This is Part II of the story about four shelter dogs that found their roads to forever homes thanks to collaboration, cooperation and a little extra help from their friends. 

To read Part I, click here.

(Ollie - pictured left)

Networking to the Rescue
I felt overwhelmed while trying to find placement for Ollie.  I called Sanctuary One at the Double Oak Farm in Southern Oregon. Sanctuary One is a Care Farm whose mission is to provide a refuge for animals.  Sansa Collins, the sanctuary manager, said that they are not yet set up to take dogs but gave me the number of Save The Pets in Springfield, Oregon.  Save the Pets is a non-profit Adoption Center whose primary goal is to eliminate pet over-population in Lane County, Oregon, and serve as a rehabilitation center.  Lisa Warnes, the large dog rescue and foster coordinator,  responded “he (Ollie) will have a place to stay even if it means I keep him for a few months in a foster situation here in Eugene….regardless he will live and be in good hands”.  I had a safety net for Ollie.

I did not have a computer:  I did not even know how to get Ollie’s picture to Lisa Warnes.  I called Andrea Wenzel for help.  Andrea and AJ Wenzel live in Virgin, Utah,  and they foster hard-to-handle dogs and have a small business boarding dogs.  Every morning their dogs get to go for a run in the mountains.  I’ve gone with them.  It’s like heaven:  the mountains, a pack of dogs, and good friends.

Andrea helped me set up a link to Ollie’s picture and gave me her distribution list of rescues.  With Andrea’s help, I sent out a plea for Ollie’s life that came from the bottom of my heart to all the groups on Andrea’s list. 

(Ollie, at left, at Doggie Dude Ranch)

I also remembered that a friend of mine, Leslie Cook, had a daughter, April Cook, who owned Dogs on the Run in San Diego.  Dogs on the Run has been doing in-home, pet care service including dog walking, pet visits, overnight care, pet taxi and dog training, since 2003. April sent my email plea for Ollie’s life to 1600 people. 

The next night Ami Carpenter, professor at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies in San Diego, California, called me.  She had received April’s newsletter and wanted to give Ollie a home.  Because Ami was an individual and not a rescue group, I suggested that Ami call Mike Harmon.

Mike stepped in.  From then on he was always orchestrating behind the scenes.  Lezlie Sage had said that Best Friends would do the evaluations and help with the transport – but Mike Harmon did much, much more. 

Every day I continued to walk Ollie and bring him treats but my heart was breaking.  I knew that he needed one-on-one attention.  Luckily the email plea did the trick and the phones started ringing and emails started streaming in.

The Right Match

Jeanine Fullmer was interested in taking Ollie to her Fullmer Menagerie Animal Rescue in Salina, Utah.  I talked to her about Ollie’s fear issues and suggested that she might take Snow White instead.  After she talked to Mike Harmon, she decided that Snow White was a good fit and could benefit from one-on-one training.  Best Friends arranged her transport and  a member of Best Friends  took Snow White to Dr. Ekins in Delta, Utah, to be spayed before she went to her new home. 

(Lady Jazmine, left,  has new buddies at Fullmer Menagerie!)

Jeannine renamed Snow White:  she is now known as Lady Jazmine – because, says Jeannine, of her pure white color, her sweetness, and her lady-like manner.

On Sunday, May  2, I received an email from Rica Powell of Smiling Dog Rescue in Tucson, Arizona.  It was short and very sweet “We will take Ollie at Smiling Dog in Tucson.  Please contact me at 520-977-8000.”  I cried with joy and then called Mike Harmon.  We had a backup that had room for him - and Ollie would not have to travel so far.

Rica Powell of Smiling Dog Rescue (SDR) began her rescue efforts many years ago by rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing one dog per month.  More recently, she started working with the PIMA Animal Control Center in Tucson. To date SDR has rehabilitated and re-homed over 600 homeless pit bull type dogs in Southern Arizona.  They advocate spay/neuter and responsible pit bull ownership. Rica Powell told me “One person CAN make a difference”.  Rica and her partner Elise Webber intend to start a sanctuary for bully breeds in the Tucson area.

