Straydog, our Happy Home for Strays
(The hexagon is the "Big Play Yard," which we usually refer to as "the park")
(Photo taken May 2002)
Straydog is a "lifeboat" (and sanctuary) for rescued dogs. A vacant spot in a kennel is an empty seat in our "lifeboat," so please, if you're interested in adopting a dog, see our "Dogs for Adoption" links below, or call to inquire about dogs you may have seen recent photos of but who may not yet be included in our "Dogs for Adoption" links. And please continue to support us. We will continue to row this "lifeboat" to shore, dropping off rescued dogs into the arms of good adopters, and we will continue to fill the space left vacant by each adopted dog with another desperate homeless dog for as long as we can hold on (financially). We believe that our example (and the example of all other no-kill shelters) must be publicized to wake people up and make them aware of the necessity to SPAY and NEUTER their pets so that homeless dog-rescue "lifeboats" will no longer be necessary. (Ditto for cats!)
Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
SUNDAY JUNE 29 2003
Bobby is not being the perfect hospital recovery room patient Emily has been
At 4:00 this morning Bobby got me up by barking in his kitchen kennel to take him out to potty.
At 5:30 a.m. Guy came over to prepare and give Julie (the diabetic dog) her insulin, and Guy also took Bobby to the park to walk him. (Bobby has to stay confined and walked on a leash for the next 11 weeks before he can go back with his mother and his sister, Briar.)
At 7:00 a.m. Bobby again was taken out to potty--this time by Caregiver Michael. Bobby was also fed and given pain medicine.
At 9:00 a.m. Bobby was fussing in his inside kennel, and I tried to get him to go out, but he wouldn't move.
At 10:15 a.m. Bobby still refused to go outside, but he continued to fuss.
At 10:35 a.m. suddenly Bobby wanted to go out and willingly let me put the leash on him and escort him out the kitchen door. He urinated a whole lot as soon as he got into the big play yard.
At 11:30 a.m. Bobby again fussed to go out, but he did not go to the bathroom.
At 12:25 p.m. Bobby went out to visit his mom and sister, who were enjoying their first of two daily outings in the park. Bobby urinated and wanted to go back to his regular kennel with his family, but we had to bring him back inside.
At 1:45 p.m. Bobby again fussed to go out, but he wouldn't do anything but sit by the gate hoping we'd put him back with his family, which we cannot do. His operation cost $937 (including a 10% discount thanks to Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center), and if he damages the work done by the surgeon, we'll have to do the operation all over again, so he's just going to have to fuss and be taken out many, many times daily.
At 3:00 p.m. Bobby went out with his family for the second time and did some bathroom duties.
At 4:15 p.m. Bobby went out again but no bathroom.
It's now evening and Bobby's been out several more times, but I've been too busy with all kinds of other things to log the balance of his outings. Finally Bobby has been resting quietly from about 6:30 p.m. on. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day as he gets used to being in the house.
Some of you may remember that when Bobby had his other knee surgically repaired back in 2000, Pat also had a rough time trying to keep Bobby happy, and finally she had to construct a small kennel right next to his mother and sister's kennel so he could be close to them without being able to move around too much and re-damage his repaired knee. The first night outside alone Bobby (wearing an E-collar) somehow broke a small hole in the fence trying to get back inside his family's kennel. Pat had to go out and sleep with Bobby in this special outdoor kennel till he got used to his new "situation."
Because of the "Bobby situation" Shannon has offered to stay and work on Straydog office work all night tonight (and subsequent nights if necessary) in order to be able to tend to Bobby whenever he starts fussing during the night. Then I'll get up early (as usual) so Shannon can go home and get some sleep, and I'll take care of Bobby all day (with the help of the caregivers) till Shannon gets back tomorrow night. So, now we have an over-night shift here at Straydog, and it will continue as long as it takes.
You may also remember the story of the rescue of Bobby, Briar and their mother, Momma Dog. The pups were about 10 weeks old when they came trotting up our side road following their mother, who is a regular, domesticated dog. The real tragedy is that these two beautiful siblings had not had human contact until we rescued them, and if puppies have no human contact during this early period of their lives, they will behave as feral dogs for the rest of their lives--very, very afraid of strangers and new situations.
Emily continues to be a model hospital recovery room patient
For four weeks now Emily has been inside the house and has behaved quite well most of the time, sleeping all night every night and rarely fussing to go out.
