Animal Planet Rescue Expo

I had a WONDERFUL day!!! The Animal Planet is hosting a Rescue Expo here today and tomorrow. The shelter asked me to go to the event to do some adoption counseling and educating the public about general dog issues. I jumped at the chance and boy did I have so much fun! One of the vets from Emergency Vets was there! They also had a trailer there that they used in NYC to give the animals medical attention (exactly like the one on Animal Pricinct). Our shelter's mobile unit was there with 6 dogs and 4 cats. Plus I brought a dog in my car. 3 cats and 4 of the dogs got adopted :)

I had told some of you I was bringing Charley but when I went to pick her up, they told me she got 2 apps yesterday so she may be going home soon :eek: :D I was disappointed at first because I had planned on taking her to McDonalds and spoiling her all day. BUT I am so happy she has applications. I ended up taking a sweet little 2 month lab mix named Sydney who got adopted at the event!!!!!! Here she is in my car:

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/038/jk/Om/Zw/xh21977.jpg

I'll be there again tomorrow from 9am to 6pm. And tomorrow is the day we'll be taking their pictures in costumes so I'll try to get some good pics of them :) I'm not sure which dog I'll be taking tomorrow yet, but I hope that one will get adopted too!!

Ohh I forgot to say, the Austin Greyhound Rescue group was stationed right outside our mobile unit. There were 15 greyhounds about 10 feet from our mobile unit all day! During the early part of the day it was chilly, and they all had these gorgeous jackets on. Then at the very end of the day, they were all konked out dead asleep! Awwww. I gave each and every one big kisses.

[ October 13, 2001: Message edited by: aly ]

That is really cool! I wish we had something like that here in Fort Wayne. I guess we aren't a big enough city to warrent it. That is one really cute pup. I'm not surprised he got adopted. I would have a hard time only because I would want to take them all home with me.

Are you going to watch the special Animal Precinct this week about the rescue at Ground Zero? I hope I can remember. It looked good.

Good luck tomorrow. I hope they all get adopted.

Aly, what a wonderful event that you got to attend. What fun and seeing those babies adopted had to be the best. Sidney is just adorable I can see why she was adopted. Have fun tomorrow, give all the pups a hug and kiss from all of us.
Jackie

Aly that sounds like so much fun! Syndey is absolutely adorable! No wonder she got adopted. Good luck with whoever you bring tomorrow. If anyone can get them adopted, you can! And then they won't have to sing, "I just want someone to hold me tonight!" LOL SHHHHHHHHHH remember, that's our little secret! ;) :D :o

Ahem Bridget, I have NO CLUE what you are talking about :o :o :D :D

Hey, maybe I'll bring a puppy we haven't named yet and name him FRANKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heheheheeh!

LOL oh you have to!!!! Or Chris, or Greg, or...

[ October 13, 2001: Message edited by: Daisy's Mom ]

Wow, what a great day you and the adoptees had!! Good luck tomorrow!!

Oh, I'm so jealous! You seems to have such great dog realted events and such out your way! I love the vets on ER vets! How special for you. Sydney, I am in LOVE! How beautiful and happy she looks Aly :)

Another wonderful day! Stressful, long, and tiring, but hey its all worth it! One of the Animal Planet guys looks like Johnny Bravo (that cartoon) and he kept coming in and talking to us... but while he was talking he was checking himself out in the mirror. It was soooooooooo funny. You guys are just going to LOVE the dog I took today. I'll post his pic after I eat dinner. I'M POOPED!!!!!!!!

I took Bailey, a boxer, to the expo today. I picked him up at 8am and dropped him off at 7pm. I had so much fun with him and we really overbonded. I had to get someone else put him in his kennel when we got back to the shelter because I was already about to lose it. Bailey spent almost the whole time in my lap. He'd lay out next to me with his front half of his body in my lap and his big ol head resting on my legs, in my arms, or on my hands. Everyone just gushed at how cute he was. I had an excuse to stay sitting in the trailer while I counseled people so I didn't have keep getting up and running around crazy like I did yesterday :) Bailey doesn't really like other animals though so there'd be no chance I could ever adopt him :( This dog is the sweetest boxer I have ever come across. We found him waundering around a road, skin and bones with fly bites covering his ears and his front teeth extremely worn down. Poor guy wasn't taken care of. He loves to give me kisses and was really protective of me if another dog came around. He's just a big love bug around people though. He did get 2 applications today. The BAD news is the first one was sort of iffy. They weren't listening to me when I was trying to counsel them on adopting a shelter dog issues. They also have another dog, which I was almost positive wouldn't work with Bailey. They are bringing their dog for an intro tomorrow. The GOOD news is that a volunteer came up specifically to see Bailey because he had walked him yesterday then had dreams about him all night and really wanted him. If he had come in 30 minutes earlier, he could have been the first app and Bailey could be home with him right now. But I did go talk to the adoption supervisor and told her I really really really didn't think Bailey could go to a home with any other animals after being with him all day and observing his behavior. So most likely we will go to the second app and the volunteer can take him home and after he saw how much Bailey and I loved each other, he said he would let me come visit!

