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 the example of our sacrifice (and the example sacrifice of the people running 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 AUGUST 17 2003
We received the following email today from Larry, Jed's new dad
Erin and Straydog crew,
Just a quick note to let you know how Jed is doing. I've only
had him for 24 hours now, but I don't see how introducing a new
dog could go much smoother. The worries we had about the cats
have turned out to be unfounded. Jed has shown absolutely no aggression
toward any of them. Even when the kitten playfully grabbed his
tail he just ignored it. One of the cats even slept next to him
for awhile last night with no problem.
I'm still working on details of feeding (since I've been used
to just leaving food out all the time), but it shouldn't take
long to get into a routine. For now, I'm feeding Jed at the times
listed in his paperwork and will slowly move them to match my
schedule.
Jed has laid claim to the futon, but it does seem to bother one
of his back legs a little when he climbs up on it. I'll set up
some kind of step to help him out.
Other than that, I just need to get a bigger water bowl. Jed drinks
serious amounts of water!
Regards,
Larry
Jack's mom called missing him tremendously
Jack's mom, Lauren, called this morning to see how Jack is doing. She feels terrible that he's not home with her. She wanted to know my experience with aggressive dogs, and I asked her how Jack behaved at home with her. No problem whatsoever, she said. Jack only shows aggression when they're out and encounter other dogs or when strangers and/or strange dogs come to visit. On the other hand, Lauren said, when she walks Jack at night, he is very protective of her, and she feels comfortable and safe having Jack with her on these night walks.
My response was that (in our experience) you can't have it both ways. If you want a dog with a docile personality (a Lab or a Retriever or an Australian Shepherd, for example), the dog's not going to be a great deal of help protecting you while walking him alone at night, and the dog's not going scare off burglars who might be trying to get into your house. (There are, of course, exceptions to this rule as there are to every rule.)
Pat and I always had both kinds of dogs, I told Lauren, and you just have to handle them differently. You have to be very careful with an aggressive dog around strangers, children and strange dogs, but you can also sleep well at night knowing you're safe in your home.
Lauren feels so bad about having brought Jack back to Straydog that she is seriously thinking about coming to reclaim him next weekend. I told her that we would like nothing better than for Jack and her to be reunited and for her to care for him taking every precaution not to let him get into situations where he could even possibly bite a person or attack another dog. (A dog's guardian [owner] is responsible for the dog's behavior--not the dog himself.)
All of our staff have made friends with Jack, and he's behaving just like a normal dog around them. Jack is not a vicious dog by any means.
The days are so hot that we're starting one caregiver/kennel helper's shift at nine tonight, and he'll work till six a.m.
Pat and I used to talk quite frequently about moving the whole operation to nights during the hottest months, but we never got around to it. We're already starting the first shift at four a.m., with the "second shift" coming in from 7:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m., but in the extreme heat of the afternoon the dogs would rather just sleep in the shade rather than receive special attention from the caregivers.
So, we'll start out with one employee staying over night, going from kennel to kennel, caregiving each set of dogs and cleaning the kennels. This individual's duties will also include checking on the six "hospital" dogs every 15 minutes so that Erin and Shannon and I might be able to get a little sleep.
We'll let you know tomorrow how this first night goes.
Yesterday
...
Straydog UPDATE posted SATURDAY 8/16/03 at ~8:15 p.m. CT
Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
SATURDAY AUGUST 16 2003
Erin's Report from Adoption Day ...
Jed's new Dad, Larry, met us at Petsmart today to pick up old Jed
Larry took a few days off work, picked up all the bones and food from the floor, and said, "We're all ready!" I showed Larry which dog food Jed is used to eating, and Larry bought a bag and some cans. He noticed Jed picked up a bone from a low shelf, and Jed himself carried that over to the checkout counter!
When we got to Larry's house, eight-year-old Jake and three-year-old Champ did not mind Jed at all, just as before (Click here to see the Adoption Day Update from August 2). We had a better feel with the cats too. Jed didn't go after them now that the hospital patient kitten was out of her crate. Still, I made Larry promise to separate the animals (especially the cats) when he's not home while everyone is getting used to each other. Larry gave a nice donation, and Susan and I left him there with all his charges. Larry has all weekend plus a few more days to have fun with 12-year-old Jed before he has to go back to work.
