<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000000;"><DIV>Aloha, The Shelter Challenge will be drawing to a finish in mid December. Montana Basset Rescue is still the leader in Montana. We are succeeding so far, pooling drool power for the greater good of bassets. Coming up to the finish line, all the rescues will put on a final drive or sprint at the end. We must do this too. How wonderful would it be if we could win $1000 for Leslie's propane fund?! So, everyone--go to your Web Search slot; type in "Shelter Challenge". A list of sites will come on. Click the first one, and the voting page comes right up along with who you last voted for. Vote for Montana again, then identify the animal on the next page to confirm. Takes less than two minutes to do. Let's make a difference. (I was so sad last time that we couldn't pull it off for
either Western Missouri or Florida Basset Rescue). This time we can DO it if we all pitch in! Hoo-rah--hoo--rah. Semper fido.</DIV>
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<DIV>My second "possible exciting news" is that my husband and I have put in a bid on a fixer upper house short sale here. If we succeed and get it, the basset boys will have a very large yard to run in, no off-white rugs to ruin, and no landlady who worries if they bark at all. Whee. We've got our fingers crossed. Which brings me to the advice part. The house is on the side of a hill up on stilts, as are many in this area--so there are steps the dogs will have to go up and down for yard access. Bo hates steps. There is a back walkway and steps which is totally rotted out and will need to be replaced. I am thinking we should replace the back access with a long ramp--like wheelchair access almost--which would be for the dogs. (people would use the front steps). We would need to design it, so I'm asking for input. How wide? How not steep? (30 degree angle?) If made out of wood, should it have a ridged rubber runner down it for no sliding? I know it would
need a low railing or Bo would fall off--that's just the way Bo is. I also know we'd need to install lights down it--also the way Bo is. Any thoughts and suggestions would be most appreciated. Mahalo, Val, Bo, and Harley</DIV></div><br>
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