Rescued by a series of happy coincidences!

Last week was bad at the shelter. Lots of dogs in urgent need of adoption or rescue. Lots of dogs needing to immediately leave the premises. It was a terrible time for me, watching these threads and networking the dogs and posting ALL I knew about them and knowing that I was going to be leaving for Texas in a week and couldn't take a single one.

But then a series of happy coincidences happened which set in motion events that would save the lives of two very precious dogs. It's important to focus on the good. It's a dream to believe I can save every dog. I hope one day to make it a reality. But for now, I will focus on the rescued.

Flash was a 1 year old retriever mix. The picture that the shelter took for his urgent thread on Facebook was not flattering. In fact, it showed him mid-pee. Poor guy. And then he was given his death day. No one was showing any interest. And then my friend went and visited him in his kennel and realized his potential. Flash was smallish and beautiful and sweet. He was good with other dogs and loved people. He needed a chance.

Working against the clock, my friend found Flash a rescue and agreed to foster him short-term, not an easy decision. But she knew Flash needed a chance. She would be the one who gave him that chance. Flash was picked up at the shelter on the day he was scheduled to die. He took his freedom walk with a lady associated with the rescue. She took him home that night (she boards and grooms dogs) and brought him over to my friend's house on Wednesday, where I was waiting to help her get Flash and her dog acquainted.

Wednesday was also the day when 20 dogs had to be out or killed. I was torn up about it because I couldn't DO ANYTHING. I couldn't foster. No rescues were stepping up and needed money help. I had to do something. So as we talked with the woman who had brought Flash over, it came up that she now had an empty space at her house for a boarder. I looked at my friend who looked back at me. 

"If we pay, will you pull a dog and board until we find a rescue?" Her answer was a resounding yes and she headed back to the shelter to get Thelma, a 7 month old retriever mix, slated to die at noon the next day.

We couldn't save them all. We aren't superheroes. But, because we all happened to connect at the same time, we saved two. And Flash and Thelma are now living the life - the one that happens outside of a shelter kennel.