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

[Grillmeister]

I went to feed Roscoe and give him fresh water today and he was glad to see me. I looked at him and thought how we might be able to save him, but with a history of biting it is hard to give him to anyone or even think about it. Roscoe is a young dog and very healthy looking its a shame to see him have to be put down but I guess he has sealed his own fate.

I don't want to step on any toes here but I have something to add. Fifteen years ago I was contacted by my friend and dog breeder about a very viscous dog. It was a 4 1/2 year old Doberman that had a history of biting from being tormented. My friend contacted me because she knew we had a Dobie already, a secure yard with six foot block wall fence with double gates and no kids. We agreed to try the dog out and it turned out to be the best dog I ever had. I was working nights at the time and never had to worry about my wife at home alone. This dog absolutely hated anyone and anything except both of us, absolutely fearless of anything. We had six of the best dog years we ever had. Although you could never let your guard down because you knew you had a stick of dynamite on your hands.

Now that I have said all that, on the other hand, after both those dogs passed I adopted another Dobie from a rescue and it bit my wife three times (yes we are stubborn) before we gave up and had to return it. Even with all our previous experience we couldn't get this dog under control.

Sorry you have to be put in this position but someone has to make these decisions and I guess for now you are stuck with the burden. I wouldn't want to be responsible for placing a dog with this history and have something happen, but it can go either way..

[Dixie_Flyer]

One of our volunteers has asked that Roscoe be given to her and she will work with him. She seems to think Roscoe is in some kind of pain causing his aggressiveness. So Tomorrow instead of getting the needle Roscoe will be given an examination to see if anything is wrong with him physically if not then our volunteer will work on the mental aspect of his problem. Roscoe will be given every chance he can receive to become a happy social dog.

[Code2High]

There is almost always a reason for a dog being aggressive, and if it isn't medical, it is pretty much always "operator trouble" on the part of the humans involved. I doubt very much that in a household with someone dying of cancer, the dogs' training needs got much attention... Particularly one where the adults would consider the dogs unimportant enough to be left behind in a move. (Yes, I realize someone is dying. Would you consider that a good time to give away dogs that your children love? They're losing their mother, their home town, friends, schools... and now lets dump the dogs... this is not a family that values the dogs.) Unfortunately, the people make the mistakes and the dog pays the price, and that is pretty hard to get away from.

Besides looking in your area for a behaviorist, you might contact Best Friends (www.bestfriends.org) and see if they know anyone in your part of the world who could take on Roscoe as a project and save him from the needle. I know they have what they call "training partners" around the country, and there may be a contact that they can help you with. Their whole thing is no-kill, so they'll help you if they can. It is still going to be a bit of a long shot, though.

But if you wake up tomorrow and say "lets see if we can sort this out," the first thing I would recommend is that you get the dog (with back-up as needed) and get him off that chain and out of that yard. Trust me, it won't help anything and creates a big risk of a bite occurring. Chaining dogs is the surest way on earth to create aggression, and does nothing to keep potential bite-ees or those who would tease him, away from him.

It would surely be a lot of work. But if I was one of those little kids, I'd be a lot happier to hear "we found someone who can work with Roscoe so he can get a new home" than that their buddy is dead.

[fulltimegrams22]

Dashonthedash wrote:
My prayers go out to your friend and his family. Is there any chance of consulting an animal behaviorist about Roscoe? Sometimes, if a reason is found for a dog's aggressiveness, there may (emphasis on may) be a way out.

Oh yeah, this reminds me when we had to put our buddy down because was getting so aggressive toward little dogs we had taken him to the vet and they tested his Thyroid to see if it was imbalanced. They said if imbalanced it will cause aggressiveness and it is treatable too. Perhaps this is what Roscoe is suffering from?

Fulltimegrams22

[Dixie_Flyer]

Dashonthedash wrote:
My prayers go out to your friend and his family. Is there any chance of consulting an animal behaviorist about Roscoe? Sometimes, if a reason is found for a dog's aggressiveness, there may (emphasis on may) be a way out.

I haven't thought about that so I will check on Monday to see if we have one in the area.

[Dashonthedash]

My prayers go out to your friend and his family. Is there any chance of consulting an animal behaviorist about Roscoe? Sometimes, if a reason is found for a dog's aggressiveness, there may (emphasis on may) be a way out.

[chemisd]

Such as a sad story about Roscoe. It reminds me of the book by Leo Buscaglia called The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. It is a way to help talk about death with children. It is well written and we were given that when my FIL was dying of cancer. I will keep that family, and you , Richard, in my prayers. Tomorrow won't be an easy day, but may be better than what Roscoe would have faced otherwise.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Dandy Dan wrote:
Richard, Very much enjoyed the phone call the other day. sounds fantastic. I passed it along to Cindy who ws as excited as a little kid with a new toy. we had a good Rally over the weekend and Lori and I got home around 3 this afternoon. Was nice that it was only a little over an hour and a half home. Sorry to hear about Roscoe. Hopefully sometime he will understand when he gets reunited with his humans. God Bless All.

