EXCERPTS FROM PAT ARNOLD'S DAILY DOG LOG - First published on www.straydog.org 05/03/2001
WEDNESDAY MAY 30 2001 Tipper goes to vets for yearly vaccinations and checkup
Tipper is just fine, says the doctor.
Tipper is concerned about me holding this funny looking camera.
We also heard from Silver's new mom that Silver's sleeping on Mom's bed. Great news!
THURSDAY MAY 31 2001 A terrible thunderstorm hits Straydog hard!
At 3:30 this morning Toby, the big Aussie (a once-upon-a-time stray who became one of our house dogs years ago) was all upset and worried at the faint sound of rolling thunder he could hear in the distance. He didn't much like the fact that it was beginning to rain either.
The upcoming storm bothered several of the other dogs too, and during the early morning feeding time the worrisome fellas were very reluctant to eat due to the thunder, but we managed to get all the dogs fed and the dog walks started before the big storm hit hard. The loud booming thunder and streaks of lightening, along with the torrential downpour, brought the dog walks and kennel cleaning to an abrupt stop. The dogs quickly took refuge in their dog houses (which are inside their wooden shelters) to wait out the storm and the rest of us kept a close watch on the downpour from inside the house and office, hoping that the lightning would stop and the rain would let up soon.
The rain kept pouring down, and we had to go out in the storm to check the dogs and the kennels
Bad storms like this always do major washout damage to the sandy soil of the dog kennels. A long, steady, heavy downpour washes sand away from the fence lines, and when it rains too hard too fast, some of the kennels flood, and we have to dig trenches (by hand) to make sure the water drains out of the kennels properly.
About the only time the outside work at our shelter comes to a standstill, is during a lightning storm, which this certainly was. Everyone knows that when lightning is flashing, they are to stop what they are doing and wait it out in the office.
From the kitchen window I watched the storm get worse. The sky was growing blacker by the minute and the lightning was really bad. The rain was pouring down so hard and so fast that I felt I had to go out to make the check on kennels. After suiting up in raincoat and boots out I went in the windy storm with the very uneasy feeling that I'd have to be dodging the crackling lightning, which sounded like it was hitting awfully close to us.
Happy and Rover's kennel was not draining well at all. Their whole kennel yard had a covering of several inches of water already, and it was rising fast. Their drainage ditch must have been clogged, so I quickly dug another trench to let the water out. By the time I had gotten to Scooter and Penny's kennel, the pouring rain had soaked through my coat and clothes and I was drenched to the skin. My boots were full of water, and the lightning was really scary!
We break our "rule" and continue to work in the terribly bad lightning storm
While I slushed around digging a deeper drainage ditch for Scooter and Penny's kennel, Randy and Ginnie suddenly appeared, ready to help out too. This storm was more serious than most because of the heaviness of the downpour, which was flooding the kennels. We all broke our rule to "stay inside during any lightning storm," and we hurriedly trudged, and sloshed around in our water filled boots shoveling the washed away sand back under the fence lines and filling serious holes and digging better drainage ditches. Finally the lightning got so bad we had no choice but to go back inside to reduce the danger of being struck by it.
By 9:00 a.m. the storm had let up, the dog walks continued and major kennel yard repair was resumed. We called Joel in--on his day off--to help with the kennel repair work.
By 11:00 the sun was shining and most of the major kennel grounds repair work was done.
After the storm Randy, Joel and Ginnie dig trench to let floodwater out of Katie's kennel.
Our wish for a kennel building to house all the dogs in this kind of threatening weather grows stronger!
For a long time now we've been trying to raise the funds to construct a much needed kennel building with air conditioning to keep the dogs cool during the long, sizzling-hot summers and with heat to keep them comfortable during the freezing, harsh winter days and nights. Horrible lightning and thunder storms at any time of the year are another reason for building a kennel building.
SATURDAY JUNE 2 2001 At Adoption Day little puppy-dog Dusty makes a home visit and is later officially adopted by phone call Saturday night
This was to be an exciting day for little Black Lab mix Puppy Dusty. He was one of the three dogs we took to our Petsmart Adoption Day this morning. Little did we know that Dusty would find his wonderful forever mom this afternoon.
The young woman, Ginger, and her friend, Blain, stopped by to look at our dogs and fell in love with Dusty, but because Ginger realized this was a life-long commitment, she wanted to take more time to think about adopting Dusty. Ginger wanted us to make the home visit with Dusty so that after she had time to think about adopting the little fellow, she could come to our shelter to pick him up.
The home visit went beautifully, and even though Dusty was not adopted this afternoon, we were very glad that this young woman was wise enough to realize that having a pet is a forever commitment and that she would take the time to think about this adoption very carefully.
By the time we arrived home from Dallas, there was already a phone message from Ginger saying she realized the minute we had left her home with Dusty that she wanted to adopt the little fellow, and wanted to confirm the adoption.
Due to a zillion interruptions as I try to finish this update, I have now missed my deadline to complete it.
SUNDAY JUNE 3 2001 Ginger and Blain come to Straydog to pick up Puppy Dusty
[Adoption story to come.]
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL DOGGIE-SITTERS! Your help makes it possible to keep trying to find wonderful homes for our many furry friends. Thank You!
And thanks to all of you who continue to give your moral and financial support to our Happy Home for Strays. Your support enables us to continue to care for many abandoned, homeless dogs and puppies. Without your help this just wouldn't be possible. We will be forever grateful.