Benny is spoken for and should be picked up next week
A woman named Barbara and her husband came in looking for a friend for Norman, their medium-size mixed-breed sweetheart. They fell in love with Benny right away, so we encouraged them to bring their dog over to meet Benny. All went well with the initial visit in Petsmart's parking lot, so I asked them if they were ready for a home visit, and off we went. Benny and Norman got along just fine in Barbara's large yard. Norman tried to show Benny how to go in and out of the doggie door, but Benny was afraid of the sound it made. Inside, Benny found lots of things he wanted to chew on, but Barb said the "chewables" weren't as important as the dog. (We are quite impressed!)
We would have left Benny with his new friend, Norman, but the fence needs to be fortified as Benny is an experienced digger. We're hoping that the new bricks and/or cemented area can be finished by next week.
Volunteer Scott wants to adopt Veronica
Volunteer Scott has fallen in love with Veronica, and we will go on that home visit as soon as possible. Scott has a disabled dog, Millie, and two cats. He thinks Veronica will fit in just fine.
Shannon's Report from Straydog ...
Jack is returned
Jack's mom, Lauren (with dad, Brian) brought Jack back to Straydog this afternoon, as per arrangements made yesterday. Jack was pretty nervous and growled a little bit, but I think once he understands that we are here to feed and walk him and shower him with affection, he will be more comfortable with us. (The main reason Lauren and Brian had to return Jack was that he had become too aggressive and had bitten a couple of people.)
Jack's parents saw Jack's new kennel (formerly Jed and Julie's kennel), the big play yard, and the office with all of the hospital dogs. They liked that Jack will be able to run as much as he wants in the huge play yard. Jack will have his pillow and toys from home, and we're hoping his adjustment will go smoothly.
I fed Jack (note to his mom: he ate all of it) and took him to the play yard, where he met Joel. Jack didn't growl at all. He did hide behind me a little bit, but he showed no aggression, which we're taking as a hopeful sign.
*Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
CURRENT WEEK
* Our first Sunday Adoption Day at the Red Jacket nightclub on Lower Greenville in Dallas [PHOTOS];
* Tinkerbell to be returned to our shelter;
* Veronica and Pierce go to our first Sunday Adoption Day;
* All of our caregivers and kennel workers are really working hard in the heat.
* Fuzzy has cancer of the stomach;
* Shannon visited Anthony today while at the surgery center with Fuzzy;
* Julie's sugar level is good!
* Pierce and Veronica are new kennel mates, as are Benny and Willie [PHOTOS];
* Anthony comes home after his cancer operation and is doing fine [PHOTOS]!
* Tinkerbell becomes Scottie's new kennel mate--for a while [PHOTOS];
* Ofelia volunteers yet another Wednesday and puts up dog name tags on all the kennels [PHOTOS];
* A Chihuahua named Dusty is abandoned by a job applicant [PHOTO];
* FLASH! - Now (at 7:41+ p.m.) I just heard that a piece of scab is coming off Alice's tail wound!
* Alice goes to the vet first thing this morning to check wound where scab came off;
* Beautiful Susie comes home from the groomer [PHOTOS];
* Poor Anthony can only watch Susie from his hospital kennel window [PHOTO];
* Diabetic Julie's blood sugar level is normal!
* Andy (now named Jack) is being returned after more than a year [OLD PHOTO];
* Jed's new dad will pick Jed up at Adoption Day [PHOTO].
LAST WEEK
* Willie moves inside temporarily [PHOTO];
* Veronica loves attention from people more than from other dogs [PHOTO].
* Mandy asked to be featured in the update tonight [PHOTO];
* Jesse and his mother, Laura, are sporting new haircuts [PHOTO];
* Randy, a second-shift caregiver, finds and gets rid of a Black Widow spider! [PHOTO].
* Sally and Alice had to have a portion of their tails removed [BANDAGED AFTER PHOTOS];
* Fuzzy's appetite improves [PHOTO];
* Update on Julie's scheduled eyelid surgery;
* Bobby's doing better every day;
* Katie continues to come inside during the heat of the day;
* Update on Heather [OLD PHOTO OF HEATHER];
* Fuzzy isn't eating again [PHOTO];
* Saturday Adoption Day is scheduled for two stores [PHOTO OF MANDY, WHO'S GOING];
* Anthony is recovering from surgery [OLD PHOTOS OF ANTHONY].
* Note from Bill - Last night on the road;
* Archie was adopted [PHOTOS]; Veronica may be adopted tomorrow; Mandy's adoption didn't work.
*Adoption Day Saturday, August 23 - PetsMart on Central at Parker in Plano (Texas)
*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 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
