Capone and friends

"It's been a full week!  Saturday was a pretty good day for us.  The adoption went well.  We adopted out a sweet Boxer/Pit mix named Boss.  He had been at animal control for a while, and it was taking a toll on him.  A young couple came by and took him home.  He was a happy boy!  Free at last!  Way to go Boss!

Trigger, a Boxer mix, was able to get out of animal control on Saturday, and at the end of the day he went  to a foster home.  He is a very high energy boy, and he is a handful.  I was very grateful to the gal that took him home, at least for a while, to give him a chance to be with a family. Who knows? Maybe the family will fall in love with him.

Binks, our Pomeranian, went to a foster to adopt home.  He bolted out the door of the last foster home, and it scared the woman to death.  We'll see how it goes this time! He is such a beautiful dog.  People have to spend time with these animals and train them.  We live in a society that looks for instant gratification. Some people feel that if they have to invest too much time and effort they bail out.  It's a shame.  This is one of the hardest things I deal with as a rescuer.  There is such a lack of commitment.

 Poor little Mavis came back again on Saturday, but she went to a foster home later in the day. I just want to see her get a wonderful home! She has been through so much!  I love hounds, but many people walk right past them.  They have a sweet spirit about them, and they can be so loving and kind.  This girl has the most beautiful eyes!  The couple that took her saw the sadness in those eyes, and it broke their hearts.
I know that she has enough of being locked up. I want the best for this sweet girl, and we will make sure that happens.


A lady called me from the Charlotte area about her Pit Bull, Capone.  She was very upset.  She said that she got a letter from her home owners association, and they told her the dog had to go. She was in tears, and she told me that she had called every rescue that she could find, and they turned her down.  I realize that we are all on overload, but I am always amazed at how so many rescues can just turn away from some of these hard cases.  When I told her that I would try to help with Capone she just sobbed.  I can't take every dog either, but I always try to talk with people and give them options and show some compassion.

She brought him to the pet adoption on Saturday, and he was pretty upset.  He was shaking in that crate, and I don't like to see a 75 pound Pit Bull upset.  That environment is stressful to all dogs, but Capone was clearly out of his element there.  It made me pretty nervous.

A man had called me the day before that was interested in another Pit Bull, so I had Capone's owner talk with them.  The man was at work, but his girlfriend said to bring Capone out there.  When I heard that they would foster Capone, I was thrilled.  If this dog had to go to the animal control in Charlotte it would be over for him immediately.  They have a terrible problem with dog fighting there, and if an owner turns in a Pit bull, they euthanize it immediately.

When  Capone's owner called and told me that the couple wanted to foster him I was thrilled.  A young woman and her dad had also seen Capone earlier in the day, and they showed up as we were leaving.  The young woman told me she really wanted him, and I told her I would call her if it didn't work out. I felt very relieved to know that we had someone else in case this first home fell through.

The next day I got a call from the couple that took him.  "We just love Capone," the man said.  "You couldn't find a better dog. "

 "That's just great news!" I said, with a great sense of relief.

"Well, we have a problem though," he went on.  "Our landlord said we can't have a Pit Bull.  My girlfriend is just sick about it.  She's been crying all day. In fact, she took off and went to her mother's house for the afternoon.  I can't make this guy change his mind.  I fell terrible for Capone.  He has already made himself at home here."

My heart sank.  I knew that there was nothing that these people could do.  It is what it is.  I told him that I had a young woman that really wanted Capone, and I would call her.

She didn't answer, but she returned my call and left a message.

"I'm so sorry," her message started.  "I went home last night and called my landlord right away.  He told me no.  I just can't believe it!" she said, as her voice broke.  "Please keep him safe.  I will pray for him. I am so sorry."

I was in shock that both homes fell through.  I looked through my book and found a lady that had wanted Petey, another Pit, but he was being adopted.  I called her and told her about Capone.  She lives about a hour and a half from here near Johnson City,TN.

"He is a good boy, but very strong. If you take him he will need a no pull harness for sure," I warned.  "If you are a small woman he will take you for a ride.  You need to call the foster dad and let him tell you about the dog, and then you can make a decision."

