Lucy

"Last September we adopted this sweet little girl from you guys, I believe her name was Goldie at the time. We wanted to send some pictures and thank you for providing us with the best little cat in the world! You guys rock" -Stephanie

Suki (formerly known as Daisy)

"I wanted to give you all an update on Suki formally known as Daisy.  We adopted her last year in February. Suki was found with her sister and both were so very ill with upper respiratory infections. The poor babies were lethargic and you could tell how awful they felt. But they found their way to all of you and were given meds and lots of love. We knew right away Suki was perfect for our family and my husband was going to literally camp out over night at the door to be the first to pick her up the day after her spaying. Lucky for him Karen decided we could have her and he did not have to do that. LOL We kept her in my daughters room for a week to heal before introducing her to the rest of the crew. Once she was better boy did her spunky personality come out. She is clever and tries to turn knobs, figures out things no normal cat can, and the vacuum is her arch Nemesis. She follows me around the house and thumps it. It is hilarious! But what is really hilarious is that she and our German Shepherd are inseparable. They play together, sleep together, even eat together. When I took Suki to the vet for a check-up, my husband said Foxxie paced the house, whining, and kept going to the door till we came home. Suki will sleep inside Foxxies huge dog crate while Foxxie will sleep outside it. If Suki wants Foxxies food, Foxxie will step aside till she is finished. Lucky for Foxxie she will only lick a bit of the canned part and leave most of it. They sleep on the ottoman together all the time as well. We cannot imagine our family now without her. She is such a joy. I want to thank all of you for all the hard work, love, and dedication devoted to the all of the four legged companions. What Animeals does is such a beautiful thing. Thank-you!!!! ~Michele"

Tiffy

Pierre (aka Martini)

"What a great cat! We are totally in love with him. It's funny because he was a little reserved at the shelter, but once I got him home, he's all lovey, purring, and just a happy boy! And Manx are people cats! He loves "his people" as well as anyone who stops by. He's just all about people! Nothing shy about this guy at all.
 
I don't know if you've read anything about Manx, but all I can say is someone's loss, our gain! I gave him the blankie that belonged to my cat, Louis, who died recently. It is SO NICE to have a cat in the house again and really fantastic one at that!
 
And they all lived happily ever after . . . the end! :)" - Clare

Barry

Born to a feral mother and the runt of the litter Barry was smaller than the palm of your hand. Handicapped from birth with a club foot and suffering from extreme malnutrition and dehydration, he couldn't even lift his head. His skin was red from dehydration which was clearly evident because he had no hair. An infection is his elbow made it painful to walk and when he did he dragged his club foot behind him. And if that wasn't enough, he had a terrible cold. We started him on antibiotics, fluids and physical therapy twice a day. It is truly a miracle that this tiny kitten survived. Today he is the picture of health. (although he is only half the size he should be). He runs and plays just like any other kitty. His hair has grown in and the only indication that he was ever handicapped at all is his bow leg. Things were touch and go for a while there but thanks to the wonderful people like you who support AniMeals, Barry is living happily ever after.

Sweet Alley

The tiny kitten was fighting for her life and losing. She lay on the cold hard ground in freezing temperatures, critically ill and starving. Her little ears were full of mites, she had an eye infection and an upper respiratory infection that was so bad she could hardly breathe. She was a dirty little ball of fur hovering between life and death.

Alley and five other kittens were rescued one evening by a woman who knew that time was of the essence. She knew the odds were against these babies surviving even one more day, and she was determined to save their lives. You see, someone was poisoning the homeless cats and kittens in the trailer park with anti-freeze.

When our friend arrived on the scene with her cat carrier in hand she was set upon by three other women who were also very determined.... they wanted the kittens dead. Their guardian angel wanted them alive and she was willing to fight for them. And she did. How she managed to scoop up six kittens while fending off blows from three angry women will forever remain a mystery.

Two of the kittens were gravely ill and the vet wasn't optimistic, but with the tender loving care of their foster mom they were soon on the road to recovery.

