Kindness counts

When we beg and plead for funds to help with a dog, we always say, “Every dollar helps.” I don’t think that most folks believe that. Sadly then, the hundreds of folks who could only share a dollar, don’t, because it seems so little.
Recently we started to pull dogs in NC where far too many of them die every week. There is a network of folks in the area who call themselves “Friends of…” They are so passionate about dogs not dying in this shelter that they network them tirelessly. They have an army of caring folks who post pledges to help us rescues with the cost of helping these dogs. Our first vet bill for 4 dogs was $690.00. Our spay/neuter bill was over $200. We have one girl, Betty who required heartworm treatment and removal of a mammary tumor, (which thankfully was benign). Betty’s treatment will be $600.00 plus $10.00 per day for board. She will receive her treatment over the course of 40 days…do the math. These are not bulldogs. Why would we do this?
Initially we were alerted to an English Bulldog at the shelter and in need of help. We reached out but she was sent to a closer rescue. In the course of those conversations, I was alerted to the need of so many other dogs down there. These amazing volunteers go to the shelter to meet the dogs, walk the dogs and for as much as possible, temperament test the dogs. They transport them to the vet and visit them while they are being treated. They are angels on the ground. Without them we are really playing a guessing game as to what we are going to get in a dog.

So with their help our first pull was Brielle, a tiny Rat Terrier puppy, Betty a lab mix, Arnie, a young Black Mouth Cur, and Maxine, a young NS Duck Tolling Retriever. Last week little Maxine was adopted from VEBR, and is doing great with her canine sister who looks like her twin. Today little Cody, a goofy Basset Hound mix, only 9 months old was adopted. After little Cody/Toby left on his new journey, I picked up my mail from the box and looked through it. There was an envelope, hand addressed and inside this note;
For Arnie
God bless you for rescuing this sweetheart. Give him lots of hugs and kisses. Love Susie.
Inside the note was a $1.00 bill. We were so moved by it all. The beautiful and heartfelt note, the time, the effort, the caring and the dollar. There is a million dollars worth of sweet in that dollar. Thank you Susie. Thank you NC volunteers for all that you did to save these dogs and more. They are completing families and bringing joy. They are healing and loved and valued. With your help we will save more. Our new division of VEBR called “Bulldogs and Buddies” will focus on the non purebred bulldogs who are just as deserving and the folks who need them. The acts of love that you do for these animals is what we need more of in this world right now. We don’t need 400 million dollar lotteries. We need more $1.00 lotteries because one multiplied by infinity, fueled by this kind of love is so much more powerful and lasting.