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 JULY 6 2003

April is rushed to the vet clinic for an emergency examination this afternoon

     At about four o'clock this afternoon a caregiver called over the walkie-talkie from April and Johnny's kennel that there was something very wrong with April. She had just gone to the bathroom and there was a large amount of blood in her diarrhea.

     We called Dr. Morton right away, and he said to bring April in, he'd meet us at his clinic.

     Dr. Morton drew three vials of blood so he could test some of the blood there today and also send some off for to the lab for more extensive tests.

     The doctor is going to test April's blood for Tick Fever (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) and also make sure the rest of her counts are in the normal range.

     Dr. Morton did not want to give a diagnosis until the tests are complete. Hemorrhaging Gastroenteritis can be caused by several conditions--everything from coccidia to an intestinal tumor. Most of the suspected conditions are conventionally treated with antibiotics and steroids, so April was sent home with both.

     We will know more tomorrow when we see Dr. Morton for Anthony (a sore in his mouth), Julie (a sore paw), and Willie (for his puppy shots). Dr. Morton will also be consulting with Dr. MacDonald in the morning about Lassie's possible insulinoma. I had only made an appointment for Willie's puppy shots, so I asked Dr. Morton if he would have time for the other dogs to come to the clinic, too. Dr. Morton said, "For Straydog, we will ALWAYS make time." Thank you, Dr. Morton. We appreciate that very much, Dr. Morton!

Don and Brenda Dillon and Sandra Porter visit us today

     The Dillons have been supporters of Straydog Inc. for a long, long time, and today they came to visit us and brought a friend, Sandra Porter, along because she is considering starting up a no-kill dog shelter, and she wanted to see first hand how we operate. We had a nice visit, and I gave them the grand tour.

*Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log

LAST WEEK

SUNDAY June 29 2003:

* Bobby is NOT being the perfect hospital recovery room patient Emily has been [PHOTOS];

* Emily continues to be a model recovery room patient [PHOTO];

* Still no word about the desperate puppies from near the Oklahoma/Texas border.

MONDAY June 30 2003:

* Bobby's stitches are leaking, so Shannon takes him to the clinic, and when they arrive, the clinic receptionist asks Shannon if the litter of puppies left Saturday are for Straydog [LOTS OF PHOTOS].

TUESDAY July 1 2003:

* Nikki is doing better every day [PHOTOS];

* Shannon took Jed and Misty to the vet and brought Benny back with Jed and Misty.

WEDNESDAY July 2 2003:

* Jesse-Bear walks from his kennel next to the park across TO the park [PHOTOS];

* At five o'clock a huge swarm of bees flew over the park;

* Bobby's fourth day back home goes a little better [PHOTOS].

THURSDAY July 3 2003:

* Bright sun and very hot today - 5 new pups get a mini-pool [PHOTOS];

* Ticks (which are very uncommon here because of the preponderance of ants, which eat ticks like a delicacy) are found on Puppies Jack, Jill, Willie and Tinkerbell [PHOTOS].

FRIDAY July 4 2003:

* This afternoon I walked around our shelter grounds with the camera, thinking about Pat and all she did here and thinking about the memorial service tomorrow (Saturday) [PHOTOS]

SATURDAY July 5 2003:

* Pat's memorial service was wonderful [PHOTO].

 

 

WEEK BEFORE LAST

SUNDAY June 22 2003:

* 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;

* Billy Lawson rescues another dog on the freeway!

MONDAY June 23 2003:

* Jesse and Laura move to make room for Archie and Veronica [LOTS OF PHOTOS].

TUESDAY June 24 2003:

* Jesse and Laura do better in the park today.

WEDNESDAY June 25 2003:

* 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];

* Email from Annie and Amy's new mom.

THURSDAY June 26 2003:

* 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.

FRIDAY June 27 2003:

* A litter of desperate pups will be joining us;

* Bobby had has knee surgery this morning and is doing fine.

SATURDAY June 28 2003:

* 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].

 

3 WEEKS AGO

SUNDAY June 15 2003:

* 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;

* Lots of rain again today on and off;

* Thank-you letter ready to mail.

MONDAY June 16 2003:

* Jack & Jill digging to China [PHOTOS];

* Pepsi to be returned (yet again) [PHOTOS];

* Puppies getting much bigger.