She did what I suggested and called me back. " I'm going to meet Shane tomorrow, she said.  "He warned me about how strong he is, but I will work with him.  I live out here all alone, and I need a nice big dog hear with me.  I know it will take time, but I'm going to commit myself to training him."
I was overjoyed!

 My phone rang about 7:30 AM  the next morning.

"Hi Penny, It's Sally.  I feel terrible, but I just can't keep Capone.  He is great inside, but he pulls so hard when I take him out, and I just can't do this!"

I wanted to have a breakdown!  "Did you get the harness, or a prong collar?"I asked

"No, but I just can't keep him., I can't believe that he doesn't know any commands."

"He knows several commands," I said, feeling like everything I suggested went right out the window.

"Well, he should be able to walk on a leash! He is a year and a half!" she said rather disgusted.

"He is a rescue dog.  He is not Lassie. He needs love and training, as I said last night," I said, feeling sad and annoyed that no one listens to any instructions on these dogs.

I asked her if she could get him neutered down there, because we had a vet that could do it that morning.  I hated to cancel that appointment.  I told her I would try to find a place for him after he was neutered, and that I would make him pet of the week in our newspaper. She agreed.

I spent hours on the computer emailing every Pit rescue I could find.  I called everyone I could think of that might help this dog.  No one has replied to this day!  Not a "No, sorry.  Can't help ya! " Nothing.

Sally called me yesterday after she got back from the vet and told me that her friend had gone with her to the vet and told her that she was expecting too much out of Capone in a matter of a few hours.  Ya think?  She was feeling bad about poor Capone, and she told me that she did go to PetSmart to get the collar, and the young man there recommended bringing him to the training class.

"I think I will try that," she said.

All I can say is I was absolutely mentally drained after the whole thing.  Now, we will wait and see what will happen to this big boy.  In the meantime, he is in the paper!

 I have a news flash on Mavis, the hound, as of this afternoon. As I said earlier in the post,  she is in a loving foster home that would love to keep her,  but they are concerned that they don't have a fence.  They walk her on a regular basis, so they are really wanting to keep her, but another couple from Statesville wants to adopt her as well.  They are willing to drive over two hours to get her. So, bless her heart, things are going to change for this beautiful girl! She is going to have a family!

My beautiful Faith just got adopted this afternoon!   We did our Wednesday adoption, and the minute we got her there she was attracting much attention.  She is a different dog after being in that foster home for one week!  She was strutting around and showing off with that tail wagging.  She greeted everyone as they walked in to the mall.  A far cry form the poor little emaciated girl that was hiding in the corner of that animal control and shaking like a leaf.  I am so happy that I saw that poor frightened soul that day!  She is alive, happy, and she now has a beautiful family! Thank you , Lord!

Anita is back in town, and wouldn't you know that she and her friend visited the animal shelter while they were vacationing at the beach!  Only Anita and Deborah would do that!

"There is a beautiful deaf American Bull Mix down there. She has been there three years!  She is so sweet!" she said in that "Let's go!"voice.

"Three years!" I said, shocked that any animal would be is a cage in a shelter that long.  "They have had her in a cage for three years?"

"Yes, they let her out, but she is loved starved.  She needs a home."

"The beach is six hours away!  Why didn't you bring her back?" I exclaimed.

"We had the car packed full. I'll bet those people will drive her to Columbia.  That's only three hours," she said.

"Here we go again," I said shaking my head. "Let me know when you want to take a drive!"

" I know you can find her a home," she said cheerfully.

Yeah sure.  Whose going to take care of her in the meantime?  Guess!

And the saga continues.  For now, Capone is safe.  I'm holding my breath.  Tonight all is well. American Idol was entertaining.  I cried with some of the kids that were sent home.  I snuggled with Cookie and Pepper as I sipped a glass of Moscato.  Harry and I discussed what we had to do tomorrow to get the boutique ready to open, and I am thinking of a little deaf dog that is waiting for us in Hilton Head!  She has been waiting for three years. Heaven help me!

Bow Wow for now!