A Memorial Day Miracle!

A Buddhist Temple, a homeless man, one woman’s journey, and a Memorial Day miracle!

Okay… so it has been a really, really long time since my last blog. Sometimes the rescuers are too busy “rescuing” and running day to day operations to stop long enough to describe what goes on here at SOHS...

It is on this day that traditionally plays host to barbeques, softball, and a tribute to our fallen heroes that I have been inspired to blog again by one woman who wanted to make a difference. We received a call about five young dogs that needed a home from a woman in Fresno. She had been told that we might be able to help because no one in her area would accept them with a guarantee of life due to space and time limitations. (At five months of age they were not as desirable as younger puppies.)

Rassami had taken her mother to a Buddhist temple in the countryside near Fresno. She was surprised to find that numerous dogs had been dumped there and were being cared for by the monks and a homeless man. Return trips yielded heartbreak and hope. A small female Chihuahua mix dog had become pregnant. The male was shot by neighbors and bled to death near the temple. Rassami offered to help the homeless man care for the pups but he was unwilling to part with little ones that filled the hole in his heart left by the shooting incident. But he didn’t have the resources to even get them basic vaccinations. She was eventually able to win his trust and he surrendered them to her because she promised him that they would be spayed and neutered and placed in good homes.

Once she had the pups in hand she had no idea how difficult it would be to save their lives. Shelters and rescue organizations in California simply have no room with the state’s current challenging economic times. She was not prepared to care for that many dogs and did not have the resources herself to spay and neuter all of them. Our own economic constraints left us with no way to travel to get the dogs, but she volunteered to drive them up here herself if it meant that they would live. She left Fresno at 5 am and arrived in the afternoon the day before Memorial Day. One little black dog had many scabs from a massive tick infestation that included numerous larval ticks in his nose and ears. Two pups were somewhat shy and the other two could not stop giving lots and lots of dog kisses.

For these five dogs this Memorial Day holiday offers the opportunity to live and it also stops the cycle of suffering since these pups will be spayed and neutered before they go home with their new families. A woman who inspired us with her dedication leaves the Rogue Valley also inspired… to start a nonprofit organization in her area that will serve as a clearing house for information and resources to help those with limited funds care for homeless pets. Education is such a key component in the epidemic homeless pet crisis in California. She is going to see to it that all of the dogs residing at the Temple get spayed and neutered. One woman cared enough to save five special dogs. They will be available for adoption at SOHS on Tuesday June 1. Heartfelt thanks to Rassami for spending her holiday weekend traveling with some special canine companions in need of a second chance.

Heaven Can Wait Rescue Transport will be bringing 50 small/medium size dogs to SOHS. They will be available on June 18, 2010.

Wow Chihuahua!

Adoptions Saturday, Jan. 23 - Tuesday, Jan. 26.

The Adoption Center was filled with frenzied activity on Saturday morning. The dogs had arrived the night before, but all things that normally would have been completed for an adoption event had not even been started. Despite our best efforts, kennel cards were still being printed as the doors were about to open. The word we were back had obviously spread because the parking lot was full and there were more than 20 people in line at 10:45am. By 11 am the only place to park was across the street. Some folks knew exactly who they wanted to meet after previewing the new dogs on the website and others were there to look at all of the newest residents of SOHS.

Soon the Adoption Center was filled to capacity, with no standing or sitting room anywhere. The walkways through the outdoor kennels were also packed, so it was fairly challenging to even see the small dogs. The puppies were all quickly adopted as were the two tiniest Chihuahuas and one tiny toy rat terrier. Then things seemed to simmer just a bit while potential adopters carefully considered adding a new family member. The “hold” board had nine names and all of the families came back that afternoon for a “meet and greet” with their other family dogs. Some left empty-handed because they had come to the conclusion that it was not the right time to make a lifetime commitment. And that is actually good news for pets, because we want to make great permanent matches. There really were some super adoptions. Adopters represented every age group as did the dogs that were chosen.

Sunday was just as busy with lots of nice adoptions to seniors who found the size and temperament of many of the dogs to be a perfect fit. Many who had adopted dogs on Saturday came in to visit their new pets. Two senior couples spent an hour just holding and stroking their new dogs and left reluctantly. Thirty adoptions were completed over the weekend! Many of those dogs are now waiting to be scheduled for spay/neuter surgery before they can go home.

