THE NOW FINISHED STORY OF LILA RAE

Lila was found on Sunday, September 27th and has been returned to the loving arms of her foster Mom. Lila has now been labeled a "very high flight risk" so she will remain in rescue. I would agree that she has definitely earned that title. The picture captured here was taken by her Mom on her first night home. If that is not a smile of contentment, I don't know what would be. Lila has seen the vet and declared to be 100% healthy. She lost weight on her adventure but did not pick up worms or any other parasites. Her eye was red upon rescue but could be due to stress. Another wonderful boston rescue located in the same city where Lila went missing not only helped to search for her daily, they set a humane trap in an area where paw prints and nesting had been found. On the seventh morning, Lila was found in the trap. She was so happy to be found, she kept leaning into her rescuers, who by the way were the daughter and friend of Old Dominion Boston Terrier Rescue's President in Chesapeake. I am not sure how much traffic this blog gets any more but I could not leave her story unfinished. Welcome Home Lila Rae. You will never know how many people were searching for you, either physically or virtually. That is okay, I think you know enough.

THE UNFINISHED STORY OF LILA RAE Okay, so I stopped publishing the blog over a year ago. The software on this site became hard to manage and hard to post pictures, social media offers a more efficient and visible way of getting the word out to our followers and fans. But today, if just one person who does not facebook, tweet, instagram or pintrest, sees this blog and has a lead on our Lila Rae, I had to take the opportunity. Lila is also feature on our home page at www.btrnc.org. Today is her 4th birthday. She belonged to a breeder but was never bred. The breeder turned her into rescue and she was fostered by our member, Tina Howell. She was posted on our website as available for adoption and someone wanted her! Lila found her forever home leaving breeders and rescues behind and becoming a permanent part of a real family. She was delivered from the loving arms of her foster Mom on Sunday, September 20th into the anxious and excited arms of her new family in Chesapeake, VA. Then..... she escaped within an hour of arriving at her new home. She has been on the run in Chesapeake, VA since September 20th. She is still (as far as we know) wearing her harness, tags and her leash. She has been cited in the area several times since her big escape. She is scared, tired, hungry, and too afraid to approach anyone who has seen her. Her foster Mom and the entire rescue community reaching far beyond BTRNC has come together in an effort to find this lost precious baby. Social medial has been flooded, many of our members and those of other rescues have updated their profile pictures on facebook to Lila's lost poster. Volunteers have spent hours in first sunshine, then pouring rain combing the area where she was last seen. They have walked until their feet and joints are numb, they have been drenched and covered in tick bites. Lila's foster Mom has taken off work and is commuting between Richmond and Chesapeake to search for Lila. Local highschool radio stations and local news stations have shared the story. There are prayer chains, facebook threads, private messages, posts and e-mails. It seems that the world has united to find this lost dog who has no idea where she is or that the intent in the car trip to a strange place was to have a forever home. Her foster Mom has also posted how humbled she has been over the past 5 days for the outpouring of help, emotional, volunteer foot traffic, flyers, sharing posts, etc. She has made new life long friends along this journey. Now all we need is a happy ending. Find Lila Rae is also a new facebook page. May it be the shortest lived page in the history of facebook because she has been found. If you are reading this and have any contacts in or new Chesapeake, VA, please join us in our search. Contact information is 804 647 4898. The area is roughly Cedar Road, Battlefield Park. She escaped from Callison Drive. She is microchipped. Thank you for your support. There are pictures of her everywhere but this stupid software won't ever let me upload them.

