All Aboard the Rescue Train

In 2003, I adopted Chase through ACES (Another Chance for English Setters). I was able to drive the six-hour trip to Nashville, TN but not every adoptive or foster family is able to do this. Since 2003, I have been a volunteer for ACES conducting home visits of potential adoptive families and have been active on the transport list for several years.

Last month, I was part of a transport to unite Lanie, a beautiful liver setter, with her new foster family. The trip began for Lanie in a Thomasville, Georgia shelter at 8AM on a Saturday morning. Each transport driver was scheduled, amazingly just two days earlier via an ACES transport coordinator, to drive a one hour leg. I met Lanie at 12:30PM in the parking lot of a Tractor Supply store. The Englishman went inside to buy treats and we spent fifteen minutes trying to coax the terrified setter out of the previous driver’s car. The Englishman finally scooped the dog up in his arms and carried her to our car. Tail tucked, she timidly managed to climb into the backseat. The Englishman attempted to give her a “Better Than Ears” treat but Lanie seemed intimidated by the size of it. We broke off pieces of the treat and strategically placed them on the back seat. A few minutes later, I sent a text to the next driver to let her know we were on the interstate. Lanie settled into the back seat and munched on bits of the treat.

For one hour, I fed Lanie slivers of the treat and she finally became less suspicious of the larger pieces. I remained twisted in my front seat in order to face her and pet her soft silky fur. We arrived at our meeting point behind a fast food restaurant. The next driver was waiting for us and after a brief conversation; she lifted Lanie from our back seat to hers. I called the transport coordinator to let her know that Lanie was on the final leg of her trip and would soon meet her foster family in Columbia, South Carolina.

Arriving home later that afternoon, the four-pack didn’t notice the foreign smell of an outsider on our clothes. They were focused on the bag of their favorite treat and eagerly took each treasured “pig ear” to their favorite spots. I hoped that Lanie’s weekend was full of new sights, sounds, treats and love as a checked my email for the next rescue train.

A Modern Day Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there were three dogs locked away in a hot, dirty dungeon…

It was truly a stroke of luck that Chase insisted I update his status on Facebook. I would log into his account a few times a month and Chase had considerably less friends than me so I was able to view my New Jersey childhood friend’s status pleading for help rescuing dogs out of a high kill “shelter” in Rome, GA. I quickly logged back into Facebook as me and sent a message that, if needed, I would drive the two hours to get the dogs and find a meeting point on 95 South to make a transfer.

After a few text messages back and forth, I finally fell asleep, still unsure if I needed to provide transportation in the morning. Somehow, in the middle of the night, Gerylee pulled off what seemed impossible and was put in contact with a rescue organization that pulled the dogs out of the shelter moments before tragedy. This woman transferred three dogs to another Jersey girl, now living in Georgia and I left my house to travel through Atlanta traffic to reach Jen’s home two hours later. I wore appropriate sparkly flip flops, leaving the heels behind for this mission. I met Peanut first: a peanut-colored tiny female who was very affectionate. Next I met Piglet, a sweet black and white mix who greeted me shyly and with some hesitation. Finally it was Guinness’s turn. The brindle pit bull mix was a lively sixty pound beast who liked to jump on me. A lot. Guinness also liked my cell phone but her attempts at thievery were foiled.

After spending some quality time with the dogs, I figured I had missed the rush hour traffic in Atlanta and it would be safe to leave. I still have a lot to learn about Atlanta…especially Interstate 75. The dogs slept through it all and I returned home to pick up my 95 year old grandmother and her walker to head to South Carolina and my parents’ house for the night. Three dogs, two people and one walker were packed all into a Ford Focus that I had borrowed for the dog transport. I made it to South Carolina in record time, all the while planning out the logistics of getting man and beasts into the house.

I pulled into the driveway and walked Piglet and Guinness. I then put them into the laundry room with a big bowl of water, beds and some food. Next I walked Peanut. I lugged her crate from the car into the house and placed her inside. Finally, I pulled the walker from the car and helped my grandmother inside. It was time for bed!

The next day, Gerylee and I chose a meeting point in Dunn, NC. I spent the morning walking the dogs and playing with them. Peanut stuck to me like…well…peanut butter! Finally it was time to reload them into the car and we headed off on the next leg of the road trip. I made sure I had towels, water, a small bowl and shiny pink stilettos.

I reached Dunn, NC well before Gerylee and her friend Heather. By their mile marker updates it would be an hour before they reached me so I continued on 95 South. I hoped that we could meet at the outlet malls but shopping was not clearly in my plan. Finally, I pulled off at exit 116. Gerylee had told me it was raining where they were so I pulled under the gas station shelter. I tugged Guinness out of the car and gave her some water. I was debating the possibility of getting Piglet out next when Gerylee pulled beside me. It was the first time I had seen her in 29 years but all she could focus on was her dog. I forgave her even though I was looking especially cute in my Barbie shoes. She took Guinness for a walk while I begged Piglet to come out of the car. She dug her little toes into the upholstery. I gave her leash a tug. Nothing. I pushed the driver’s seat forward and squeezed into the back seat and grabbed Piglet in a hug. As I backed out praying I wouldn’t twist an ankle in my fine footwear, I managed to pull Piglet with me. I turned her over to Heather for her walk and a drink of water. With both Piglet and Guinness safely tucked away in Gerylee’s car, it was time to get Peanut out of her crate in the back of the Ford Focus hatchback I had borrowed. She came out easily and took a few laps of water. Gerylee managed to walk her just before the storm reached us. We quickly said our goodbyes as I headed South and they headed North with their newly acquired angels.

Determined to get some shopping done, I pressed the accelerator urging the four-cylinder car to make it to the outlets before the storm caught up with me. The shopping gods were not smiling favorably on me and I regrettably continued past my Garden of Eden with all the temptations flashing “SALE” in the shop windows. It was very quiet in the car and I realized that I had been having one-sided conversations on the trip north. I pulled into a Cracker Barrel and got an audio book for the long trip home.