Alley's story is a true rags to riches story. She began her life as a sick and starving homeless kitten living under a trailer house in Missoula Montana. Now she lives in the lap of luxury under the bright lights of Washington DC with her new family who owns three houses and an airplane.

It was touch and go for awhile there, but thanks to the wonderful people like you who support AniMeals, Alley is living happily ever after.

Vic
My name is Vic. My family moved and forgot to take me with them. ( I have heard that this type of thing happens a lot.)  One of the neighbors watched my family drive away without me and came looking for me. She took me to the nice people at the Animal Control where they gave me lots of love and affection, but life at the shelter was scary for me, so I hid under my blankets at the back of my cage. No one could see what a handsome boy I am; so I never got adopted. Then something wonderful happened... I came to AniMeals. It took me a long time to learn to trust people again because I was sure that if I gave my heart away, they might leave me too (that hurts so bad). But I can tell that this is going to be my forever home. I have my very own office, a nice snuggly house that I feel very safe in, lots of good food, and most of all, I have love. 

Peaches
I thought I was a good kitty. I couldn't believe it when they put me in the car, drove to the outskirts of town, and dropped me off in a junk yard. It was

pretty scary being left all alone. I was very hungry and the only thing I had to eat was grasshoppers... was glad when it rained so I could get a drink from the mud puddle. I crawled into one of the old abandoned cars to have my kittens but I was   so skinny I could barely produce any milk. Things weren't looking very good for us. Then one day a nice man looked in the window of the car and found us! He bundled us all up, took us to his office and called AniMeals. I was so happy I just purred and purred.... Today I have my very own bed (even though I sleep anywhere I want to) and my food dish is always full. I love my new forever family very much and I tell them so every day. Things were touch and go for a while there, but thanks to the wonderful people like you who support AniMeals, I am living happily ever after.

Lola
My name is Lola. I was living with my family, and for some reason they decided they didn't want me anymore. I am not sure why because I'm a really good girl. They took me to Missoula Animal Control and drove away without me. The nice people there called AniMeals and asked them if they could find a foster home for me. That’s when I met my friend Stacy who works for AniMeals. She came and picked me up, spoke softly in my ear, and told me not to worry. She said she knew some wonderful people who take unwanted dogs like me and care for us until we can find our forever homes. AniMeals put my picture in the newspaper where my new family saw me and took me home!!! It didn’t take long for me to settle right in and I am very happy here. I have a new brother and sister, Misty and Deuce and they welcomed me with open ... um ...paws. We have lots of good food to eat and cold water to drink. We have three cookie jars, one for regular cookies, one for bedtime treats and one for “go away” treats when my new mom and dad have to leave us at home by ourselves for a little while. I sleep in the bedroom or wherever I want in the house at night. I have lots of nice nap spots and Misty and Deuce are very good about sharing their favorite spots with me. Misty is a very cool dog because she only has one front leg and one eye, but she doesn’t know anything is wrong with her and she hops around with me so we have lots of fun together. Deuce is a terrier, but he can’t help it and Misty and I call him our “NAL (Not a Labrador) Pal”. So that’s my story. I am very lucky to have such good friends at AniMeals and I want them to know that I love them for saving me and taking care of me while I was looking for a new home. I think everyone should help AniMeals because they do such nice things for dogs like me and they give food to dogs and cats that don’t have enough to eat. I’m going to live happily ever after with my new family. They love me and I love them and we are all very happy that we found each other. Love, Lola

