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

[mrskti]

Richard was there no way the foster parents could have kept Anna-2?

[Dixie_Flyer]

Waiting for Anna to reach her destination is like waiting for a baby to be born. I have nothing else on my mind but her journey across the country and meeting her new family anticipating every move or turn of the wheel on each of her transports. This is such a great story, one of compassion for a three legged dog that has captured the hearts of so many.

I talked with Irene Pitts, Anna's foster Mom yesterday and she was close to tears missing her Anna. She cared for Anna through her surgery and recovery period and became so attached to her it was hard to let her go. Fostering is hard work for when it's time to let them go it always takes a little piece of your heart also.

The foster homes don't get all the recognition they deserve so I try to give them praise every chance I get. They make it possible for these animals to be saved and learn how to be sociable. So to all of our foster homes this morning I would like to say thank you for a job well done.

[Dashonthedash]

I made my nomination; talk about close. It was 245 words and 1349 characters (the maximums are 250 words and 1350 characters). I composed it in Word. Good luck, Richard!

Gary

[Golden_HVAC]

joelbaker wrote:
Following is a piece I wrote to accompany my nomination of Richard as the Animal Planet hero of the year. I thought others may want to use it as well. There is a link to the nomination web site on Anna's webpage, or just go to animal planet.com
Joel

"Richard Daniels rescued 'Old Fella', an old black lab mix with an injured left rear paw,almost 2 years ago from an RV park where Old Fella had lived outside on his own for at least 5 years. Richard posted his story, from his initial consideration of rescuing him, to the present, on RV.net, a popular website forum for Recreational Vehicle enthusiasts. He progressed from the single rescue to working with the Burke County, GA, animal shelter to convert it to a no-kill shelter, and single-handedly created a network of foster homes that has saved over 100 dogs in that short period of time. He has been a significant influence on the many thousands of visitors to the thread at RV.net, as well as attendees at the rallies that have sprung up across the nation in honor of Old Fella and Richard and their quest to save animals. Because of the active web presence and ongoing story, dogs that Richard has saved have been adopted in Missouri and Ohio, and currently (as of May 2007), Washington state. The story of Anna II, as she is known, the three-legged retriever mix, being transported across the country by many caring and involved RV.netters, is a beautiful story in and of itself.

Richard has caused many of us who are avid pet owners to take stock of our relationship with our pets and to make the decision to rescue a life when we next choose to bring a pet into our homes. He is truly deserving of being America's next Animal Planet hero!

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/16147275.cfm
"

Joel,

1449 letters - including spaces.

I will get to know Anna II in just a week. I can hardly wait. I will be meeting her near Sacromento, California and taking her to the new owners in Eugene Oregon on May 19th. We still need to work out the day I will pick Anna up, and the day Sue will give Anna to Pamela.

Fred.

[Mickey_T]

Smart...very smart...I guess that is why you're the moderator...and we're not!
😉

[RVSnowbird]

as a suggestion, compose your text in a private message here as it will count the characters for you as you type it.

You can click on the Preview icon symbolized as the to see the final and even send it to yourself.

RVSnowbird

[Kfancii]

CindyNRoger wrote:
Joel - Do I have to count, or will it cut me off?

I typed mine out in Word and then used the word count tool. Then I just copied and pasted into the nomination form. Makes easier work out of editing too!

[joelbaker]

CindyNRoger wrote:
Joel - Do I have to count, or will it cut me off?

I didn't count but it confirmed my vote.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Dan, here is a picture of Anna when she was about three months old

[CindyNRoger]

Joel - Do I have to count, or will it cut me off?

[joelbaker]

Feel free to borrow from my write-up. That's why I posted it! I believe they give you 1350 characters to work with.

[CindyNRoger]

Kfancii wrote:
I don't mind anyone borrowing anything I wrote if you think it is good enough. It is hard to put the Ol' Fella story into 250 words or less! I feel like there is so much that I didn't say but hopefully if enough of us send a nomination in, they will put the best ones out there for voting.

I agree that the hardest part is going to be limiting the number of words.

[Kfancii]

I don't mind anyone borrowing anything I wrote if you think it is good enough. It is hard to put the Ol' Fella story into 250 words or less! I feel like there is so much that I didn't say but hopefully if enough of us send a nomination in, they will put the best ones out there for voting.

[CindyNRoger]

I'll be posting tonight. I've been working on my paragraph off and on and if you all don't mind, I'd like to borrow some from the fantastic write-ups posted here.

[Kfancii]

Okay - Here is what I sent in!

To say that Richard Daniels is hero to animals is an understatement. While Burke County, GA is reaping the immediate benefits of his work by having their shelter made no-kill, and the establishment of the Ol' Fella Burke County Rescue which Richard founded, his work touches the lives of thousands through a forum on RV.net. Two years ago while camping at Modoc Campground, an old black dog who is missing part of his foot stood outside of Richard’s campsite hoping for a bit of food. After being fed and making friends with Levi, the Daniel’s Australian Shepherd, he disappeared from the site, but not from Richard’s mind or heart. After repeated trips to the campground by Richard to find him, Ol’ Fella came home to live out the rest of his years as a beloved pet. The Ol’ Fella story has been viewed almost 270,000 times and has more than 7648 posts from people all over the world whose lives have been touched by this love story. Richard has changed the way we think about the pets we bring into our homes and many, including myself, have now rescued an abandoned pet. Daniel’s effort has already found forever homes for 100+ dogs. Richard sums it up best in this statement he posted recently: “Yesterday I was a retired man with little ambition of doing much else, today I am the keeper of an extra ordinary dog named Ol’ Fella that is taking me on the journey of my life.”

Richard - looks like we all think you are a Hero!! Crossing my fingers!!