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

[chrisnpat]

Wow that gives me goose bumps. How nice to hear about Mollie and Buddy, thanks for posting it Richard.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Happy Story

Butch, I thought our Old Fella people would be interested in hearing this happy ending story on Mollie, our infamous Escape artist the Engish Setter.
Mollie was first spotted as a starving throw away on approximately 3/8/09. I fed her and she just went on her way. Then on 3/30/09 my neighbor saw her again in the neighborhood and brought it to my attention that this dog needed help. I started again trying to find her. Well, the next day 3/31/09 she showed up and she was soooo pitiful. She was so thin. I immediately got a leash and put her in the pen with my other rescue dog Buddy. I called you and as always you acted quickly and got her scheduled to be spayed the very next day which was on a Tuesday. She was returned to me on Wednesday and by Thursday morning she had escaped. I called you( Butch) and we thought someone had taken her, since she did look like a full blooded bird dog. AS we soon discovered, no one had taken her. She had learned how to open the gate with her nose. It had stormed that Wednesday night and she was terrified of bad weather. Well, you put her on the Old Fella web page that Mollie was missing. Then on Sunday you (Butch) called me and told me Mollie had showed up at Richard Daniels house. Prayers were answered but here is the awesome part, Richard would have normally been in church but he happen to be home that day because he was going out of town. I live off Herndon Road so Mollie had traveled quite a ways. We were so glad to get her back. Mollie was exhausted and glad to be back in her house with her friend Buddy.
On 4/11/09 Saturday you came to put seven dust around the pen and guess what, Mollie was missing. She was found again on Easter Sunday, 4/12/09 , spotted by my husband as he was riding the golf cart. Mollie was being chased by another dog and we were afraid she had been chased far, far away. We were able to locate her and she looked as if she had been in the swamp. WE discovered this 2nd time , that she had climbed the 10 foot fence. My husband then put another piece of fence on the top of the pen. Everyone was safe again.
On Tuesday 4/14/09 bad weather came again and Mollie escaped for the 3rd time. She got out of a 1 and ½ inch space at the top of the pen. My husband could not believe that was possible, but she did. I got in my car and started looking for her and found her about and hour later. She had got about a mile away. This was the last time Mollie got away from me. I fixed the crack and made sure she could not dig out. Happy Days were here again.
On Friday 5/1/09 Mollie was transported to Salem Massachusetts along with Buddy, the other rescue pup. Mollie and Buddy arrived at the shelter on Saturday 5/2/09. I always worried about Mollie but I just never worried about Buddy, like I did her. Mollie was posted on Massachusetts' web page for adoption. I was so glad to see her. She was absolutely so photogenic. Then. on the same day she was posted, she was taken off. I called the shelter and they said Mollie was adopted on Tuesday 5/5/09 by a great family that really wanted to talk to me about question they had concerning her, Oh, and the
shelter also told me Buddy was adopted by another great family. ( we recently got feed back on Buddy, what a great life he got). Going back to Mollie, I called the family and the nicest man Joey Germano answered the phone. HE had such a great story on Mollie. He had taken her to work in his truck and was getting out of his truck to come and put the leash on Mollie and she escaped out of his side of the truck. To relieve your mind he got Mollie back after about an hour. He told me he was in tears and called the shelter to be on the look out.
Joey Germano said he knew now he had to be careful with her and he and his wife would get her some obedience training. Joey told me he loved his animals and had his last 2 dogs cremated and that he told his wife he wanted to have them buried with him. Oh, and he did say both his dogs had died of old age. .
I called again after about a week and Joey's wife Kristin answered the phone and said they were so crazy about her and that they had picked the right dog. Their 2 children lay on her while they watch tv and she gets treats with the children's plates.
I last talked to Joey about 2 weeks ago and he said Mollie had gone to the vet because she had a yeast infection in her ear. She also got a chip and numerous other things done only a special pooch should have. Joey told me Mollie goes on 2 miles walks each day and that she goes to doggie day care twice a week and she is going to obedience school. Her new family absolutely adore her and Joey said he is sending Old Fella a contribution. He said he will sent pictures and I am so waiting on those.
This is the happy ever after story that makes all of the work worth it.
This is the best part of all, he put Mollie on the phone to talk to me. Is that a hoot........

[Dixie_Flyer]

CindyNRoger wrote:
I just voted. :B

Richard - What place are "we" in?

Over all we are 217 and stuck at 6th in the state.

[Dixie_Flyer]

chemisd wrote:
So as I sit here catching up on the forum via free wifi, waiting for the 2 industrial size dryers to finish drying our clothes, I should be thankful.... 🙂
Not sure about Branson. Would like to, but depends on what the whole family would like since that would be a long pull.

Sure would be nice to have you and the family. The first ten familes to register will receive $10.00 off the evening cruise and meal on the Branson Belle and we are just about at number ten as I type.