Here's Bailey (68 lbs)... he's still needing to gain about 30 lbs the vet said. His pictures don't do him justice. He's just beautiful. They also make him look a lot smaller than he actually is.

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/027/H2/1G/Pb/n533791.jpg

Aly,
It does my heart good to hear about Sydney,
and now Bailey !!!I hope the guy who made
the 2nd app. will get to bring him home.
Great, Great News from the Expo !!!

Oh geez, I miss him so much :( I shouldn't have let him sit on me for all those hours. I keep getting all teary eyed. I have a test in the morning and can't study because I keep thinking about Bailey!

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/035/cz/AA/fK/w945245.jpg

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/033/RY/Lh/fR/r149122.jpg

Both Baily and that labbie, Sydney are SO adorable! It sounds like you had alot of fun at that pet expo. Hey, which doctor from Emergency Vets was there? It is one of my favorite shows, and I watch it all the time! Oh, and best of luck on Baily finding the proper home. I hope the volunteers with no other pets get him.

Hey Leslie, I can't remember the doctor's name right now. I'll ask my friend and then tell you. She got his autograph.

I just was checking the shelter's website and the put the pic they took of him Sunday on my lap up there :( :( :( I miss him!!!!!
Here's the pic: http://www.austinspca.com/adopt/adop...no=HSOA006141A

Keep us up to date on Bailey's apps!! He is a cutie. I'm glad everyone had a good time at your Expo. Like I said in my earlier post...I'm jealous...I wish we could do something neat like that here. You are so good Aly...I would get too attached and would end up with 150 dogs because I'd bring them all home! lol

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(
I am so devastated. I just spent the day with Bailey waiting for his new owner to come pick him up. When I saw the guy get there, he told me he was just there to volunteer and his lanlord wouldn't let him take Bailey.

To make matters worse, I cant be anywhere in the kennel area or Bailey goes insane trying to get out of his kennel and come to me. When I was pulling up behind the building when I first got there, a volunteer happened to have Bailey out a long ways off. HE RECOGNIZED MY CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He got away from her and when I was pulling into a spot, he jumped on the hood of my car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then he started digging at my windshield. I opened my door and he jumped in my lap :(

I'm so upset. Its not good for either of us to be this bonded but I thought he was going home today and I just didn't want to leave him. Ugh ugh ugh. This is one of the worse parts of shelter work. I think I'll be crying at least a month about this one.

Aly,
How very disappointing!!! Well if the guy is going to be working there,at least you
could maybe get this guy more involved with
Bailey on the days he volunteers..Sort of
shift or share the bond with Bailey??
WOW, so sorry this didn't go the way you
had expected...

I'm so sorry aly. I'm not sure I could handle that. I would be a mess...it would probably take me longer than a month to recover...you are a much stronger person than I am. I'm sure though things will work out. I am beginning to be a strong believer that all things happen for a reason. You must be who Bailey needs right now and when his forever owner shows up he will love them just as much. At least you can put down on his profile that he is a real lover and bonds strongly to his human. I hope you feel better soon and Bailey finds his forever home. Mike found a dog yesterday running loose and we have him until we find his owner...who supposedly lives nearby, but I already love him to death and it will be hard to give him back, so I can imagine how you feel. Hang in there, I'll be thinking about you and I'm sure it work out for the best very soon.

Oh Aly, I'm sorry! But a cutie like him won't have to wait too long. He'll find someone else to take him in and love him, just you wait!

:( Thanks guys. I hope I can get him adopted this weekend. I don't plan on leaving until I see him going to a safe, qualified, loving home.

I know I shouldn't let him bond to me anymore. But what am I going to do tomorrow when the big boy starts whining pathetically when he sees me? :(

We sit on the couch together and he puts his paws on my shoulders and kisses me :( :(

Good luck!

No luck on finding Bailey a home yet. I have 2 people checking on him on Monday. The shelter is closed on Tues and Thurs and I have 1 person checking on his adoption status on Wednesday. Then I'll be there full time Fri/Sat/Sun to look out for him. I'm starting Friday working there again. I'll still volunteer during the week though :) The adoption supervisor said she felt bad that I was there helping so much and not getting paid.. and she had an opening, so I'm back on board, hehe.

