Cuddle Buddies

If only people could be more like dogs. What a wonderful world it would be!

Two of my dogs are Jack Russells: Lucy (with the red collar) and Eddie (with the blue collar.)

I adopted Eddie almost three years ago. He was found in a local dog pound by a Humane Society volunteer who combs the pound each week looking for dogs to rescue. He was limping and it was thought that he might have twisted his front leg. It turned out, he'd been shot.

After adopting him, I took him to a surgeon in Cary, NC, who reconstructed his leg and inserted a metal plate. He now acts as though he'd never been injured at all.

Eddie was the first to teach me how loving a dog can be even after having been brutally abused. Because of that, I am perhaps over-protective of the little fella.

Lucy is a new addition, having joined us this past summer. She was found by the same Humane Society volunteer. One day after rescuing her, she came down with parvo. Fourteen pounds when she went into the animal hospital, she was ten pounds when she came out more than a week later, having been fed intraveously as she fought for her life.

They are now the best of friends.

They sleep on my bed, one on either side of me. And on chilly mornings, I awaken to find one cuddled at my back and the other nestled against my stomach - and both under the covers.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

For the Love of Animals

I don't generally post on weekends. After working 60+ hours from Monday through Friday, I try to take it a little easier on the weekends. But today I wanted to share a very special story.

This is Lucy. One month ago, Lucy was in the dog pound and would have been euthanized on a Monday morning except the Robeson County (NC) Humane Society rescued her on Saturday, about 36 hours before she would have died.

The following day as she was being fostered by a RCHS board member, Bill, she became very sick. It turned out she had parvo. She spent the next week fighting for her life. Unable to eat, she was kept alive at the vet's office through IV's.

The Robeson County Humane Society, a no-kill facility, was committed to getting her the best medical care possible. And when she was able to be released from the veterinary hospital, she returned to the board member's home to foster.

When that person suffered a death in the family, I was asked if I could foster Lucy. I have to admit, I am a failure at fostering. Once they get here, they never leave. And Lucy won't, either.

She is just 10 pounds and a sack of bones and the sweetest thing you ever saw. She was listed as a Jack Russell mix but if you could see her paws and the way she stands, you'd know she has Basset Hound in her. So we're calling her a Jack Bassett.

Eddie, our Jack Russell, is calling her "girlfriend." (Lucy is wearing the orange collar and Eddie is wearing the blue collar. We've ordered a hot pink collar for Lucy with her name and phone number embroidered on it.)

Eddie is another rescue from the Robeson County Humane Society. He had been shot in the leg, rescued by the Humane Society, and adopted by my family. We had his leg reconstructed with a metal plate and he's doing great.

Lucy also joins our collie, our third rescue from the Robeson County Humane Society, and a foxhound, who we adopted from the Richmond (VA) SPCA along with her brother Skipper, who passed away about a year and a half ago.

I think Lucy knows she's home.

Happy Weekend, everybody!