Still no word about the desperate puppies from near the Oklahoma/Texas border
All we can do is hope the woman named Karen has found safe haven for the pups.
*Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
LAST WEEK
* Annie and Amy adopted this afternoon [LOTS OF PHOTOS!]
* Today's adoption will open up a kennel, allowing us to bring Archie and Veronica home;
* Jesse and Laura move to make room for Archie and Veronica [LOTS OF PHOTOS].
* Four dogs go to the vets today: Benny, Rex, Rudy and old Rocky;
* Alice and Sally escape from their kennel thru their drain hole [PHOTOS];
* Shannon brings Rocky, Benny, Rudy and Rex home from the vet clinic [PHOTOS OF ROCKY & GINGER];
* Blind Stevie's dad writes us an email on caring for a blind dog.
* A litter of desperate pups will be joining us;
* Bobby had has knee surgery this morning and is doing fine.
* The desperate puppies coming from the Oklahoma/Texas border are a no show;
* Bobby's back home and doing okay (so far) in his kitchen kennel [PHOTOS].
WEEK BEFORE LAST
* With Pepsi gone his mother, Krissy, needs a kennel mate--Rudy one of Rosie's pups;
* Rex, another of Rosie's pups, moved in with Nikki;
* Jack & Jill digging to China [PHOTOS];
* Pepsi is back, but he has another possible forever home in the works [PHOTOS];
* Emily continues to recover well from her knee surgery;
* Julie goes to the doctor again for a second glucose curve test in as many days.
* Shannon rescues two dogs from being shot [PHOTOS];
* Erin gets a call about a dog fight broken up by a woman who rescues the picked-on dog;
* We get several calls per day from people wanting us to take their dogs;
* Megan was adopted today [FILE PHOTOS];
* Amy and Annie will be going on a home visit tomorrow [FILE PHOTO].
3 WEEKS AGO
* Today our youngest son, Joe, is 38 years old;
* Kennel mates, Julie and Jed, both see the eye specialist in Arlington (Texas) [PHOTOS];
* Tinkerbell and Megan "escape" from their tiny part-time kennel [PHOTO];
* Nikki comes out of her shell a little more with each passing day;
* Four doggies go to the vet clinic [PHOTOS];
* Dr. Morton's done some research on Little Lassies probable pancreatic tumor;
* Rain and thunderstorms followed by blue skies and hot sun followed by more storms [PHOTOS].
* Thunder, lightning and heavy rains continue;
* Alice did very well with the thunder today, but Big Boy showed his fear of the storm;
* For the first time Nikki takes a biscuit from Guy's hand;
* Jed and Julie's eyes look great!
* Pepsi was adopted at Adoption Day today [PHOTO];
* Shannon trimmed toenails [PHOTOS TO COME];
* Blackie keeps staring out the door for Pat.
4 WEEKS AGO
MONDAY June 2 2003: No update
TUESDAY June 3 2003: No update
* Little Lassie has a seizure and is rushed to the clinic; blood test due back tomorrow.
* Kennel crew and dogs moping;
* Lassie's blood test not back yet;
* Bad news about Lassie's blood test results;
* Tinkerbell and Megan go to the park for their second outing [PHOTOS];
* Adoption Day Report: None adopted; one returned (Pepsi, who had been adopted last Saturday).
*Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
5 WEEKS AGO - PAT'S LAST WEEK ON EARTH:
* Outdoor shelter work continues even on rainy days [PHOTOS].
* Rex is returned a second time;
* Nikki meets Puppy Rex, and for the first time she comes out of her shell [PHOTOS];
* Little Rex misses his mom and is returned to Rosie's kennel.
* Blackie goes to the vet with Puppies Annie, Amy and Willie [PHOTOS].
* Sweet Sassy Katie goes to the clinic for mat removal and a bath;
* Back at the shelter Katie shows off her "summer-do" in the big play yard [PHOTOS];
SATURDAY May 31 2003:
* No Update; Pat suffered a brain aneurysm
*Our Dogs for Adoption - Shannon's page
*Our Mission & How We Got Started
*"Goodbye, Danny Boy." - An example of the only acceptable use of euthanasia
*When a dog rescuer approaches The Rainbow Bridge
If you would like to help with our ever-growing vet bill, donations can be sent directly to:
*Click here for continuation of our homepage with no changes to the continuation in several weeks