A TRIBUTE TO AGGIE, A VOLUNTEER

 AND TWO SURVIVORS

Animal Rescue can consume a lot of the lives of volunteers, but that doesn't mean the rest of our lives go smoothly. Rescue volunteers have children, partners, spouses, jobs, aging parents, and yes, sometimes the volunteers themselves become ill. Sometimes that illness is cancer. Such was the fate of our wonderful volunteer Patsy Hinson. Patsy keeps a blog about her battle and defeat of cancer. With her permission, I am very happy to post portions of her entry entitled, ""3 Women, a Man, a Dog and a Miracle"

I met Ruth several years ago at our cancer support group. Ruth was the kind of person that was always looking for ways to help others. She never saw this as a chore, but, rather, as a Blessing. When she learned that I was active in finding Boston Terriers adoptive homes, she was immediately interested and eager to know more. I was excited to find someone who was willing to help foster the dogs that were surrendered to the rescue. Fostering dogs is not something that people usually do without thinking about it for a while. Not Ruth. She was ready to do her part to help these precious pups. Her only request was to talk to her best friend, Nicky, since she shared a home with her. So, Ruth did this and Nicky was fine with being a foster parent. At this point, I am thinking, “Are these angels for real??” Soon after this, one of our local animal shelters contacted the rescue about a dog desperately needing help. They did not think she’d live through the night unless we found a home for her because she needed very intense care. Since this was Ruth and Nicky’s first foster, we were planning to place a dog in their home that had minimal problems. However, things often don’t work as planned in the Rescue World and so off she went to Ruth and Nicky’s (“The Palace”). Likewise, things don’t often work as planned in the Cancer World. Ruth was again in treatment fighting the beast. To make a long story short, we decided to foster little Aggie together, since we were both in treatment and I had just placed my foster dog. So, we called it our “Timeshare Foster” and worked together caring for Aggie. Fortunately, Aggie recovered from her serious condition, but, unfortunately, we learned she had a long list of medical conditions, including COPD, hernias, and urinary problems. She was in diapers all the time and pranced around in suspenders attached to them. Her prognosis was dim but as we got to know Aggie we realized she was a senior dog with what a vet described as an unbelievable will to live. Ruth and I had an ongoing joke that she’d outlive us both . One of many things I have learned in rescue work is there are certain dogs that “find” you and when they do, they claim you. This happened to Aggie. Aggie didn’t like men much and we have 2 in our household. Aggie takes steroids everyday, so likes to eat (actually, all Bostons are little piggys) and Nicky is a gourmet cook, so she loved to spend time in the kitchen there. So, she tolerated us until she could return to The Palace. Until one day. She decided she wanted to stay at The Palace and she started working to make that happen. When she was at my house she barked incessantly. Our vet with 30 plus years of experience at first thought it was a sign of senility and then anxiety and added prozac to her regiment. Nothing helped. Sadly, Ruth’s cancer progressed and she was in bed more. Aggie chose a place at her side and only left Ruth for a diaper change or short trip outside. Aggie’s heart broke, as did so many others, when Ruth passed. Nicky once told me that she thought she was caring for Aggie, when, in fact, Aggie was caring for her. We all continue to grieve the lost of our dear Ruth, but especially, Nicky and Aggie. I know Ruth is very happy that, as of this month, Nicky has officially made Aggie the official Queen of The Palace by adopting her and making her a true member of the family forever. Sometimes, miracles do happen in the Cancer World…

We are so sorry for the loss of Ruth and at the same time happy to be able to say that Patsy is a survivor with no active disease and happy that Aggie found all 3 of them, knew where she was supposed to be and made sure the humans figured it out. Thanks for sharing your story Patsy.

OUR PROMISE TO OUR RESCUES

While we always hope and expect that our dogs who are placed with forever families will stay there forever, sadly this cannot always be the case. 

When we make the committment to brinig a dog into the BTRNC family, it is for their lifetime.  Regardless of how long a time or how short or the reason for the return to rescue, we lovingly bring the angel back into our fold.  We include the agreement that a BTRNC dog will not be rehomed for any reason but will be returned to the rescue in the paperwork our adoptive families sign.

We recently had the privilege of honoring this committment with sweet Luna, who was adopted over 5 years ago and recently returned to rescue.  Unfortunately, she became 5 years older so she is now classified as a senior.  We all know that seniors can be difficult to place and often remain in our foster care for the duration of their lives.

Not so with Miss Luna.  She stole the heart of a special Mom in Virginia and hitched a ride across NC and VA to her new forever home!!!   Yippee Miss Luna.  You must be a very special girl who deserved to be selected not once but twice.  All reports are that Luna and her new Mom are very happy together!