Charlie
He has taught us some important lessons, I think. Charlie is a blue and gold macaw, and Becky Jo hatched him from an egg fourteen years ago. He'd survived the first attack by raccoons on her exotic birds, and she'd doubled the bird-wire on the bottom of the cages, so it couldn't happen again, but it did. This time they must have worked as a team, one spooking the birds from beneath the suspended cages, and one lying in wait on the top, where the wire hadn't been doubled. A yellow-headed Amazon had been killed right away, grabbed through the wire by his feet, as he clung in fright upside-down. He'd gone into shock with the loss of a leg, and it was over. It wasn't that easy for Charlie though. He, too, lost a leg and a couple of toes on the remaining foot, but fell to the bottom of the cage and was still alive when Becky Jo found him. He'd been so traumatized by the ordeal that he was barely clinging to life, and she spent hours comforting him before she judged he was able to tolerate the trip to the vet's office. Charlie's leg-band had saved his life. He might have bled to death had it not served as a kind of tourniquet. When the raccoon had pulled Charlie's left leg through the bird-wire, the band closed-off the blood vessels in what was left of the thigh. The nearest veterinarian advertised that she worked on birds, and this seemed to be a simple matter of repairing or removing what remained of the leg, but after collecting her $25. fee for the office visit, she referred Charlie to the 'exotic bird specialist' some fifty miles away. The second vet told Becky Jo that Charlie was a waste of time and money, that he should be put-down, that even if he survived the operation, he'd be a worthless, expensive burden, unable to perch or to feed himself. Becky Jo wanted a second opinion, and she got it from Charlie. She looked into his chameleon-like eyes and asked him if he'd rather live as an invalid or be put to sleep, and he squawked ever so loudly, "I want to live!" He may not have used those exact words, but she knew that's what he meant. Six-hundred dollars later, Charlie was ready to go home. He'd lost a bit of weight, but his spirit was still strong, and that night, he proudly stood on his crippled foot, the one he had left, and ate and drank all by himself.

The 'exotic bird specialist' had given Becky Jo instructions for dealing with the stitches. If he was still alive at the end of ten days, she was to take Charlie back to the first vet, the one nearest home, for removal of the stitches, but we already had a good idea of what that was about. The two animal-care facilities seemed to be in cahoots for collecting fees, and both of us had plenty of hands-on experience in doctoring critters. We were also on the road, doing concerts, and Charlie needed special attention, so he went with us. When the time came for removing the stitches, we were in rural New Mexico, many miles from professional help, so the hood of the Nissan became the operating table on a sunny day in February. The vet had removed Charlie's breast feathers, and the tape that held the bandage in place was secured to the skin, so it had to be removed very carefully, not an easy task. The worst part of the chore turned out to be the odor. We knew right away that something was dreadfully wrong. As the tape was pealed back from his crop, we could see a gaping hole with putrid flesh. He had developed gangrene. We quietly reapplied a fresh bandage and drove in great haste to Arizona, where our manager knew of a good vet, not an exotic bird specialist, but a decent, honest care-giver. Nobody had noticed the injury to the crop, and it hadn't been treated at all, so it had slowly become worse under the cover of the bandage. The antibiotics had helped a bit, but as the severity of the damaged tissue grew, the immune system was overwhelmed, and Charlie was at death's door. The Arizona vet did the best she could, under the circumstances, but Charlie's prognosis wasn't very promising. The hole in the crop was still there. The decaying flesh had been removed, but there was no way to close the gap.

On the long drive back to California, Charlie rode between us in the front seat. He was very weak, but he still had an appetite, and he was drinking quite often. Then we noticed that the towels that Becky Jo had placed under him were wet, soaked in fact, and we discovered the cause. Every time Charlie took a drink of water, most of it came out the hole in his crop. He was drinking, but he was still thirsty. He was also having trouble, it seemed, drawing the water into his mouth. I reasoned that he couldn't get enough suction because of the hole in his crop, but there was little, if anything, we could do to help. Then he did the most amazing thing. I was driving as Becky Jo gave me a play-by-play description. He broke a peanut shell in half, trimmed the loose fibers from around the shell, and dipped the half-shell into the water dish, filling both depressions in the shell, then raised the shell until the water poured into his open mouth. He kept doing this, over and over again. Much of the water was escaping throught the crop injury, but he was finally getting enough water in his system. That was the best use of tools I think I ever saw. Charlie's still at it, still making all the concert appointments with us. He seems to like being on the road, especially when Becky Jo cuddles with him. He watches the scenery, ducks when we drive beneath overpasses, and is wary of overhead utility wires. His crop has healed itself, from the inside out. He still makes use of a peanut shell dipper, but now only when the water gets low in his bowl. He's gotten used to Vecca the dog's being around, no longer sees her as another troublesome raccoon, and nowadays only squawks when her tail whips past his cage in the backseat. Every once in a while, I can't help but ask Charlie if he's changed his mind about wanting to live. I know all of it is difficult for him, and one might assume there comes a point when it's just not worth the effort. He says it all with his eyes, as he stands tall on his single leg. 'I'm still here, still with the program, Don't believe everything those vets tell you.

