<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You never know what direction life will take you
with the help of a basset. 13 years ago the DH and I, after seeing an ad
in the newspaper, traveled the back roads of a neighboring county to an old
farmhouse where we saw our Heart Dog, Stella, for the first time. All I
knew is I wanted a basset hound. Rescue? Never heard of it?
Stella quickly took our hearts and our home, and we had 10 wonderful years with
her.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Her loss was sudden and my grief
inconsolable. I never thought I would stop crying. Six months passed
and I was still crying and talking to her every single day. Then one day
she talked back. I had this strong desire to go to the computer and Google
in "basset hound rescue". I still had no idea an organization
existed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Two years later we had managed to gather in four
rescue bassets, I did one transport and one home visit, and I found
the Drool.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And yesterday, on my 52nd birthday, Debby and I
returned to the place it all began and loaded in the BUV three
breeding females and one male for Bellyrubs Basset Rescue. I saw the place
that I first saw my Stella. Run down now and muddy, fence delapidated and
an electric wire keeping the dogs in. For 13 years they have been breeding
and selling basset hounds. Last year the husband died and the wife is no
longer able to properly care for the dogs and through some twist of fate I heard
about it. After talking with her she agreed to relinquish them into rescue
and now they will all four be on their way to foster homes over the
weekend.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stella, baby, I know you had a big hand in all
this. We have come full circle in 13 years. Thank you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Right now I can't say enough good and wonderful
things about Leanne Potts and Bellyrubs. They have stepped up when
resources are lacking and foster homes are in short supply. I don't
know how they have pulled this one off, but I am so thankful that they were able
to. I am in awe of all rescue organizations.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bonnie</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Slave to Stanley, Beachbaby, Lowretta, Lillie
Pearl, J.D. (ATB), Stella (ATB), Begonia (ATB)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>