Please tell Anna how special the card is she sent. I will always cherish the memories of her life with us and hold her dear to my heart.

Richard

[Dixie_Flyer]

I went to feed Roscoe and give him fresh water today and he was glad to see me. I looked at him and thought how we might be able to save him, but with a history of biting it is hard to give him to anyone or even think about it. Roscoe is a young dog and very healthy looking its a shame to see him have to be put down but I guess he has sealed his own fate.

Tomorrow I will go with Roger Jenkins from the Waynesboro animal shelter and pick Roscoe up and send him on his way. I would take him to the vet myself but I don't want to take the chance of being bitten, besides Roger has the equipment to do this that I don't have. Roscoe acted friendly towards me when I am around him but I understand it is when you try to get him to do something he doesn't want to do that he turns nasty. I wish I knew how our friend's wife made the trip. It is about six hours to the northwestern part of Georgia from Waynesboro so it will be hard on her.

That part of the state is beautiful with the mountains so Sue and I may take a run up to visit sometime soon. Today is a nice day with the feel of fall in the air. Soon the fall colors will fill the landscape and the nights will be cool enough for a camp fire as another season comes. It's sad to think of a life so young slipping away. So this year when you see a leaf slip from a tree with its brilliant colors and float spiraling to the ground, think how life is much like that leaf. The leaves of fall for a time have been clinging onto that branch enduring the storms and droughts of summer. Then in its brightest hour of color it takes its last breath and slips from the perch it has held on to and floats to the earth leaving only a memory of its former glory.

We only have one chance to leave a lasting impression for those we leave behind. I hope what I leave is a life filled with precious memories of what can happen when a vision becomes that of a community and lives are changed for the better.

[Dandy_Dan]

Richard, Very much enjoyed the phone call the other day. sounds fantastic. I passed it along to Cindy who ws as excited as a little kid with a new toy. we had a good Rally over the weekend and Lori and I got home around 3 this afternoon. Was nice that it was only a little over an hour and a half home. Sorry to hear about Roscoe. Hopefully sometime he will understand when he gets reunited with his humans. God Bless All.

[fulltimegrams22]

I am saddened to hear your story about your friend and Roscoe the dog. I understand how you must feel looking at Roscoe at the fence and not being able to free him and knowing that you will be the one to take him to the vet in the end. I have many tears for this family as they venture for the unknown in what cancer can do to a person and how it tears a family up. I lost a friend to colon cancer back in 1987 and it was very difficult. You and your friends are in my prayers.

fulltimegrams22

[W7SFO]

Sometimes it is very hard to understand why things go they way they do. I like to think god knows what he is doing and that these things fit in his master plan.

[Hoops]

Poor ole Roscoe. Life seems so unfair at times, and I have such a hard time with it sometimes. And that poor mother knowing she will be leaving her children behind must break her heart. Prayers to all and Roscoe.

[bonniesoo]

God bless that poor family and poor Roscoe....my heart breaks for them.

[Dixie_Flyer]

This afternoon was kind of sad for us as we said goodbye to some friends. The wife is dying with liver cancer and has only a very short time to live. Her husband is moving her closer to her family taking with him his 80 year old father and three children, one of which is only two years old. His father has been a friend of the family most of my life and has done most of the repairs and remolding of the home Sue and I live in.

He has three dogs, two of which we found homes for. The other will have to be put down as he has bitten two people recently. So Monday I will go over to their home with the city dog catcher and get Roscoe and have him put to sleep. I watched Roscoe today as he was chained to a fence and thought he doesn't understand what is happening and completely confused about the whole thing. Roscoe was kept in the house and will have to spend the night outside tonight and Sunday night chained because there is no where to take him. I was unaware that they were leaving him until this afternoon, too late to make arrangements for him.

I guess with all that is going on it is difficult to think about everything as my friend is watching as his wife is preparing herself for the day that she will pass from this life. Last night Sue and I carried a meal over for them and talked with them for a while. It's hard to watch a young mother and wife suffer so much, not being able to do anything but pray and bring comfort as best as you can. It's little solice to small children who don't understand why their mother is dying and they are having to leave their home they have lived in all of their lives. Roscoe sits out by the fence wagging his tail and pulling against the chain that holds him to the fence wanting to go inside the house that is now empty. As his family leaves he watches wondering why he isn't going, little does he realize what fate holds for him Monday.

I hug Old Fella, Suzie, Levi and Sue and thank God that isn't us. Izzie walks by and rubs my leg so that I don't forget him as well. Somehow life doesn't seem fair when it hands you a deck that is stacked against you. So I thank God for our blessings and sit back in the comfort of my home surrounded by all the love one man could possibly have A wife who loves me more than she should. My children and grandchildren that I have been blessed with and the unconditional love that is poured out on me every day from those creatures that God gave to increase our knowledge of what real love is all about. How blessed I am to have been loved so much, it's a shame it took me a life time to discover what our journey here is all about. It's learning the simplest thing and that is to love as much as you can while you can and never regret having loved with all of your heart and rejoice in the tears that were shed because you couldn't do more.