Mar 20, 2016

BCSP Report – Week 9

Bollinger County Stray Project Report February 29 – March 6

The reward for the arrest of the person or persons who dumped at least two 12-week old puppies has been increased from $100 to $210. The subject pups are the two we were notified and accepted in the Project about two weeks ago. The pups are a deep red female found at the bridge in Glenn Allen on County Rd 804 off of ZZ and a black and tan male from the Leopold area off of Co Rd 416.

In photos they looked like Mini Australian Shepherds. However, Saturday the red female came to our home. After her weight gain, seeing her conformation, her intense red color, ear placement, thick tail, and more, I think it is possible these pups are mixed with Chow.

A year or two ago I took two Chow mix male pups that a man in Glenn Allen had dumped. A neighbor recognized the pups when posted on Facebook (FB).

So, I ask you who owns a female which had Chow mix pups in the Glenn Allen or Marble Hill area that may have dumped these pups? The mother dog may not look Chow as it is possible the Chow mix would be the father.

The female pup has no black on her tongue so it is most likely a parent could be a mix with Chow. I must make it clear, we think another possibility is a mix with Australian Shepherd, but I find the deep red color very unusual for an Aussie mix.

Updated photos of the female will be posted on FB. Please glance at her pictures. If the red pup looks familiar or you know who dumped them, call Marilyn at 573-722-3035 or Sheriff Shell at 573-238-2633.

We had another odd dumping last week. I received two calls about yellow spotted dogs that look like Labs, but both have bobtails. The male which was found 2/29/16 between County Road 370 and Highway 72 in the Millersville area was fat and the female found 3/2/16off of highway 91 on County Road 426 was thin. Both are young. Sounds like they could be siblings, but what’s the odds?

A year or two ago I was told that a dog I had posted from the Sedgewickville area belonged to an Advance family. The owner of the dog suspected a neighbor who is a contractor known to be building a home in northern Bollinger County. The “dispute” about the dog being stolen and dumped was not my business, but I think the contractor is “still alive”, apparently handled somewhat civilly (I hope).

Folks, if you have problems with a neighbor’s dog or dogs, please do talk to them to find a remedy rather than taking drastic measures into your own hands.

On another note, last week was hectic and sad. A little Yorkie Beagle mix dog we accepted in December of 2015 was found to have a bullet lodged near the tip of his heart. It was lodged in the membrane surrounding and protecting his heart.

The bullet was causing heart failure, possibly even lead poising in the little dog we had first named Callie (the name of the family who saved him). I later changed his name to New Yorkie or as I called him “Yorkie”.

This little guy looked just like a Yorkie, weighing in at 19 pounds when he first came to us, not boney, but a little ruff feeling around the ribs. I remember too finding a scab around the rib area that I thought was from a tick bite. Now I suspect it was from the 22 looking bullet that would cause him to become lethargic and suffer from heart failure.

All the time here I was shocked no one was calling to adopt him. Never have I had a Yorkie or mix of more than a couple weeks to a month because they are in such hot demand, but there were no calls for New Yorkie.

I suspected the lack of calls being that we believe he is part Beagle. We generally have a heck of a time adopting out Beagle and hound dogs or mixes of.

At Christmas Santa came here to bring a Marble Hill family a pooch for their young son. The dog Santa picked became deathly ill shortly after the holiday. That was the first time we had something like that happen after an adoption and I had suggested Yorkie to that family at Christmas and again after I heard of the other dog’s illness.

I am so thankful the “Santa dog” finally re-bounded with a special antibiotic and now am so thankful Santa did not take New Yorkie as the Christmas present…

Later I had an adoption for a little dog that we called Collins. The first name I had for the Yorkie mix was Callie, The names were so similar so I changed the Yorkie’s name to New Yorkie. I was rationalizing that my disintegrating memory bank could keep them straight better that way…

Well, in my excitement with the call for Collins, I had in mind the Yorkie (formally known as Callie), still thinking Callie/Yorkie was Collins… OH dear…Unfortunately I had volunteer Tammy Beck transport the wrong dog to Sikeston to meet a Memphis family adopting Collins…

Oh My! Tammy said the look on their faces was total shock. You see, Collins was a white with black patch Dachshund Rat Terrier type mix, not all like the golden and black long coated Yorkie mix I discussed with the family on the tele!

A mad rush to get the right dog bathed and sent him to meet in Cape Girardeau…

Fate: twice this little guy was kept from leaving my arms. I am so thankful for that. I believe things happen in life for a reason, as was the chain of events for Yorkie.

We had $511 invested in tests for him including chest radiographs after he started to cough 2/26/16. There it was. The answer to his speedy deterioration.

