Feb 20, 2014

BCSP Report – Week 7

February 10 – 16, 2014 (written by Marilyn Neville)

We have had a week of celebration. Owners were found for three dogs placed in the Stray Project’s care: Wally Pa Pello, Nanook, and the Pet of the Week Beagle whose name is Smoky.  The Banner Press and FaceBook were the tools that found their owners.

Thanks to Billy Minter and Judy Kirkpatrick for starting our FaceBook page.  Today our FB is managed by Crystal Higgins.  Our readership grows daily and so our “team players” who cross post strays and adoptable dogs have increased adoptions and thankfully, the return of pets to their homes!

Last week’s “return” rate was a record. Generally we return three or less pets a year.

When we find an older stray dog we feel someone wants it back. Such was the case for old man Wally Pa Pello whose real name we would learn is Buddy.

Buddy came into Carol’s life when he was about 8 weeks old, March of 2000: 14 years ago. He was a stray who wandered up to her porch. The children wanted to keep him, but she tried to find his owners and posted flyers to no avail.

After about three weeks the beautiful red puppy contracted Parvo.  She and her husband had good jobs. Being steadfast animal lovers, they paid for his treatment.

Buddy survived and thrived in their care. Suddenly Valentine red Buddy was their lovely pet who grew to be a pretty big guy with cotton soft fur and a bushy coat and tail.

Buddy loved to swim.  He loved to hike. He could play ball all day. He was a major part of Carol’s family in Barnhart, MO.

Eventually Carol and her husband moved to Pevely. Due to our stale economy, her hard working husband lost his job. Then they lost their home.

He was a hard working man, a proud American. He became depressed. A day before his 50^th birthday, after 31 years of marriage, he died of a heart attack.

Suddenly, the only family left in the house was the soft coated red dog: elderly, needy and trustworthy Buddy.

Buddy had developed arthritis. His stride was weakened, and his walks shortened. His prostate was enlarged, very common in an unaltered male dog, so he would have accidents and needed regular trips outside.

Carol had worked a good paying job, but with the loss of her soul-mate she became so depressed she would also lose her job.

She recently moved again to live with her father in Wappapello. Buddy seemed to acclimate well. One day when she let him out to potty he disappeared.  Old Buddy may have tracked a bunny or maybe he followed the scent of a female in heat.  He might have followed some other neighborhood dogs.  When he tired, he would have collapsed down to the ground and laid flat.  Carol said his stride was so poor she never though he could or would wander from their new home.

Carole lost her home, lost her husband, and had to move again after loosing her job. Then she lost her beloved dog.

She was devastated. She went door to door. She searched the area. No Buddy.  His eyes wear cataracts, but he sees pretty well. His ears seem to hear fine, too.  But when he is tired, he collapses. As old dogs usually do, his muscle mass had lessened.  His color blended into the dried leaves and brown grass of winter wear. She could not find him.

After three weeks alone, a couple who drive over-the-road for a living came home to rest a couple days before their next run with the big rig. With them, in their shinny black pick-up truck, were their Chihuahuas. When they turned towards their trailer, they spotted a fragile red-coated dog, body waving, ribs showing, hipbones protruding above the filthy red coat.

Unlike others who must have seen this needy dog, they stopped and put him in their fancy truck and drove the stray to their home.  They offered him bowls of water and food to coat his sunken belly.

I am not sure how they got our telephone number, but they called me the next morning and drove into our yard around noon. Somehow, I needed to make room.

So many on FB have said how wonderful the Bollinger County Stray Project (BCSP) has been for helping the old red dog. Much thanks must be given to the family in the shiny black truck and then to the people who read our plea to find the owners of the old dog from Wappapello. Those hundreds of people who cross-posted Wally Pa Pello’s story as far as Jefferson City, MO to relatives in the Wappapello area eventually to a young man from Wappapello, MO who knew that Carol had lost her dog.

Two different families would end up contacting Carol about the stray on FB which was her furry mate.

