We certainly want this image to stay with society because without it rescue would not be as successful.  Though rescuing is wonderful it can be overwhelming to volunteers, society, communities and to individuals in general.  The tough side of rescue is that things do not always work out so well.  Sometimes, we rescue dogs from shelters that are very sick. Though most make it and thrive, some do not.  In the month of October alone, Lucky Lab lost three puppies (Kingsley, Calvin, and Clover) that came from three different shelters.  All of these puppies died from complications to parvovirus after being exposed at the shelter.  When things like this happen, it is very tough on our volunteers and can become quite discouraging to our efforts.  We all know that there are things beyond our control, but every life counts and to lose even one hurts our souls as rescuers.  No doubt we will pick up the pieces and continue our mission. We do that by focusing on the positives and on the number of lives we SAVE which far exceeds the ones we don’t.   And yet the thought of these little lives and what has happened to them, mostly due to their previous human owners not vaccinating, spaying, neutering, neglecting, abusing, etc., it can be downright unbearable.  

Our experiences are still a drop in the bucket.  The number of dogs that are euthanized every day, by many estimates, is greater than 6,000! That is enough to make anyone feel hopeless and helpless to fight against the hidden tragedy of society.  Just has I am writing this letter, I received a call from a local pound who has 4 labs and a litter of 4 puppies.  We do not have room for them.  I asked if they were vaccinated and she stated that they did not want to waste resources.  In other words, why vaccinate dogs that are going to be killed in a few days.  Unfortunately, this is how most communities or counties feel about our canine companions.  I could write pages and pages focused on the awful side of society’s treatment of pets, but I would like to leave you with a story of hope, of a woman whose endless compassion and energy, despite the reality, keeps driving her to make a difference.

Pat is an older woman, grey curly hair; her clothes are not fashionable, she is considered a “plain Jane” in a crowd of people. In our eyes, and in the lives of hundreds of dogs, she is a very special person. Pat spends her own money on vaccinations, medical care, food, shelter, etc. to help the dogs she meets.  Pat is not a wealthy philanthropist, but a volunteer for a shelter in a rural community.  She met me one day because I was picking up a few dogs from her shelter (she also uses her own money for gas and to rent a vehicle for transporting).  We began talking about all of these issues.  This is when I realized who the person was standing in front of me.  You see, on the day the vet comes in (every Friday), Pat arrives at the shelter first thing in the morning, rounds up all of the dogs that have not been adopted, loads up in her own vehicle and takes them all to her house.  When the vet pulls up to begin euthanizing, she locks all the doors to buy more time to get all the dogs to safety.  Can you picture it? As the vet is coming in one side of the building, she is scrambling to pull as many as she can out the other side and into her beat up old car.  Pat is met with opposition everywhere – little funding, no support from the community officials, no support from shelter workers, absolutely no respect from those who do not care, and her deeds go unnoticed to anyone who meets her.    As we continued to talk, her eyes welled up with tears from all the pain she feels for these dogs, and though she has saved countless numbers of dogs and cats, she cries for the ones that she could not.  We both hugged and cried together as the overwhelming thoughts try to destroy our mission.  But through her tireless efforts, enormous compassion and her heart of gold, she is a true inspiration for what just one person can do.