Update for March 6, 2009

Wendy, Simone, Ali and Drew were rescued
from a dumpster at the Winona, MS dump.

It’s been an exciting and very rewarding week. Two precious men donated the funds for us to transport 20 dogs and 8 cats to Every Creature Counts (ECC) in Ft. Lupton, CO, just outside Denver. They are our marvelous partners in adoption and have a shelter, surgery room, and sanctuary to care for and place animals.

There’s always much preparation for our trips. Medical records are used to prepare transport papers and a health certificate is required for the inter-state travel of animals. Photos of the animals are forwarded and if any shots or preventive medications are due, they’re administered. “Doc”, Dr. Abernethy, our primary veterinarian came out to aid with rabies shots, reexamined the traveling animals and prepared the health certificates. He’s a jewel. He was to geld Otis and perform a procedure for Buttercup, the newly rescued mare we’ve given haven to. This had to be postponed as we had torrential rains.

Chele Whitehead, MSU staff member and loyal volunteer and advocate for Hope Sanctuary accompanied me on the trip to Colorado. We make a good team for such a trip. Besides the 24-hour trip, including stops for giving the animals a break from their cages, there’s music and snacks to enjoy. The flat treeless horizon of Kansas roadways requires diversion.

We arrived at ECC just before they opened Friday morning. The care and concern their staff and volunteers shower on arriving animals is a tribute to the amazing work they do. They have a sanctuary and an in-town shelter for intake and adoption. They also have a volunteer team that takes animals to adoption centers they’ve established with regional businesses.

ECC has aided with the adoption of an average of 50 animals a month when we are able to afford the trip. It’s a complete blessing for us as we’ve loved animals back to health and want to see the completion of our mission – their adoption into homes with loving guardians who’ll treasure and provide for them for life.

Support for our care for and partnership for the adoption of animals is vitally needed. Just as we were leaving for Colorado we were alerted to the need for sanctuary for four families of pups - one group was saved from dumpster at the Winona, MS dump by Lauren and Elizabeth after we were alerted that someone had dumped them there. Only one of the families has there mother. They range from from 4 weeks to 12 weeks in age.

These animals too will need homes. Our “Homeward Bound” friends of MSU are already posting these animals on their adoption site.

We ask that you become a partner with us in our efforts and please, please share reports of our work with friends and acquaintances.

Without you on our team the challenge before us may prove to be too great.