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

[Hoops]

Nancy, sorry to hear about your Dad, Will put him in my prayers. Good news from Obie and the pointers. God Bless everyone this weekend

[Dixie_Flyer]

Nancy I am sorry to hear about your father and pray he will recover and have a good quality of life.

Glad to hear the Pointer puppies are going to forever homes and that Mama Pointer is such a joy. They are usually great dogs, but they have to have a job in order to stay out of trouble.

I just heard from Obie and he was a smash hit yesterday at cheerleader practice as he showed the girls how to bring the house down. It seems he loves the Pom-Poms. I understand he is so happy spending all day with his new mother Tammy. Obie will have constant 24/7 care with Tammy as she takes him every where she goes. Daughter, Emily has given up her ride in the front seat of the car so Obie can see out the windshield. I am so happy for all of them and Obie deserves a great life after all he has been through.

[ngraef]

Quick update from NJ on the Pointer mom and puppies. My dad had emegency surgery to remove part of his colon on Sunday night and it's been touch and go all week. He's almost 88 and it's a tough row to hoe and we still are not sure if he will pull through and if he does what his quality of life will be like. But we've turned all that over to God and pray that whatever happens will be for the best.

Now on to the pointers. We still have two puppies and mom here. The puppies are 8 weeks old today and just as cute as they can be. Pointer rescue found homes for them and one is going to be picked up tomorrow and the other will be going to her new home in VA as soon as transport can be arranged. Mom will be spayed in another couple of weeks and we will continue to work on her house manners. No accidents in the house; but she just is sooooo busy, in constant motion. The only time she will lie down and rest is if you put her in her crate. She just doesn't know what's off bounds, i.e. jumping over the back of the couch, up on the counters and tables, chewing what she shouldn't chew. She absolutely has to be supervised when she is out of the crate. She's a sweet, sweet girl and I'm sure we'll get there. Once the puppies are gone we will have even more time to work with her, then pointer rescue will find her the perfect home. 🙂

That's about all the news from here.
Nancy

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning everyone. It is going to be a hot one today here in the Deep South with the heat index well over the 100* mark. Sue and I are getting ready for our trip to Branson for the Old Fella Rally and expect to leave on Monday arriving at Treasure Lake on Tuesday.

Daughter Robin will be staying at the house with Hobo and Suzie while we are gone with one of our neighbors coming down several times a day to let the girls outside while Robin is at work.

I haven't heard from Obie lately so I will check with Tammy to see how things are going. Joan sends glowing reports on Missy from New England saying it just couldn't get any better. I am excited to be able to see some of the rescues at Branson and so happy that they have found such wonderful homes.

On the other side of the news I am happy the sixteen year old girl was found safe in the Indian Ocean with her sail boat still in one piece, brave little girl I'd say. I am sure some day she will make a great mark for herself in this world. You also must admire the confidence her parents have in her ability to accomplish what she has set out to do sailing solo in the great big ocean. I am not sure I would be able to turn my daughter loose like that at the tender young age of sixteen, but all of us are not alike and they must see something special in her ability to take care of herself.

Anyway, I am glad she is okay and will be rescued from her present plight. Maybe her sail boat can be repaired and she can complete her mission. You know life is like a big adventure sailing on the ocean everyday. You just never know what the winds will blow in and how your faith will be tested, let's hope that when it comes our time to stand against the winds of adversity we will be as strong and courageous as she is.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Every trip I make to the city pound it breaks my heart to see the wonderful companion animals that will be euthanized. I can't save them all, I do what I can. It looks as if Obie will be my last rescue from there. Old Fella has run out of money, it's foster homes are full and the volunteers are getting discouraged and worn down.

The stray problem doesn't seem to get any better as there are calls coming in every day concerning abandoned animals. The County government is more concerned about short falls in the budget than they are in helping with the problem of stray animals. When money is short you know who will always get the short end of the stick.

It always seems to get darker just before the dawn, but if waiting is a virtue then I guess we will have a lot of virtue.