Tears of joy and disbelief from Carol Haynes-Sweet  made for a red, furry, Valentines reunion we in the Stray Project shall never forget. This has been a very “Sweet reunion” for all who followed Wally aka Buddy’s story.

NOTE: Thanks to SEMO Lost Pets FB page for helping us find Carol Sweet.  2,800 clicked on to Wally’s story. 1,200 “liked, commented” on Buddy’s post. 644 shared their FB post with their friends.  SEMO Lost Pets has been in use since December of 2010.

The BCSP- FB page reached 1,388 people (total with SEMO site =25,488), 323 BCSP viewers  clicked into the post (plus SEMO’s 2,800= 3,123). We had 31 likes (plus SEMO’s 1,200 = 1,261)

A total of 24,100 were reached with SEMO Lost Pets and the BCSP FB site postings.  These statistics were nothing short of amazing.

Accepted strays and relinquished dogs:

… Red Pom Yorkie mix male, young.

… Severely famished female Pit Boxer mix who tore out of her kennels: taken to HS in Cape after given shots, meds, and two days of care

Adoptions, return to owner or placed in other rescues: 

… Third Great Dane/Great Pyrenees mix pup, male, went to a Jackson MO family, Cancer survivor who we helped care for their dog when in treatment several years ago.

… Return to owner: Beagle, last week’s Pet of the Week

… Return to owner: Wally Pa Pello, aka Buddy.

… Return to owner: Nanook, aka Buddy by Cape owner, caretakers in Patton.

Cat calls:

… FREE, ten cats: age 1 year, all spayed or neutered house cats, litter trained. Well cared for, call 573-495-2033

… FREE, three long hair tabby kittens: one dark tabby semi long, a white with tabby, and a black tabby with white, age 6 months, spayed.   Call 573-495-2033

Calls requesting assistance for dogs we did not admit:

… Found 2/16/14 Rural Glenn Allen: probable Husky mix. Pet of the Week.

… FOUND early Feb near Cat litter factory Highway 25, Co Rd Y and 307: Black female, starved, in heat, about 30 pounds.

… LOST end of January, male beagle Brian Hagler 768-0008

… LOST first of February Palmore Church on H: two mix breed malamute mix dogs, thick coats, white faces, gold coats, wearing red or blue collars.

… LOST 2/6/14, near Arab Stone on Hwy 51: Heeler and Lab mix male, chain and dog

missing.

… LOST 2/6/14 Off OO and 51 about 3 miles: black Lab male puppy, age 8-9 weeks.

… LOST (just reported)11/6/13: Heeler and Lab mix from Advance, hind feet speckles.

… LOST REWARD 2/4/14 Co Rd 710 south of Zalma school: Black, tall, slim, German Shepherd and Lab mix neutered male, might be wearing a collar / tag for St. Louis area.

… FOUND 2/1/14 corner of 51 and NN: Great Pyrenees male, all white, large blocky head, wearing a collar, very thin. This dog is with Rough Road Rescue in Perryville.

… We are fostering three dogs from the Patton area whose disabled owner’s home burnt down. Owner: please call me at 573-722-3035.

Miscellaneous and contact info:

We had 42 dogs at our home 2/16/14.

Coyotes are mating and lots of dogs are missing. This is typically a season that dogs are killed by coyotes and you won’t find leftovers. They will kill any size dog. Please assist any strays that come to you for help.

Cats need shelter too. Deworm to help them so they cat maintain a layer of fat to help keep them warm. Supplement with the best quality food you can afford. Many of the cheaper foods can cause urinary problems in some cats. Dog food is especially dangerous to feed cats often causing stones which can lead to death. Dog food has a lower protein and fat level than most cat foods too, and it not otherwise nutritionally adequate for cats to thrive.

Please give your pet shelter with 4 sides and a roof, liquid water and food to maintain body weight and heat in this cold.  Shelter needs proper bedding to keep pets warm.

Please do the following when you 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 dewormed 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.

Please report animal abuse and discourage anyone from dumping dogs or puppies.

Offer strays water on day one and food day two or three. Call if missing a dog or you have a stray.

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

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.

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.