Story contributed by Randy Sparks, founder of the New Christy Minstrels with permission of Cherrybell Music - Randy Sparks and Becky Jo Bensen travel extensively countrywide making concert appearances....Charlie goes everywhere they go. 

Parker
In late September we welcomed little "Parker" into the AniMeals foster network while at a fund raising event late September 2006. Someone found her in a dumpster the day before. She arrived hungry and dehydrated...Luckily for her, we were collecting food that day. We all jumped at the chance to open a can of recently donated kitten food and scurried to find something for her to drink from. She gobbled the food up in no time and her cries for help soon waned. She finally settled down into the arms of one of our faithful volunteers, who agreed to nurse the kitten back to health until fit for adoption. Four months later, we found her forever home. "Parker" now lives happily ever after with her new family and her new best friend "Dusty," a golden retriever.

Kenai
Kenai was adopted from our foster network in March. Many thanks to Deb Skogen for fostering this wonderful boy until he was adopted. The following is a letter from Kenai's new, forever mom. Linda adopted Kenai and has since changed his name to Jack. Dear AniMeals, We would like to make Jack's adoption official. He is just the MOST wonderful dog and fits into our family so perfectly. It is like he was just meant to be with us. Thank you so VERY much for making this possible. He loves going to work with me everyday and greeting everyone who he thinks comes in just to see him. When he comes home, he and Elle run through the yard playing with each other for about a half an hour. This weekend he will get his first trip to our cabin. He's gone to the dog park and the dog wash, and he's been so good on and off a leash, I'll tell you, he's really a perfect dog! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Linda 

 Morfar
When I was at the animal shelter, everyone called me Malcom. Maybe you saw my picture. I was pretty famous. My new name is Morfar. It means Grandpa in Swedish. My new human likes to hug me. I like it too, but I like cookies better. The doctor said I need to gain 5 pounds. This was the best news I ever heard. My home and my human and my new animal friends love me. I have many toys and 5 beds. We go for walks all the time. This week I get to go to the store and pick out my own collar. I am very happy now that I can stay somewhere for a long time.