[karen_Lee]

thank god for ga. now we have to change the carolinas , ohio, and i just found out texas does to. everyday im on fb looking at the pleas for the death rwo dogs about to be pts. i dont think its getting any better. im having trouble sleeping and having nightmares about all of this. oh god these dogs are dying faster than the rescue can pull them out. how can we as a nation do this??? i cant stop crying over these precious dogs. its mainly pitts, labs, shepherds , hounds. richard thanks for telling me about ga. bless the people of that state for coming to their senses.

[Dixie_Flyer]

karen Lee wrote:
Not to change the subject but can someone tell me why most of the southern states when the euthanize an animal they use a gas chamber where it can take up to 40 minutes for the animal to die. I saw several horrifying videos of this. They throw all kinds of animals in a metal box close the lid and push it into a chamber. You can hear the animals screaming and thrashing about trying to escape. And if at the end of the 40 min cycle if they arent dead they are rolled back in again. Some make it out alive and are found in the dumps. thrown away like garbage. Just wanted to know if most of you guys were aware of this? Im glad Im in Az where they euth humaely with a needle and not with gas or a heartstick without sedation. Please everyone spay and neuter and stop this madness of killing animals in this most cruel and inhumane way.

That proceedure was stopped here in Georgia because of the outcry that came from the people who became aware of what was going on.

[karen_Lee]

Not to change the subject but can someone tell me why most of the southern states when the euthanize an animal they use a gas chamber where it can take up to 40 minutes for the animal to die. I saw several horrifying videos of this. They throw all kinds of animals in a metal box close the lid and push it into a chamber. You can hear the animals screaming and thrashing about trying to escape. And if at the end of the 40 min cycle if they arent dead they are rolled back in again. Some make it out alive and are found in the dumps. thrown away like garbage. Just wanted to know if most of you guys were aware of this? Im glad Im in Az where they euth humaely with a needle and not with gas or a heartstick without sedation. Please everyone spay and neuter and stop this madness of killing animals in this most cruel and inhumane way.

[Dixie_Flyer]

What makes all of this worthwhile is when you take a deserving animal from a desperate dead end situation and turn things around and go from a hopeless end to a second chance at life, then you feel good about who you are and what you do . The rewards are so great and the lives that have been touched are not just numbers and statistics, but they become living, breathing souls with faces filled with joy.

How often I look at Suzie and remember her and her sisters left at a dumpster as small puppies who would have died had they not been rescued and then there is Blackie with the huge four pound tumor attached to his head that Doctor Ford took into her care, removed the cancerous tumor and gave him a home. Gosh, it feels good to be a part of all of this and to be able to say that in some small way you have helped change a life for the better. All of you have been a part of this ever going story of love and compassion, helping along the way with your prayers, advice, comforting words and donations. What a wonderful large family I have come to be a part of.

[Terrydactile]

Dixie Flyer wrote:

Terrydactile wrote:
Good for Obie and thanks for what you do Richard, all of the foofer's for that matter.

Obie's vet bill was well over twelve hundred, most of which came from the good hearted people from the Old Fella thread.

:EWow!!:E Hopefully when I pay down a little more of my debt, I can start to help out.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Terrydactile wrote:
Good for Obie and thanks for what you do Richard, all of the foofer's for that matter.

Don't forget if it hadn't been for folks on the thread this wouldn't have happened. Obie's vet bill was well over twelve hundred, most of which came from the good hearted people from the Old Fella thread.

[Terrydactile]

Good for Obie and thanks for what you do Richard, all of the foofer's for that matter.

[dieharder]

Incredibly happy for Obie!

[chrisnpat]

Yes Richard God is Good...........Im very very Happy for Obie and his new Family.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Things are about to speed up for the summer with the rally coming on fast and then moving to Camp Dixie when we get back.

I was so proud for Obie yesterday finally getting his forever home that he so richly deserved. He is such a sweet dog with the best laid back attitude. Mama and Peaches are after me to go for a walk so I had better start moving. Mama just started barking and pawing at me. Okay, Talk with you later