TUESDAY June 17 2003:

* 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.

WEDNESDAY June 18 2003:

* 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;

* Three vet visits this afternoon;

THURSDAY June 19 2003:

* We get several calls per day from people wanting us to take their dogs;

* Bobby will need surgery to repair his knee;

FRIDAY June 20 2003:

* Hot, hot, hot today;

* Bobby's surgery is scheduled for next Friday.

SATURDAY June 21 2003:

* Megan was adopted today [FILE PHOTOS];

* Amy and Annie will be going on a home visit tomorrow [FILE PHOTO].

 

4 WEEKS AGO

SUNDAY June 8 2003:

* Today our youngest son, Joe, is 38 years old;

* Lassie has another mild seizure;

* Emily is doing fine a week after her knee surgery.

MONDAY June 9 2003:

* Kennel mates, Julie and Jed, both see the eye specialist in Arlington (Texas) [PHOTOS];

* Both Emily and Little Lassie continue to do okay.

TUESDAY June 10 2003:

* Tinkerbell and Megan "escape" from their tiny part-time kennel [PHOTO];

* Nikki comes out of her shell a little more with each passing day;

* We're still organizing things around here.

WEDNESDAY June 11 2003:

* Four doggies go to the vet clinic [PHOTOS];

* Dr. Morton's done some research on Little Lassies probable pancreatic tumor;

* When a dog rescuer approaches Rainbow Bridge.

THURSDAY June 12 2003:

* Rain and thunderstorms followed by blue skies and hot sun followed by more storms [PHOTOS].

FRIDAY June 13 2003:

* 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!

* Emily did more range-of-motion exercises today;

* More tragic news: an employee's baby dies.

SATURDAY June 14 2003:

* Pepsi was adopted at Adoption Day today [PHOTO];

* Shannon trimmed toenails [PHOTOS TO COME];

* Blackie keeps staring out the door for Pat.

 

5 WEEKS AGO

SUNDAY June 1 2003:

* The announcement of Pat Arnold's death.

MONDAY June 2 2003: No update

TUESDAY June 3 2003: No update

WEDNESDAY June 4 2003:

* Little Lassie has a seizure and is rushed to the clinic; blood test due back tomorrow.

THURSDAY June 5 2003:

* Kennel crew and dogs moping;

* Lassie's blood test not back yet;

* Tinkerbell and Megan go to the park for the first time;

* Newsletter going to press soon.

FRIDAY June 6 2003:

* Bad news about Lassie's blood test results;

* Tinkerbell and Megan go to the park for their second outing [PHOTOS];

* Daily routine going well;

* I'm doing okay.

SATURDAY June 7 2003:

* Adoption Day Report: None adopted; one returned (Pepsi, who had been adopted last Saturday).

*Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log

6 WEEKS AGO - PAT'S LAST WEEK ON EARTH:

SUNDAY May 25 2003:

* Alice continues to panic during storms and hurts at least one paw scratching at the fence trying to escape the storm [PHOTOS].

MONDAY May 26 2003:

* Outdoor shelter work continues even on rainy days [PHOTOS].

TUESDAY May 27 2003:

* Rex is returned a second time;

* Update on Nikki;

* 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.

WEDNESDAY May 28 2003:

* Blackie is sick;

* Blackie goes to the vet with Puppies Annie, Amy and Willie [PHOTOS].

THURSDAY May 29 2003:

* 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];

* Nikki and Rex are having a ball together [PHOTOS]

* Old Blackie is much better today.

FRIDAY May 30 2003:

* Emily goes to Dallas for her knee operation [PHOTOS].

SATURDAY May 31 2003:

* No Update; Pat suffered a brain aneurysm

 

PREVIOUS WEEKS

*SUNDAY UPDATES: Headlines Linking to the Last 199 Consecutive Sunday Updates of our Straydog website, which is also updated nightly before ~10:00 Central Time U.S.A.

*Adoption Day Saturday, July 12 - PetsMart on Central at Parker in Plano (Texas) (No Adoption Day Saturday, July 5th as that's the day of Pat's Memorial Service.)

*Our Dogs for Adoption - Shannon's page

*Our Dogs for Adoption listed on Petfinder.org, kept up to date by volunteer and member of our Board of Directors, Susan Southerland, Esq.

*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

*DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

  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