The rescue rollercoaster

The world of rescue is always a series of ups and downs.  Few days are all good, but few days are all bad either.  The last few days illustrate the rollercoaster nature of the rescue world. 

Booty

Booty was great at his first adoption event.

The new dog who came on Friday is named Booty.  Horrible name, but he came with it so I'm sticking with it.  He has enough changes to adjust to without calling him by the wrong name.  He was an owner surrender to the shelter, to avoid facing a fine for repeatedly letting the dog run at large.  Booty is about 4 years old, heartworm positive, not neutered, and he is quite an escape artist.  He's a bit shy with new people but he bonds pretty quickly.  He was fine with the other dogs right from the start. 


I picked him up on Friday.  He spent most the day in the center part of the large kennel, much of it was spent sitting on the high platform doing a low, mournful howl.  He spent the night in the shed with the other fosters and then I put him in the kennel with Maya on Saturday morning.  That was a mistake.  He pulled the gate open on the kennel in spite of two latches and a lock.  I heard dogs barking and went to investigate.  He and Maya were out.  He came to me, she ran from me and we haven't seen her since.  She is so shy and spooked, I don't know what will become of her.  I'm leaving food out for her, hoping she's still nearby, just too scared to come close when I'm around.

The first sampling of Redbone Ale

I put Booty back into the other kennel but he escaped again, by pulling the chain link fencing off of the panel bars to create a big enough hole to crawl though.  Again, however, he didn't run off.  After that he's been in a crate in my office.  Somewhat surprisingly, he's been fine with that, although I don't think he's ever been crated, or been indoors. 

Sampling the porter as it was being
bottled on Saturday

Friday night we sampled the first batch of beer, which we are calling Redbone Ale.  It's good!  (Wait until you see the labels, they are awesome.)  On Saturday we bottled the second batch, Plott Porter, and on Sunday while I was in Gainesville, Clay cooked up batch #3, English Setter Bitter. 

On Sunday I loaded up Booty, Barack, Lana, and Hercules and headed up to Gainesville.  Barack's adopter was due to meet us there to take him home. 

The trip up was uneventful, everyone rode nicely, Booty and Barack shared the open space in the back of the van.  The rottie Zeus who was adopted last weekend came to visit today along with Krypto.  It was great to see them both and Zeus is looking wonderful, happy as can be. 

Barack's adopter sent me an email close to the end of the event saying that he had changed his mind.  Disappointing, but what are you going to do.  Better now than later. 

Pam got some great new
pics of Barack

Today's adoption event wasn't a waste, however.  Hercules was much better behaved with other dogs this week.  The new guy, Booty, was good with dogs and people, pretty laid back, although he must have been experiencing culture shock going from life as a redneck's country dog to being in the midst of other dogs and people at a busy suburban shopping center. 


Barack and Krypto

Zeus is such a
handsome rottie

Krypto

The best news of the day, the week, was that Lana has finally found a home.  There was a nice young couple there, who were already approved by VGSR to adopt a shepherd.  They weren't necessarily set on a shepherd, however, and they fell in love with Lana.  I went to their house after the adoption event so that Lana could check it out and meet their cats.  The meeting went well, Lana sold herself with her love and gentleness, and we are planning to meet Thursday evening to make the transfer. 

Lana and Krypto (he showed up in a lot of pics)

Lana checking out her new home