The Monday Mail Tribune featured a beautiful photo essay entitled “Rescue Me,” which was complimented by an online photo gallery of the dogs. Many of the photos captured the dogs’ sense of trust as humans comforted and cuddled with them. It really is amazing how forgiving they are after some of the unimaginable circumstances that forced them into a shelter where their fate had already been determined. Monday and Tuesday there was a steady stream of visitors through the adoption center which resulted in another 18 adoptions. So four days after they set their paws on Southern Oregon soil, half of the rescued dogs have been adopted. Wow Chihuahua!

I cannot help but reflect on my own Chihuahua-mix that “adopted me” after the first Fresno rescue last year. He definitely is a spunky firecracker of a dog that makes me smile every day. Referred to as “Honey I Shrunk the Pointer,” Pocket Rocket mimics the behaviors of his Pointer sisters. He “points” baked potatoes, roasted marshmallows, and moths. Wow Chihuahua!

Major Medical

100 x 5 procedures – every dog must have their day!

Once animals arrive at SOHS the real work begins… every dog from the Saving Train rescue trip must receive vaccinations, worming meds, intranasal bordetella spray for kennel cough, Frontline, and have a microchip implanted. Many dogs require additional medical procedures from stitches to medications to surgery. It's all part of the routine protocol at SOHS but… there is nothing normal about performing all of the basic procedures in one day on 100 dogs! An army of volunteers and three staff members were assembled to insure that all dogs would receive everything medically required to be available for adoption.

One of the elements of temperament testing is making sure that a dog’s mouth can be opened and their head can be touched easily; this lets intake staff know whether or not a dog can be properly medicated without too much difficulty. Some dogs are calm about the medical process and others are squirmy but after nine hours, all required procedures were completed. But, there is more… dogs are also bathed as time and bathtub permit although baths are not always given to the smallest dogs in cold weather. It is important to bathe the dogs before spay/neuter surgery because they will not be able to have a bath for two weeks following their surgery.

Dogs that are not crazy about having their nails clipped will have it done while they are under anesthesia for their surgery. They have had a stressful journey and must acclimate to a new environment so we try to make the transition as stress-free as possible. SOHS volunteer Peggy sees to it that dogs in need of a makeover receive one so that they can put their best paw forward!

The Journey Home

100 dogs – 10 hours to a second chance

“Whether the weather be fine,
Or whether the weather be not…
…We’ll whether the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!”

Two days delayed in our journey home we were finally ready to roll. We arrived first at Rambelaine kennels where 38 dogs had been housed at no charge to SOHS while we had waited out the dangerous stormy driving conditions. Even at 7am there was a small army of ARF volunteers waiting to help us load. The media was also waiting. They have covered the SOHS Saving Train rescues on all three of its trips to the Fresno area. Reporters from both radio and TV stations were asking why this many people would go to this much effort for 100 dogs. The answer is very simple: What is a life worth? These 100 dogs have a second chance at life and the opportunity to have a home and family.

One reporter and cameraman seemed perplexed and puzzled by the whole energetic scene. Then they moved to the rear of the Saving Train bus and filmed the back which features a larger-than-life photo of “Siluk,” a dog who came to SOHS on the Saving Train. Below the dog are graphics in big bold red letters – Please Spay and Neuter – Help Save lives! The cameraman turned to me and said that the sign would be the "lead-in” and the ending for the story. At that moment it became apparent that he understood the magnitude of 70,000 animals euthanized in one city, most for no other reason than the fact that they had no home.

Loading the bus is one giant jigsaw puzzle of a challenge comprised of portable kennels. Larger and medium-sized dogs must be loaded first because their kennels will be surrounded by carefully stacked crates of small dogs that are bungied together, and to the inside walls of the bus. Every trip we learn or try something new to make procedures work more efficiently. Dogs in the kennels were grouped with dogs they would share a kennel with when they were back at SOHS. Most kennels had three or four (a few had more) dogs in them. We then headed to ARF to load up the other 50+ dogs. The media was also waiting there. The Clovis Police Department brought us 5 that they had been holding for us. A fight broke out in the back of the bus so all of the portable kennels had to be pulled to solve the problem. An intact male decided to assert his authority over his kennelmates and so he had to be removed to keep the peace. Only two dogs got a little “snarky” and had to ride in individual crates because of their attitude. They had transitioned into a heightened state of arousal and agitation from the stress of all of the activity and commotion.