My baby boy Bailey got adopted today :) :( Mixed emotions as usual. I am so beat after working a hard day that I'll have to come back tomorrow and give the details. I just wanted to let you guys who were following this thread know that Bailey is no longer in an awful cage. He's where he's supposed to be :)

I'll have more time tomorrow to catch up and respond to all the posts I've missed this weekend.

Hooray for Bailey!! That is terrific news! We'll wait for the details when you are rested. :)

Another happy ending!! You do such good work aly. The world needs more people like you. I'm so happy for Bailey. You're right he definitely deserved to be out of that cage. Now he has a forever home.

Every morning for 3 hours before the shelter opens, the staff is assigned to clean various parts of the shelter, but since I have the most dog experience and am the only staff/volunteer person, I get to walk dogs instead of clean. Anyway I had been avoiding Bailey for over a week because he was breaking my heart with his whimpers when I would walk by. But yesterday I just walked to his kennel and took him outside and spent extra time with him. I guess somewhere in my heart I knew I had to say goodbye.

I made a complete dork of myself when he got adopted because I couldn't stop crying. I sat in on their counseling session so I could get a feel of what kind of people they were. They were really nice. They had just had to have their old Boxer put to sleep.

Then Jill who had been helping them let me do the adoption process. I kept trying to tell them things but would have to cut myself short to try to hold back the tears. They said for me not to worry because they would take really good care of him. I had the woman in tears too by the time they left. I went back and took him out of his kennel and kissed him goodbye and he went out the door with his new family. Oh geez, I can't stop the tears right now just talking about it.

Bailey was my dream dog. I really hope he's happy and I'm so glad he's out of that awful cage. I vow to one day I will have a Boxer who will be as perfect as him and I'm going to name him Bailey in his honor.

Oh Aly, you've made me cry too...I think that's a great idea. One day, your own Bailey to love! In the meantime, this Bailey has, it sounds, gone to a very special home, and people who will love him!

HURRAY FOR BAILEY! I love happy endings :)

Just think about how glad Bailey is to have a forever home. Perhaps the new owners will let you visit.

Oh, Aly. You have gotten me all teary eyed too....you have the biggest, most wonderful, heart of anyone I know. Since you can't have them all yourself (your hands are pretty full with three already), you're doing the next best thing. You're spending time with them, loving them, and helping them off to a new, loving home.

I missed most of this post for weeks, I'm afraid, and didn't open it until this morning, and saw Bailey's wonderful face. I think it would be a great honor for your future boxer to be named Bailey in his honor.

Chin up, girl. You are already nominated for sainthood! :)

Aly, I know how much it hurts!! Just think that you helped save this poor pup's life and he's going to an excellent home! You are an Angel!

What a terrific story, Aly! I know it must hurt your heart right now, but just think of how happy you'll feel to get that first photo of Bailey enjoying life in his new home. :) His humans surely must love him as much as you do!

http://plauder-smilies.com/crying2.gif I too somehow have missed this whole post, so I've gone through many days' emotions in one sitting.

Aly, you've done it once again. Put yourself on the front line of heartbreak for the good of these doggies that need a home and family. Congratulations, because your work has resulted in a good home for Bailey. Bailey will not forget the love you gave him. Please keep up the good work.

Aly,
I'm so happy that Bailey was chosen for a
Forever home, with people who seem to love him as much as you do!!
Bailey seemed to be SO ready to trust,love and bond again with his Very Own Special
family. WAY TO GO ALY !!!GOOD LUCK BAILEY !!!

Aly, your "goodbye story" made me cry. I know how hard it is to let someone go that you truly love, but he was ready and someone else needed him. And do you realize what a wonderful impression you gave those people of the shelter that you work at? Here you were so attached to this beautiful dog that you cried at his departure into his next adventure. That, in my opinion, speaks highly of the shelter, the employees, and of you. If I had an experience like that I surely would reffer all of my friends and family members to that shelter!

I know Bailey will never forget you, and he will always hold those special memories that he had with you in his heart and I know you will do the same. And what a perfect tribute, to one day adopt a perfect boxer and name him Bailey.

You guys have made me feel so much better. Whenever I just think of his name, tears automatically start flowing. I love him soo much. I guess things happen for a reason and he wasn't meant to be with me :( :( :( :(. He was meant to be with those nice people who just lost their beloved boxer.

Oh I forgot to tell you guys, a few hours after he got adopted, someone came in and reported a dead boxer on the road. Now, if you would like to see crazy, you should have seen me. I lost control and started freaking out. I called Bailey's new owners and tried to sound calm (didn't work) while I asked how he was doing. Thank goodness he was home safe. What a panic. I still felt awful for the dead one though :(

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: aly ]