[Dailydrool] Thank you from GGBR... the 61 Christmas dogs are safe

[Adelaide Dawes]

Just the quickest of updates to let you know that GGBR has 61 basset hounds
in safe haven after Friday's trip to the kennels.  One dog was already
placed by the breeder in the week since we'd been up to catalog and another
was a special needs dog that one of our volunteers has already given a
forever home to.  We do know that there are more puppies at the kennel that
the breeder is trying to sell to clear the kennel debts.  As this wasn't a
'seizure' we could not insist that she gave these up to us, but we are going
to keep a close eye on these pups and be there if she decides that they are
not going to sell (Christmas puppies she hopes... grrrr) and we'll go get
them.  She has no males on the premises and a small number of female dogs
that she says are already spoken for.  On the whole, we are delighted to
have saved over 60 dogs, 47 of them females, from a future of certain
breeding for profit.

We cannot thank you all enough for your support so far.  We are just
beginning to get some lab results on the dogs we've managed to get to into
vet's appointments already.  So far 3 heartworm tests - all negative.  We
know about one glaucoma dog.  No fecal results yet, and we are hoping for no
large scale disease issues.  Lots more dogs going in for vet appointments
Monday.  Please pray and drool for most of these dogs to be relatively
healthy.

Friday was a day of very mixed emotions.  Most of us had 18 hour days
between leaving home and getting back there.  The team was around 20 strong,
including a couple of people from the Humane Society of Silicon Valley.  11
vehicles.  It was tiring, but luckily no rain so not as messy as the
cataloging visit of the week before.  We brought each hound out, checked the
identiy, checked the chip, microchipped if not already done.  Cindy decided
on the destination of the dog so it was assigned to the right transport.  We
put shelter collars on with name, chip number and foster home info.  Then we
put a martingale collar on with name and chip number.  Triple records to be
kept... the original catalog sheets to be marked up, release forms to be
signed and kept together with rabies certificates, master list to be added
to with names of fosters, chip info, ages, then a transport log to make sure
the dogs ended up on the right transport, to make sure we all knew every
dog, every transporter, every foster destination.

An army of volunteers to bring hounds out from the runs, most of whom had
never seen a leash, let alone been lassoed by one and then expected to walk
to the registration table.  Most dogs had to be carried or cajoled.  The
volunteers photographed, cuddled and reassured the dogs while they waited to
see them recorded properly then delivered to their vehicle.  Volunteers to
care for the hounds in their crates at the vehicles (thank goD this was not
the middle of summer), some of whom had to wait for a while for the
transport to be filled.  Watered, talked to, reassured.  Finally, the convoy
of vehicles leaving the kennel property and the sigh of relief from us all
as we realized we had done it.

The exhilaration of driving away from the property as the last vehicle.
Then the realization that the hard work was only just beginning as we now
need to get all the dogs vetted, spayed/neutered, deal with the drama of
foster issues, housetraining, endless questions and decisions on medical
issues, and above all, deal with the adoption applications and make sure we
make the right choices for our new charges.  One hell of a responsibility to
make sure these hounds do go on to lead happy, healthy lives.

This is so definitely going to be a Happy Christmas for these hounds - and
judging from what we are hearing from the foster homes, for the fosters
also.  They were filthy... probably never having had a bath in their lives.
Nails, ears, teeth... yuk!  I brought one three year old home with me.
Straight into the shower, although it was nearly midnight.  This poor girl
had recently had pups who were pulled from her only two days ago.  The area
between her swollen nipples was solid with fecal matter.  We shampooed,
rinsed, shampooed, rinsed and still more dirt was coming out.  But, oh, did
she enjoy that shower and rub down.

Thank you again... and please keep those donations coming.  It feels so good
to be able to say yes to medical treatments and we can only do this as long
as the funds are there to pay the bills.  We know how fast the funds we have
already gathered will disappear once we start paying the bills....

Happy Holidays from us all at GGBR!!

Addy (& Jess, who was a pup from this same kennel.... and it broke my heart
to see where she had come from....)



-- 
Addy Dawes
Secretary
Golden Gate Basset Rescue
http://ggbassetrescue.org
650 924 0144
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