Budda
A HURRICANE KATRINA HAPPY ENDING
My name is Budda and I survived Hurricane Katrina. I was living in New Orleans. My family had to leave the city and like all the other animals, I was left alone to fend for myself. Some of us were locked in bathrooms, some were tied to trees or fences, and some of us were put outside to survive as best as we could. No one meant to harm us. Many wanted to take us with them, but couldn’t. Everyone believed they would be back in a few hours or days. They would come back and get us. This is what every one believed. Even me. This is my story. After the Hurricane, I became lost. I couldn’t find food, all the water was dirty, and there was no one left in the city. Iived under any shelter I could find and wandered the streets looking for something to eat. When people came I hid. After 6 weeks I began to die. I was too sick to run anymore. I let someone lift me from the dirt and take me away. For weeks I was placed in a kennel a few feet from the volunteer veterinarians at the Humane Society of the United States Lamar/Dixon rescue center. They needed to be able to see me at all times. I was scared, but too weak to care. I could barely lift my head. One afternoon a volunteer came and scratched my ears. She talked to me for a long time. She kept coming back in between my rests. After a few weeks, the shelter closed and all the animals were moved to other cities and towns all over the US. The goal was to find homes until our families were resettled and could find us. But there wasn't much hope. Our humans had nowhere to live. My new friend took me with her to the Best Friends, Tyler Town rescue in Mississippi. When we arrived she set up a tent and I stayed there with her for three days. On the third day the people at Best Friends took my picture, gave me a number, and used my new name to post on the national Petfinder website. My friend had given me the name Jesus, because if you said HSUS out loud, that’s what it sounded like. On the day she said goodbye, she cried. I followed her along the fence line as she left Best Friends for Montana. I hoped that one day I would see her again.My name is Stacy Russell. I was the volunteer that became friends with Jesus. He was a beautiful Shepard cross. Cream colored with anxious, but soft brown eyes. He was very affectionate, but uncertain of people. While in Mississippi, he bit me several times and I was very concerned about his chances for adoption. I knew he was in the best possible place, but it was still devastating to leave him. I returned to Montana and followed his progress. After several months he was placed the New Jersey 11th Hour Rescue. It was luck that I found him as his number and name had been changed. I called the shelter and spoke to their veterinarian, Dr. Dashfield who told me they had not yet found a foster home for him. I asked if it was possible to fly him to Montana to be with me, but the answer was a firm, we do not fly animals.' I spent the next many months worrying and wondering about his future. After I started working at AniMeals in Jan. 2007 I contacted the rescue again about the possibility of bringing him to Missoula, this time armed with better resources. When Dr. Dashfield returned my call she had heart stopping news; after 1 year and 6 months, Jesus’s family had located him. They were living in Maryland and were coming to bring him home. A few hours later I received photos of their reunion. Jesus, after all this time, had changed so much I hardly recognized him. He had gained weight, his hair had grown out and the fear and worry in his eyes had been replace by pure joy. He was beautiful. And he was home.

Less than 25% of the survivors rescued after Hurricane Katrina and Rita were reunited with their families. Most have
been adopted, fostered, or are living at rescues such as Best Friends. The enormous, heart breaking losses will never
be forgotten, yet the few happy tales remind us of why we all do what we do to keep the creatures of this earth safe
from harm. We can only hope that one day, we will all be out of a job. 

Dino
Shelter Dogs Can Be Heroes
By Elaine Sehnert

Some people might say that a shelter dog can’t be anything special, as in “If he’s so special, what’s he doing in a shelter?”

Some people might say that only a purebred dog has the qualities needed to be a hero; after all, they’re bred specifically to enhance their good qualities, while other dogs get their character traits accidentally or simply by chance.

Some people might say that only a dog that someone raised from a pup would have the loyalty and love needed to risk its
life for its special person, as in “Oh, we want to adopt a puppy; you never know what you’re going to get in an adult dog.”

Some people might say these things, but they would certainly get an argument on all counts from David Wakeman of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He adopted Dino, a four-year-old Shepherd/Hound X, from the Animal Control Shelter in Missoula, and he’s more than happy to tell anyone how Dino saved his life.

Dino came to the shelter as a stray on July 12, 2006. He was seen wandering on Highway 200 east of Missoula by a local animal lover, and she rescued him from traffic and took him home while trying to find his owner. He was thin and dusty, but he was a happy dog with a great personality. When no owner could be located, she brought the dog to the shelter, mentioning that she had been calling him Dino. That sounded like a good name to the shelter staff, so he remained Dino for the month he was at the shelter waiting to be adopted. It took that long for a truck driver from New Mexico to stop at the shelter to see if he could find a traveling companion. He thought Dino looked like a perfect truck dog, and Dino thought that kind of life sounded just about perfect to him.
They bonded during their travels together, and then something totally unexpected happened. While taking a break at a rest stop near the Wyoming/Montana border, Wakeman and Dino were walking by a fence surrounding the facility’s trash cans. Wakeman was surprised when Dino suddenly lunged toward his leg, causing him to jump back. It was only then that he saw the rattlesnake that Dino had already spotted as it readied itself to strike at Wakeman’s leg. Dino’s reaction kept Wakeman from being bitten, but the snake then turned on the dog and struck twice more before Dino caught the snake’s head in his mouth and killed it. Dino had been bitten twice – once in the jaw and once on the neck – and Wakeman knew he’d need medical attention as soon as possible. He managed to get a Highway Patrol escort into Billings, Montana, and with lights flashing and sirens screaming, Dino was delivered to the closest veterinary clinic. When Wakeman lifted Dino out of the cab of the truck, the dog was unconscious and completely stiff. The first suggestion of the clinic staff was compassionate euthanasia; they knew he was suffering and they weren’t at all sure he could be saved. Wakeman wasn’t having any of that; he explained that this dog had saved his life, and he wanted everything possible to be done to return the favor. Dino was taken into the clinic and treatment was begun. Four days and $1,700 later, Dino was on the road to recovery. He was still weak, and he wouldn’t gain his strength back for some time, but he was definitely alive and well. On January 10, Wakeman and Dino happened to be traveling through Missoula again. They stopped by the shelter for a visit, and the shelter staff could hardly believe that this sturdy, almost hefty, dog was the same one who had come to the shelter thin and dusty six months before. They were even more amazed to find out that he’d been close to death in between. What didn’t surprise them was that his personality was just as happy and friendly as ever.