Mike Harmon continued to work with Ami Carpenter in San Diego, but her home owner’s association was being uncooperative.  Mike determined that Ollie’s best offer was Smiling Dog Rescue.

We needed a temporary home for Ollie until Best Friends could arrange to transport Ollie to Tucson.  Mike decided on the Doggy Dude Ranch.  I was thrilled.  I had been there last summer and wanted to move in myself.  The dogs all had big play areas and a giant pool and lots of attention.  The Doggy Dude Ranch provides day-care, overnight, and training for dogs.  It is 3.7 miles from Zion National Park in Rockville, Utah, and is run by the owner, Filomena.  Filomena agreed to take Ollie but he would need to be neutered and have his shots.

(Ollie makes it to Tucson)

On May 7, I took Ollie out of his cage at the Hurricane City Animal Shelter for the last time.  This time the door clanging shut was music to my ears:  Ollie was going home – well after a visit to the veterinarian.  The Washington Family Veterinary Clinic in St. George, took good care of Ollie. Mike Harmon met me that afternoon and we transported him to his new home.  As Filomena took him from me, the tears spilled over.  I offered to come and walk him but Filomena assured me that this “wasn’t her first rodeo”.  I had to let go and let her do her job.  I called several times over the next two weeks.  At first, Filomina was the only one who could handle Ollie.  She worked with him:  teaching him to sit, lie down, and wait for his food. Within a week, with positive training, Ollie warmed up to all of the Doggy Dude Crew.

Their New Chapter Begins
I received a call a few days ago from Mike Harmon:  Could I pick up Ollie from the Doggy Dude Ranch on Friday, May 21, and transport him to Fredonia, Arizona, to connect with his ride to Tucson, Arizona.  I was thrilled at the opportunity to see Ollie again and help him on his journey home.  On Friday, May 21, Keeley Floyd, the Dogtown Caregiver from Best Friends,  loaded Ollie into her red jeep.  It was bittersweet for me as I watched Keeley and Ollie start over the Kaibab, but I knew that Ollie was in good hands and on his way to his forever home.

It still feels like magic to me – having Ollie headed to Tucson and Lady Jazmine (Snow White) at the menagerie and the puppies – Illusion and Mirage -  at  Best Friends.  And maybe there was some magic – but mostly, just a lot of caring people who did what they could do.

(Mirage, pictured left, is available for adoption from Best Friends, click on the image for more info)

Saving Ollie, Lady Jazmine (Snow White) and her two puppies has been an incredible journey filled with love, tears, reconnecting with old friends, making new friends and learning about a breed of dog – the pit bull – that has been maligned and misunderstood.  Mike Harmon has been like a conductor – bringing us all together and encouraging us to work together in a peaceful and productive way.

I want to express my gratitude to all who helped Ollie, Lady Jazmine (Snow White) and her two puppies find homes.   A special thanks to Best Friends for taking Lady Jazmine’s two puppies, for evaluating Ollie and Lady Jazmine, for transporting them to their new homes, and for their generosity in paying for the costs to neuter, board and train Ollie.

Contact Information for the Rescue Groups involved in the rescue of Ollie, Snow White and her two puppies:

Sanctuary One at Double Oak Farm  
13195 Upper Applegate   
Jacksonville, OR         
541-899-8627 
info@sanctuaryone.org   

Fullmer Menagerie Animal Rescue  
182 East 200 South      
Salina, UT  84654  
435-529-1307  
fullmermenagerieanimalrescue@yahoo.com

Save The Pets Adoption Center  
3000 Gateway Ste. 202   
Gateway Mall
Springfield, OR  97477   
lisawarnes@efn.org

Dogs On The Run   
877-858-8738
info@DogsOnTheRun.com

Doggy Dude Ranch
800 E. Main (on SR9)
Rockville, UT  84763
435-772-3105
info@doggyduderanch.com

Andrea and AJ Wenzel
435-635-1468 
amwenzel@live.com

Smiling Dog Rescue
Tucson, AZ
520-977-8000
SmilingDogRescue@gmail.com

Hurricane Animal Shelter

Hurricane, Utah

435-635-8314

Best Friends Animal Society

Kanab, UT 84741
435-644-2001

*For more information on the Community Training Partners program from Best Friends, click here.