You go girl!!! 

Independence Day 2013

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY EVERYONE

We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday with their 4 and 2 legged family members.  This cannot be said in enough place or often enough...

More pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other day of the year.  Indoor pets bolt out doors in fear and panic from the noise.  Pets that are outside, even with their families jump over fences in a desperate attempt to escape the impending doom from the night sky.

Please keep your pets indoors away from the commotion and take dogs outside on a leash to answer nature's call.  If you are going out for the festivities, leave a loud radio or television on as background noise and secure pets in a safe area in case they become destructive in panic.

Dogs do not like fireworks, at best they ignore them and those are the lucky ones!

FRESH AS A DAISY

FRESH AS A DAISY

I am not entirely sure if the name for this precious flower will remain Daisy but it was the name given to me by her wonderful rescuer in a Home Depot parking lot so for now, we will go with Daisy.

A volunteer for pug rescue pulled 3 pugs from a backyard breeder who was tired of the business.  The dogs were living in cages with no exposure to grass, houses or people.  They were, as most breeder dogs were removed from their cage only long enough to perform the necessary duties to have puppies.  They are a means to an income, not seen as anything else.  While she was there, she came upon a boston terrier and knew she could not leave her there so she took her too!  BTRNC thanks you Casey and will stand by to return the favor if you ever need anything.

Casey took Daisy home and then to the vet as she had explosive diarhea.  In addition, she was so terrified the first time she ever entered a home, she fell over and shook.  The vet could not even get a good stool sample because she was so infested with worms.  Casey took her home with medicine and nursed her for 5 days until we could arrange transport for this angel into foster care.  I was the lucky volunteer who got to transport her.

Flash forward to the Home Depot parking lot on a bright Saturday morning.  I turned the corner over where the mulch is stacked and saw first the most adorable tiny little package of boston trotting along next to the human who I of course noticed second.  I was smitten before I ever parked the car.  Good thing I was traveling the following week or she may not have made it past my home town. 

Along with Daisy came a leash, harness, a basket full of toys and 2 blankets from Casey.  She rode fine with me on top of her favorite fuzzy blanket.  She settled right down after she attacked the monster in the shape of a plastic water bottle in my console for me. I delivered the precious bundle to her foster Mom who also happens to be our President.  Lucky Daisy! 

Betsy updates that she gets along well with other dogs, is very active and energetic.  The vets seem to think she is between 2 and 3.  She was to be spayed last Friday, her worms are gone and her stool is solid.  She will soon be ready for a very lucky forever home.  This baby is a doll, complete with haggerty spot (dot on her forehead)  She is also currently posted on facebook with additional pictures. 

SPRINGING INTO SOME HAPPY ENDINGS

How about a few happy endings for this Spring season? 

First up, we love repeat adopters and we double love those that like to adopt in doubles.  Maggie and Candy went to their new home all the way in Pennsylvania to the same family that adopted another bonded pair, Luci and Desi from us several years ago.  Thank you so much for taking on double trouble and we hope double the fun!

This little bundle of cuteness is Ruby. 

 She made her way across a few states on a transport, gained a warm blanket along the way and arrived at her Foster Mom's house whereupon it was love at first sight and it became permanent.  From this picture, I can see why - who would not want to protect and keep this gem. 

 And to acknowledge her rescue and adoption, she then had to sport the cone of shame.  This is what happens when you are so happy, you play too hard with your new brother and get your eye scratched!

And then there is Miss Izzy, 11 months of pure puppy energy and cuteness.  She did not stay with us for long as the youngsters are always the first to go.  She is a very happy girl living the dream, in VA now.

And in closing, BTRNC joins with everyone in prayers and thoughts for the families in Moore, Oklahoma who have lost so much.  We are in awe of their great plan and execution to reunite families with each other, their treasured material possessions and their pets.  Everyone, please continue to share and repost information on missing pets if you have any social media friends near that area.  Readers of this blog will no doubt understand the emotion when a pet goes missing and the overwhelming joy when they are found.  We pray for many many happy endings as the clean up continues.