Surgery would cost $3,000 to $4.000 and he would have a short life due to heart failure if he survived the surgery… No way would we spend that kind of money on one, money to help so many others. I learn from every dog we care for. Yorkie gave love and taught me a great deal, even if it was heartbreaking.

Accepted strays and relinquished pets (Facebook FB):

… Purebred Coonhound male age about 10 months: found on Interstate 67, northwest of Jonesboro Arkansas. Posted on two FB lost and found sites from Jonesboro.

Adoptions, return to owner or placed in other rescues(6):

… Blind dog on South 51: returned to owner. Owner still owes for vaccinations.

… Shih Tzu male, age 8-10, was on the highway, returned to loving owner.

… Three sibling male Beagle / Lab mix pups went to Illinois rescue, age 4 months.

… Ember: Brindle female mix with pointed upright ears, saved from a burning house, adopted by the firefighter who saved her.

Cat calls:

… FREE, several cats: age 9 months to over 1 year, all spayed or neutered house cats.

Dogs with Heartworm (HW), Ehrlichia, special needs, or that were euthanized:

… Martin: Border collie mix who tried to commit suicide on Hwy N was neutered. Radiographs show he has a defective hind left leg, probably injured during or soon after birth or as a very young pup. He uses the leg, but gets stiff soon after running. The leg is shorter and ball/.socket area is damaged. He is not a candidate for surgery: has Erlichia.

… New Yorkie: euthanized 3-4 year old male 3/2/16 for heart failure issues from a bullet.

Calls requesting assistance for dogs we did not admit:

… FOUND week of Feb 29, Highway E just west of Co Rd 712: Female Hound mix, black with broken brindle on legs and chest, some on face, about 18 months to 2 years old, about 50 to 60 pounds. Ears the length of a Pointer, pet of the week.

… FOUND 3/2/16 Co Rd 426 near Hwy 91, channel bridge: yellow spotted female, about 50 or more pounds, bobtail, young.

… FOUND 2/29/16 Co Rd 370 near Highway 72, Millersville: white male dog, short fur, speckled, bobtail.

…Three black Pit mix youngsters dumped at the home of a disabled senior couple using home nursing care: helping search for a rescue to take them this week.

… FOUND 1/24/16, about 5 miles north of New Salem Church, Plains View Co Rd: Black, tan, white, some sable black tipping on the torso, seems young, female.(FB)

… LOST 1/11/16, Co Rd 808: black male Lab Chow mix, call 573-238-5614.

Miscellaneous and contact info:

We had 32 dogs and pups at our home 3/7/16.

Need help to find your pet? Do you have a stray camping out in the yard? Don’t wait, call us at 573-722-3035 or email photos at ace@clas. net.

We LOVE Buchheits! Donate a buck or more at the Jackson store for dog food and supplies when you shop. Also, Second Time Around in Marble Hill is taking donations for the Stray Project. Monetary donations are accepted at the Bollinger County Veterinary Service, Marble Hill Coop, Buchheits, and the MH Town and Country.

Stray Project monetary donations accepted at the Marble Hill Coop. We purchase de-wormer and other supplies at the Coop and donations are greatly appreciated.

Please be advised that the Bollinger County Stray Project is not the county or City of Marble Hill dog catcher. When you have a stray we try to help and can usually offer solutions. Patience is required of the caller towards our ability to find and implement a solution. I wish we had a magic wand but we don’t and can’t always help the callers in a manner they may demand of us. Remember, we are volunteers and help as time and space allows.

Offer a stray water on day one and food day two or three. Call if missing a dog or if you have a stray. We don’t always have room but we may have a solution to help you and the stray.

Dumping dogs is a form of abuse and against the law. Please report animal abuse or neglect.

Please do the following when your pets are expecting or caring for a litter: offer any pregnant dog small-breed-puppy-food the final 1-2 weeks before delivery and while the pups are nursing. Give those mothers all the food they want: bowls full all day and lots of fresh water available all day. Cats need kitten food. Free feed the higher calorie food during the nursing stage to help mom make milk and maintain her own body mass. Babies need to be de-wormed as young as 1-2 weeks, then every 7-10 days until age 10-weeks or older if in a confined environment with re-infestation concerns.

Thank you to the County Residents who have continued to support the Bollinger County Stray Project. 

Check out our available pets at Petfinder.  Call 573-722-3035 about our adoptable pets.

If you suspect an animal is being neglected or abused, call the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Hotline, 314-647-4400 or 800-383-9835 or you can make a confidential report on line at Humane Society of Missouri.

To understand when an animal is being abused or neglected in the state of Missouri read the following link:http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/cruelty/mo_cruel.htm