So – how good are shelter dogs? If you ask David Wakeman, he’ll say his shelter dog is the best in the world. 

Owen
My name is Owen Gray. I have had other names but I like this one best. I was homeless when someone found me and took me to the animal shelter. I lived there a long time because nobody ever wanted to take me home.

I was sad when people passed by me
without giving me a chance.There were other black dogs too and we were all scared that we wouldn't find humans that would love us. Then one day my time was up. I had been there too long. I was lucky though. AniMeals rescued me and promised to find me a home. They hugged me and kissed me and told me not to worry. They kept their promise and soon I went to a new house. I was scared again but after I peed on the door and they didn't get mad I felt okay. There were other dogs and cats to play with. There were a lot of beds and couches to sleep on and so many cookies it made my head spin. I got a warm bath and my hair brushed and they told me I was beautiful. My new mom and dad got me a collar and some jewelry with my name and address and I knew that I would never have to go anywhere else again. AniMeals helps all of us find our special people. Next time you are looking for a best friend stop and say hello to each of us...no matter what color we are. Give us a chance. I am now a happy dog who will always be safe and loved because AniMeals and people like you choose to be colorblind. 

Early this summer we found ourselves in a position to save the lives of 19 cats & kittens. We took them from an overcrowded shelter where they were going to be euthanized. We found foster homes for these precious little creatures and now theyare all in their foreverhomes.These are some of our rescued kitties....

Cassie
Cassie was turned in to the Missoula Humane Society when her family moved and the new landlord didn’t allow pets. That twist of fate was probably the best thing that had happened to her in a very long time as she was in dire need of medical attention.Her little ears were both so infected you could smell them from a distance. She had a bladder infection, was anemic, and allergic to the food she was being fed. The skin on and around her ears was leathery and crusted with yeast. It looked like cornmeal. She had a huge amount of hair loss on her ears, throat and face…and it hurt to go potty. She was not in good shape. I happened to be volunteering at the spay/neuter clinic the week she was surrendered. Of course I didn’t stand a chance when she looked up at me with those big brown eyes… and a tail that wagged her whole body. At nine years old she had never been spayed, so that was our first order of business…then a trip to the vet. She is currently on two powerful antibiotics for the infections, something to settle her tummy (the antibiotics are hard on her), an iron supplement for the anemia, and a dog food formulated from fish and potatoes. We work on her ears every morning and every night, cleaning and medicating them. She sits very still and takes all of her medicine twice a day, even though she doesn’t enjoy it. She’s such a good girl! I believe the chronic ear infections have damaged her hearing. She can hear, but she doesn’t seem to know where the source of the sound is coming from. She stays very close by my side and if she gets a few steps in front of me she will turn around to make sure I am still there. This little girl has totally captured my heart. 