The loading process had taken just under three hours. All dogs were safely aboard and after hugs goodbye we headed out. I am always asked what it is like to ride in a vehicle with barking dogs for hours at a time. There is raucous barking and yapping for about 20 minutes and then it just subsides. I do not know if the dogs are calmed and lulled into sleep by the rolling motion while traveling down the road or whether a sense of survival and acceptance kicks in. It always seems as if they know that they have been “saved.” There is usually one lone yapper or mournful yowler that occasionally lets out a cry but for the most part the ride home was relatively peaceful. Poop happens, and that is part of any rescue even on trips only 45 minutes away, and so is motion sickness. The puppies were all isolated in the separate Humane Society van. Needless to say, puppies are pooping machines so our vehicle was a tad on the stinky side by Sacramento, but you just get used to it. Some brave dogs “held it” until we reached SOHS!

Snow was piled high on the sides of I-5 near Dunsmuir but there was none on the roads. The deluge of heavy wet snow that had closed the freeway had melted. However, when we were fueling up in Mount Shasta, we came across a man who was purchasing food to take to his family, currently living in a motel because the roof on their house had caved in from the weight of the snow. In the midst of personal trials and tribulations he thanked me for doing what we do. Wow!

We pulled into the SOHS parking lot at 8:45 pm. One hundred very weary four-legged travelers were off-loaded by a crew of volunteers and snuggled in their blankets with bellies full by 10 pm. There are usually a couple of escape artists, because our kennels were not designed to house small dogs. There were only two this time and they were housed in the adoption center. When I left around 11pm all was quiet… but the rescue in many respects was just beginning!

Thirty Adoptions Saturday and Sunday!

Visit the Medford Mail Tribune website to see a gallery of photos taken when we got back to SOHS. And stay tuned, because we'll soon be adding more stories of our return trip to Medford from central California!

We're Back!

Great News!
We've returned to Medford and now have 100 new dogs. Please check the Adoptable Pets page on our website for the very latest news on every available pet.

And please come back and visit this blog. We'll have many more rescue stories to tell!

Heading Home

The SOHS Saving Train is headed home at last - arriving some time late this evening!

Being born a tan Chihuahua in the Central Valley


“It is unconscionable that people do not spay and neuter their pets. The overpopulation of Chihuahua mixes is actually beyond description. This is my third trip to Fresno and it is heartbreaking to know that hundreds of animals are euthanized every day when the crisis is totally preventable.”
Leisha – Southern Oregon Humane Society


And so we head home this morning… it will take more than two hours just to load all of the dogs. We will travel to two separate kennels to pick up all of them and Clovis Animal shelter will deliver the last five. It is a massive jigsaw puzzle to make all of the kennels fit for the long drive. Dogs will be grouped usually with those that will be their kennel-mates at SOHS.

Being stranded here in Fresno due to the closure of I-5 may have delayed our journey home but it gave 18 more dogs the gift of life. We will be bringing home a total of 100 dogs to Southern Oregon Humane Society. We will arrive some time late this evening depending upon the road conditions. Much needed sleep was not on the agenda as we spent a final full day evaluating dogs. In the end we were being asked by rescuers if we could take home more. There was a steady procession of dogs and photos of dogs. But, we have no more room at the Humane Society.

“Wagner” is a beautiful golden boy approximately one year-old with a spirit that matches his gorgeous coloring. He was tied to a tree in an orchard and left to die. Someone cut the rope that prevented him from moving in any direction. He was taken to ARF and now he will have the opportunity to have a family of his own. “Pencil” is a sweet nine-month old tan Chihuahua who was running along the road with her two siblings. A truck roared by and killed both siblings. “Pencil” was spared and someone immediately took her to ARF. Her new family has not found her yet. If you like a dog that fetches, this is your girl. She is a talented “Chug” (Chih-Pug mix) that loves to retrieve balls.


