And I promise to return all the love I can give To you, my dear person, as long as I live

I may be with you for a week or for years We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears And when the time comes that God deems I must leave I know you will cry and your heart it will grieve

And when I arrive at the Bridge all brand new My thoughts and my heart will still be with you And I will brag to all that will hear Of the person who made my last days oh, so dear

Author unknown

[Dixie_Flyer]

New article about Old Fella

Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning everyone. I hope all is well with you as we start a new day. By this evening Suzie, Peaches, Mama and Hobo will have a new back yard to play in. I say new because we are having the back yard sodded with new grass as the old lawn had died from disease and drought.

We hired a lawn service last year because we were not able to keep the grass healthy and green, but even under their watch it died anyway, so we are starting over.

There are a lot of things going on with the Old Fella Bruke County Animal Rescue in the community for the next few weeks that I hope will help a great deal. The bricks are coming along pretty well, but we need more people to help out with the cause.

The Old Fella Rally in Ohio is just a few days away while Sue and I get ready to make the trip. Some friends of ours were passing through Kansas and stopped at a KOA on I70 which had a picture of Old Fella and myself hanging on one of the walls. Sue and I passed through there on our way to Colorado in 2007 and gave them the picture, nice to know they still have it and displaying it for everyone to see.

If you ever need to stop at WaKeenie, Kansas KOA it is a nice place to spend the night with a friendly staff and be sure to look for Old Fella's picture.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Old Fella is 266 in the overall ranking and 8 in Georgia for the shelter vote. As many folks as we have reading the forum we should be doing better than that don't you think?

Shelter Challenge

[lviars50]

Well i sure dont know if dogs go to heaven or not but i sure hope so. Gods plan is bigger than we could ever imagine in our small minds. Maybe if we are reincarnated (spelling?) we all will come back as dogs ourself and be treated as we treat Gods beloved animals. Man i'am WAY out there in my thinking LOL...
Lois

[Gentle_Spirit]

Since we're on the subject of whether or not dogs have souls.....here's my far out (hard to explain opinion). I feel that dogs have a group soul made up of love - they all share a part of this "soul", which could also be called a "spirit", but what it actually is, is love. Maybe a way to explain it is that the group soul or love is like the ocean and dogs are like raindrops falling into that ocean.

All I can say is, if there aren't dogs in heaven, I'm not going. I'd rather go swim in the ocean.

[nonameperson]

So far, makers of Sentinal has offered $250 towards treatment for Snoopy and a years supply of Sentinal. Vet says tx will probably be $500, since some of the steps can be eliminated. Snoopy has no baby heart worms, just adults, so first shot will shrinken the worms and the 2 will eliminate them, which is the most dangerous part. Snoopy is healthy and I hpe and pray he is going to be ok.
Lady has gotten into the habit of relieving herself in the house, she hates wet grass, but also think it is partly due to attitude since arrival of Lucy. gonna buy her some doggie diapers.

God Bless everyone and all their furkids.

[kokosfriend]

I don't think that animals have souls, but that they have spirits and that they are God's creation and therefore, beautiful and necessary in the mind of God. Therefore I believe we will find animal spirit surrounding us in heaven as well as the souls of our families and friends. Angels do not have human souls either, yet we understand they are in heaven.

I weight in on that side! Besides, it makes me look forward even more to the future.

Barb

[ljr]

chemisd wrote:
I think the signs are a hoot...I'm Lutheran and my minister does indeed believe that animals go to heaven. Perhaps that was said because I had just lost my dog, but I believe it!
Still need to go and take care of that Shelter Challenge.
Have a great day!

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."

Will Rogers

[Dixie_Flyer]

We are 269 overall and 8 in the state of Georgia in the voting.

I would like to think that there is a place in heaven for the animal kingdom, but the Bible is not too clear on the subject. It comes down to a debate over whether or not animals have a soul and this is where the argument gets deep. Animals have fear, compassion, joy, and many other attributes that are human qualities except the act of making choices. Animals cannot make the choice of believing in God or not believing in God , but then that is the way God made them, isn’t it? Can we take all animals and put them into one category? Is there a difference in animal species that sets them apart one from the other that will decide if they go to heaven or not? The Lion and Tiger, will they lay down with the Lamb? Will your little pet that has been faithful and loving to you so many years be chosen to find a place in God’s heaven?

These are many questions that have crossed my mind and the jury is still out on many of them. Rainbow Bridge is a beautiful thought and has brought hope to many that they will see their beloved pets once again and they find comfort in that. I too find comfort in the idea of seeing Old Fella, Levi, Bart and the others that have become a part of our family, but there is nothing in the Bible that supports the theory. I guess in the big picture each of us will find our own comfort in this matter and believe what we want in order to deal with our own particular situation and beliefs. There is no argument compelling enough to convince the steadfast believer of either side of the Bridge one way or the other. So in order to deal with my own feelings on this matter, I just trust that God will make it clear someday and with that I find my peace.

I hope I didn't start something here that cannot be finished and so with that I leave you with my thoughts that is certainly not the final word on the matter. Everyone have a great day and I will talk with you later.

[chemisd]

I think the signs are a hoot...I'm Lutheran and my minister does indeed believe that animals go to heaven. Perhaps that was said because I had just lost my dog, but I believe it!
Still need to go and take care of that Shelter Challenge.
Have a great day!

[Dixie_Flyer]

Some one just sent me this. I don't know who first said it, but I like it:

"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.".