Lily
Lily’s family moved in February and forgot to take her with them. It was cold and she was confused. I had seen her around the office for about two weeks, hiding under bushes and cars. She never let anyone get close to her. If you tried to approach her she would run. Soon the bitter cold and her empty tummy got to be too much for her and she came to our office door begging for food. We brought her in and opened a can of food, which she devoured. She wasn’t sure about all these new faces and she certainly wasn’t happy about being in a strange place. But for right now, she was warm and her tummy was full. After a quick survey of her surroundings she was ready to brave the cold and go back outside to look for her family. She just knew they were coming back for her. She tried to explain to us in great detail that she had to be on the porch when they returned…. I took her home to live with me next to open meadows and a babbling brook. Paradise for a cat. We named her "Lily", and she's a beauty. She spent most of her day outside in the field catching butterflies and mice. She loved her new life. On a hot night in July she was out hunting under a full moon, unaware that an old, ostracized alpha male coyote was waiting next to the pump handle in the neighbors yard. It seemed he too understood that this was a very good place to get a meal. He had been sitting out there catching voles and mice for about a week. It's hard to survive on your own with no pack to help with the evening meal. When the coyote attacked, Lily managed to wrench herself out of his jaws escaping with her life. She was badly injured on her hind quarters but was able to make it home. After a trip to the emergency room and many weeks of convalescing, she has made a full recovery. It was a long and painful journey. She never leaves the safety of her yard now (she has two dogs for protection) and is always in by nightfall. 

Willie Red Fox
Willie Red Fox is a young foxy-looking fellow who came into my life in a very cosmic way. The story goes that a friend of mine came to me to help her search www.petfinder.com for the purr-fect kitty to complete her family. In the midst of this search, I found myself looking at the profile of this dear boy, Willie Red Fox. I have to admit it was the serious look on his face and the wing-span of those lovely ears that caught me off guard and melted my cat-loving heart. You see, I had never had a dog before and I didn’t know Ineeded one. Yet, somehow I knew that this fur-baby was mine. I instantly emailed the TLC Animal Shelter in rural Newell, IA (they are the only shelter in 4 counties), and inquired about Willie. Pauline Larsen, the ultimate Shelter Mother and extraordinary champion in rural animal rescue, emailed me back and gave me Willie’s story. Willie had been abandoned and was living on the streets during the inter months of late 2004. He lived in make-shift shelters and ate what he could where he could find it, sadly mostly from garbage cans. He had been sited by a number of people who had reported seeing a red fox around their farms and outbuildings. By the time Willie was captured in late January 2005, he had been shot up with buck-shot and was frightened, hungry and scrawny. He was brought to TLC. Pauline and her staff of volunteers got to work to save his life and eventually rehabilitate him. My first email to the shelter was during the first week of February 2005. Over the next two months Willie learned how to be a dog again. He received food and love and toys and eventually learned how to play with other dogs. And thanks to a very special 7th grade boy who volunteers at TLC everyday after school, Willie learned how to walk on a leash. By Easter, Willie Red Fox was ready for his Forever Family to come for him.On that snowy spring day, two days before Easter, we drove 5 ½ hours southwest of our home in St. Paul, MN to pick up our boy. The moment we drove up to the tiny shelter on Pauline’s big, flat, prairie farm and saw our boy, we knew that the waiting and the drive were worth it. After much belly scratching, toy tossing and a little paperwork, Willie jumped in our pickup truck, curled himself up on a spot between us, put his chin on my leg and just sighed. We drove down the road with those big red ears bobbing like radar dishes. In the year since Willie has been home, he has discovered many favorite new things like long walks in the city, the amazing Sister Joan's Peanut Butter dog treats, my nephews, cheese stuffed Kongs, squeaker toys, and a fenced-in yard. And last June Willie took his first road trip to Montana. We drove 2700 miles in ten days and Willie Red Fox enjoyed every last minute of it. His favorite vacation activity, aside from a few beautiful sunny days up Rock Creek with Uncle Mike, was running down the steep trail from a friend’s cabin to the shore of Echo Lake…and then back up to the cabin again…up and down, up and down…Willie Red Fox just might just be a little mountain dog afterall…