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OUR FIRST NOEL (with two dots) our Special Dog in Need
My new wife, Betty, and I were driving home late yesterday in a torrential downpour from the post office (where we mailed Christmas presents too late, so if you don't get yours, or a card on time, blame the (wonderful!) US Postal Service), when Betty asked, "Did you see that?!" I was already brain-dead and looking in another direction, but the "that" was a mixed breed dog walking along a very busy road with a plastic bucket on her head. I got out of the car (after my wife nearly got us broadsided ... hmmm, that could also be a euphemism for how I happened to get married again - "broadsided" - after threatening to only ever get another horse first!) and I got the dog to a side road where all attempts to catch her with my deep male voice and "world-renowned reputation" regarding animal behaviour were fruitless and even my fruit-of-the-looms were soaked. Enter beautiful woman (wife) with kind heart bearing dog treats - cut to the dog "melted" and agreed to enter our vehicle. So far, so good, except that we had NO where to put her at home. With over 30 animals including a dozen rescued fosters, one does not just waltz in with a foundling and expect harmony. Thankfully, it quit raining, was warm, and foundling spent the night on a covered porch in a crate. (Naturally, everyone feels badly for us, the "honeymooners," who fall asleep in their animal-hair-covered clothes discussing rescued animal issues. Allow me to play on that sympathy later.) Yes, the bucket had been placed over the dog's head intentionally, inverted, with the bottom cut out, and with a rope to secure it. Even in the darkness, we saw she had beautiful ice blue eyes, was a Shepherd mix, with a drop of Husky blood, a cinnamon colour with a "docked" tail, less than four years old, about 60 lbs. Until I walked her after we arrived home and had a better chance to examine her. SOMEONE HAS CUT OFF HER TAIL!, with a machete, an axe, or something similar. New husband went bonkers and new wife tried to placate him. (Verbally - get your minds out of the gutters.) We treated her, the dog, with oral antibiotics and topically. Wife fed her leftover turkey intended for my dinner. We both e-mailed all the local usual rescue "suspects" and everyone else is full, no room at their "inns," and some are in more dire straits than we are. We'd already ruled out calling any local authority until we could be assured that she wouldn't be put down due to lack of funds for the vet care she obviously needs, or lack of a (uncaring? possibly THE abuser/owner coming forward to claim her?) suitable adopter by that agency's time limit, and could we maintain control over the outcome for her while we still don't have suitable circumstances to house her? (All questions that we ALL face about how our local, especially tax-funded and non-profit agencies charged with animal welfare deal with animal matters...we ALL do do that, don't we?) Betty has the work schedule from hell, we share a vehicle and I couldn't drive anywhere to deal with this new problem. Superwoman-wife arranged for a fellow rescuer to pick the dog up and take her to our vet for an overhaul that will most likely require further amputation of her tail, spaying and vaccinations. A big worry in this climate is not IF a found dog has heartworms, but WHEN. In the past few months we've dealt with everything from heartworm-positive dogs, the usual spay/neuters and vaccinations, and a tail amputation. Superwoman-wife also found a kind-hearted woman to foster the dog for about a week...after such time we need to find a long-term foster or qualified adopter. I took the dog for an hour's long walk today and we have totally bonded. During the walk, I decided that she needed to have a name. I first focused on her ice blue eyes and thought of "Ice" - but that implied "coldness," and she's a dear and loving (and I'll bet she's good with kids and cats, possibly other uncomplicated dogs, but have no proof to back up that behavioural assessment). I thought of when we found her, "Thursday," and how we found her, "Rain," but they just didn't fit. Then I thought of the time of the year when we found her and decided a dog that underwent such horror deserved a beautiful name, NOEL. (Which is properly spelled with two dots over the "e," but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to do that in my e-mail program.) I called Superwoman-wife at work after the walk with Noel to check on Betty's progress regarding the dog, told her about my walk with the dog and Betty said, "She has a name now. It's Noel." I started to get all choked up. It took me decades to find a woman who I can get along with, who thinks like I do, and now she is apparently coming up with ideas and solutions before I do. (The other two men in the world involved in animal rescue are now "high-fiving" and yelling "we hear you brother!"). As I write this, Noel is now at our vet for assessment and probable surgery. Tomorrow, I have a book-signing to do as a benefit for two state animal rescues, while Betty takes one of our foster dogs for a home check and a very likely adoption, and attempts to finish our (late) Christmas shopping. Then we attempt to make a second trip to the "city" to one of her friend's Christmas parties and the next day/her only day off in recent memory will be spent catching up on everything else we're behind on, including visiting my horse and animal grooming. Boo-hoo. We wouldn't change our lives for the world and all we have to do is look into those beautiful animal eyes to know that it's all been worth it, will always be worth it. I've heard many time before that "I didn't contribute anything, or do anything, because of XYZ, and it just wouldn't have been enough." I'm telling you right now, there's no such thing as "enough," and anything you do, we do, comes back to us in the long run. At this moment, our "crisis" is Noel and even one dollar or less, sent directly to our veterinarian can help toward her care or the care of our present/future fosters and as a new husband it is the next "best thing" if you would consider sending your spare change to our vet care fund :- Payable to the following and you MUST specify that is for CAPE FEAR RESCUE RANGERS (the effort started by my wife and her rescue partner Jennifer Porter) - in just a couple of years and totally self-funded they have placed over 250 rescued animals in good homes.) It's no wonder I married her, she's as "crazy" as I am!: Forest Hills Vet Hospital 8 N. 26th St. Wilmington, NC 28405 Phone: 910-362-9955 Thanks, Jim and Noel (with two dots over the "e") and a wife who is going to be flabbergasted that I actually sent this to my address book. And will probably get "even" with me by finding another lost animal on the way home. Any offers of a permanent home for "Noel" within a reasonable travelling distance for us will be greatly appreciated so we can come visit and call it a "honeymoon." We'll arrange to get a photo of her later, but Noel, despite her maiming, has grown beautiful in my opinion in the past 24 hours, and you can audibly hear her sigh of relief.
Jim's book, "PIECES OF MY HEART - Writings Inspired by Animals and Nature" (includes "How Could You?") is available in the USA, the UK and Europe. For more info and a special fundraising discount, see: http://www.crean.com/jimwillis/ (and the foot of every page on this website!) **Jim Willis/The Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust are now affiliated with Cape Fear Rescue Rangers http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/NC332.html Wilmington, North Carolina 28403, USA - We usually have foster animals available for adoption. - Donations of quality foods/bedding/litter and other supplies are greatly appreciated. - Donations to our veterinary care fund may be sent directly to our vet (see petfinder link for address). http://www.crean.com/jimwillis
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