Sun 19 May 2013
A Miracle for Willie
Posted by Transport under ABMCR Transports
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May 14, 2013 Around midnight Tuesday evening (May 14), several coordinators got a notification of a dog with an injury in a Georgia shelter needing a commitment by 4 pm on Wednesday or he would be euthanized. This was a cross posting from a woman in Portland, Oregon who just tries to help shelters throughout the country find rescues for dogs that are to be euthanized.
Pictures confirmed Mal, but we knew nothing more about him except that he seemed very frightened.
I picked up the email until mid morning on Wednesday, and some other coordinators (Tracey) had already started looking for solutions for that boy. As is typical in these urgent cases, many folks work many angles and we start putting about 3 plans into motion and see which one gels first.
We had a temp foster offer in GA from an approved foster home but it was several hours from the shelter and would not be able to get the dog until later in the week. We also had an offer from a foster applicant, (a friend of one of our coordinators, Katrina Kardiasmenos) whose application was almost approved. She worked at a vet’s office and had experience – with a mal we knew little about, I was looking for someone who had worked with many different types of mals.
There was FB frenzy (in a good way) and emails flying, and just staying on top was admittedly a challenge. Other offers came in from folk who worked at UGA vet school to temp hold and have his eye looked at. But again, transport and hold were the issues. We were getting excellent advice though about collars and walking, to avoid further damage to the eye.
But between all these various options, we felt that we would be able to pull it together and I called the shelter to put the hold on the, as yet, nameless dog. I also called the shelter volunteer who would be able to pull to confirm that we would take him. The shelter was willing to hold him overnight, and we had until Thursday to get him out.
We all worked into Wednesday evening. Val, Dana and Julie also got the foster, Hillary, in NC approved, with Erica Haverty doing the home visit Wednesday night. I worked on transport, seeing if we could get it arranged for Thursday. It was more complicated by the fact that the shelter is only open half days on Thursdays. And of course people have jobs. That’s when transport was turned over to the pros – our own Lin. However it was still unclear when he would be going. I arranged for the shelter volunteer to pull him on Thursday, to get him safe, and take him to her vet for overnight boarding.
CJ offered to drive all the way to GA, which actually became AL where the boarding vet was. Friday was most convenient for her. Lin got the transport from Columbia, SC to Fayetteville, NC filled for Saturday. Only that 1st leg was “open”, though Cj was willing to drive that if needed. That’s when I contacted Melissa to ask her to do that one – I just didn’t want Cj having to drive again if it could be avoided. So on Thursday, about 3 p.m., Gail Posey, the shelter volunteer, pulled him and took him to her vet across the line in AL. Then Friday, Cj drove 10 hours to pick him up and take him to her house. On Saturday, he was off again, on a 4 (I think) leg trip to his foster mom.
Cj and everyone involved with him have reported that the dog, now named Willie by his foster Mom, is very sweet, soft and just happy to be out. He has many challenges ahead as we deal with his eye, and have him neutered and fully vetted (something that impoverished shelter in GA does not do), but with support from this community and the love of his foster Mom, we think he will do just great, and be an awesome companion for someone in the very near future.
Janet McSwain/GA State Coordinator/ABMCR
A huge thank you to the transport team – CJ Landry, Melissa Poage, Dean Bain, Ken Johnson and Hillary Daly – who came together so quickly to get this boy moved to his foster mom. He is doing very well, is relaxing with Hillary and will be medically assessed early next week. Please keep him in your thoughts.
Thank you to everyone who put aside their plans to get this boy to safety and started down the road to appropriate medical attention, blossoming in his foster home and seeking his forever home. We are so grateful for you! Willie is living proof what can be accomplished when we pull together. Best wishes for a wonderful life Willie!!
Lin Karrels
ABMCR Transport Coordinator




































