[chemisd]

So as I sit here catching up on the forum via free wifi, waiting for the 2 industrial size dryers to finish drying our clothes, I should be thankful.... 🙂
Not sure about Branson. Would like to, but depends on what the whole family would like since that would be a long pull.

[CindyNRoger]

I just voted. :B

Richard - What place are "we" in?

[Starfire5]

I remember watching my grandmother washing clothes with one of these when I was a little girl! Thanks, Richard, for the walk down memory lane. (Oooops,I think I just really dated myself! LOL) 😄

[Dixie_Flyer]

This is a scream, even for an ole eye witness of this process!







Never thought of a "WASHER" in this light before. What a blessing!

'Washing Clothes Recipe' -- imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !
Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:

This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -
with spelling errors and all.


WASHING CLOTHES

Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water

Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white,
1 pile colored,
1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.

Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.

Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.

Hang old rags on fence.

Spread tea towels on grass.

Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. Turn tubs upside down.

Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
================================================

Paste this over your washer and dryer. Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet---
(those two-holers used to get mighty cold!)

For you non-southerners - wrench means rinse.

AND WE THINK WE HAVE IT ROUGH

[joang]

Maybe a squirrel fell out of the tree recently and she saw it but couldn't catch it, and is now patiently waiting for another one? When Boomer was a puppy, we went for a walk in the nearby park. Someone had used the pavilion for a party and thrown a pizza box into the trash, dropping a bunch of pizza crusts on the ground as they tried to fit the box into the trash can. Boomer grabbed a pizza crust and was the happiest dog in town until I wrestled it from her little puppy jaws. Even now, 4 years later, when we go to the park, she will make a bee line right for that trash can and checks it all over for wayward pizza crusts. There has never been another one in the 4 years since she met that first one, but she has to check *every time we go!*

[dogdiva]

Richard, you sure do have a way with words....
Hobo just has a different "personallity" It is great that you watch her and know her traits so that if something is "amiss" you can pick up on it. There is, or was SOMETHING in that tree that she is facinated with. Better the tree than something in the ground, that she has to DIG up......
You take such joy in your furbabies, and altho it is a little harder to take them ALL with you, they do bring a joy and reward to each day....Life is never dull when you are surrounded with their love. Helps keep things in perspective lol

[chrisnpat]

🙂 Very good Richard, I wish I could express my words as well as you do.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I look out the window into the back yard and there she is sitting staring up into the limbs and leaves of pecan tree, head up, eyes fixed, barely breathing, just fixed with that upward gaze, maybe hoping for something to fall from the sky? Suzie lies off in the distance looking at Hobo wondering if that is drool dripping from her mouth, ugh.

This started yesterday morning and hasn’t stopped, I wonder if she is paralyzed in that position? Well maybe not since she has moved a time or two in her vigil to take a walk and to eat and drink some water. She did come inside last night to sleep. I looked at her often, okay maybe twice to make sure she was okay and not sitting in the middle of the room staring up at the ceiling. She is so funny and I have often believed she was mildly retarded as she is so different from any dog I have ever had. There are times she is so happy and then she becomes fearful of the smallest thing. She is always looking for something to grab her or hit her. When we walk she will always follow Mama’s lead and never vary from Mama’s actions. If Mama stops, Hobo stops, If Mama turns right, Hobo turns right. When we come to a street corner and I stop to wait for traffic Mama will sit followed by Hobo. Now try and get Hobo to sit on her own. She will lie down and curl up looking at you as if she is expecting to get walloped or something, but to get her to sit is a very hard task.

Now the sad thing is to watch her try and overcome some anxiety attack she is going through. She looks for somewhere to hide. Now Hobo is a very large dog and there are not many places in the house for her to get lost. She can’t get under the bed, nor can she crawl under any of the furniture. There are no closets that she will go into, fearing someone will close the door locking her in, so she will go to her kennel crate and lay inside pretending she is invisible. The shades in the bedroom are usually closed during the summer months to help keep the heat out, so it makes a nice dark place for her to go and find solace. Maybe she is smarter than I think she is? How many of us will know when it’s time to take a break and find a nice quiet place to find some peace and sense in this life? Maybe I could take some lessons from Hobo on how to cope with stress. After all she doesn’t seem unhappy and enjoys her life here with us. She eats well and has a nice place to live and wonderful guardians to watch over her. All of her needs are met and she certainly knows she is loved. Gosh, why in the world would anyone feel sorry for Hobo? Move over Hobo, I’m coming in!!

[Hoops]

OK thanks. It is a nice picture, but won't even say we hope to attend. Every time I say that something comes up last minute and we can't. So won't go there yet.

[Dixie_Flyer]

silverdunes wrote:

Hoops wrote:
OK did I miss a picture???

I am wondering the same thing....where is the pic?

Look on the first page of the Old Fella Rally Branson 2010.

Old Fella Rally Branson, Mo June 16-20 2010

[silverdunes]

Hoops wrote:
OK did I miss a picture???

I am wondering the same thing....where is the pic?