In total, we went to six shelters and also worked with many private rescuers. I will most remember our incredibly dedicated and tireless friends from ARF who made this entire rescue effort possible. There is so much coordination necessary to insure a successful outcome. How could anyone forget the endless kennels filled with no hope? In one shelter we were pulling dogs out as others were in the process of being “tagged.” Their fate had been determined because the 3 day stray-hold was up. They would not make it to the adoption center and their place would be taken the next day by another wave of homeless pets. I will tuck those haunting memories away and resolve to continue to try and make a difference in every way possible. We have been inspired by Linda, the Executive Director at ARF, and her dedicated volunteers. They keep the faith in spite of the massive number of homeless pets in the area. We will also keep the faith and make every effort to do more. The anatomy of this rescue will become the blueprint for the future for homeless dogs and cats at home and everywhere.

Still Stranded!

Due to severe weather conditions in California, we are waiting for the situation to improve in order to bring our precious cargo home safely.

We will keep you posted as to when our projected arrival in Medford will be. Meanwhile, we're off to check out some more dogs down here!

Saving Lives is why we are here

We went to them and they came to us!

The Sanger animal control truck pulled into the ARF facility with 9 dogs for us to check out and temperament-test. Animal Control Officer Don unloaded crates in the pouring rain. These dogs were all strays that no one had claimed and he wanted to see if they could make the trip to Oregon. He knew exactly what we were looking for! All of the dogs passed with ease. A beagle, toy poodle, and the worlds sweetest Chihuahua will be making the journey. He also had some beautiful Chihuahua puppies for us which actually complicates our mission at this point. Due to the risk of parvo we cannot combine puppies in the same kennel or runs from different litters when we return because they do not have a complete set of vaccinations to properly protect them. We must take every precaution to insure that there is no cross-contamination when animals are not fully vaccinated. We will not be able to take any more puppies because we have no way to properly house them when we return.

One of the most frustrating parts of this rescue is that we cannot bring back many large dogs because they require so much space and we would only be able to bring back 20 – 25 with no other smaller dogs. Little dogs require far less leg room and tolerate being kenneled in groups better. We have a few larger dogs to bring back but we simply do not have enough space for the incredible dogs that we have encountered. One surprising statistic is that we have more females (49) than males (33.) Usually we return with more males because they tend to be left behind in shelters due to the common myth that all males “mark” and are not as easily house-trained. We are pleased to have a great selection that includes 22 puppies varying in age from 6 weeks – 4 months. Two will have to go into foster because they are not old enough to begin vaccinations but the rest will be available for adoption.

The media continues to be interested in the SOHS Saving Train. Our rescue was featured on the evening news last night. There are many other groups who also rescue dogs in Fresno but we have provided a steady lifeline for dogs from Fresno to southern Oregon. One of the many heartening moments of the trip was provided when we were told that the coordinator of another rescue group here in the Central Valley supports the partnership between ARF and Southern Oregon Humane Society so much that she asked family members to not give presents this past holiday season. Instead she raised $1800 so that ARF can make a trip to Oregon with dogs that need homes. We will look forward to having them make the trip in March. Rescue efforts are extremely labor intensive…we would not be able to keep up this pace and do rescues back to back every month.

I myself am bringing back a requested dog for my own mother. In the midst of this rescue her much beloved 17 year-old Chihuahua passed away. Originally discarded in the SOHS parking lot as a senior dog five years ago, Cricket was adopted by my mother who loved and cherished her dearly for five years. Devastated over the loss of her companion her grief has been replaced with anticipation for the arrival of a specially chosen “senior” Chihuahua that will be arriving on the Saving Train for her. Her heart and home are open to welcoming a another friend and companion.

There are so many great dogs of all ages arriving on the Saving Train. Adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment so please consider adoption if you are ready. Many animals in shelters are there because their owners didn't realize how much time it took to care for them.

Are you ready?
Adopting a pet is a big decision. Pets require a lot of time, money, and commitment so we encourage you to think through your decision before you adopt a companion animal. The fact that you may be considering adopting a rescued dog indicates that you are a responsible and caring person. Before you make the decision to bring a pet into your life ask yourself the following questions.

Why do you want a pet?
Do you have time for a pet? Dogs, and cats require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of the year for their lifetime.

Is your pet a good fit with your family?
Your entire family should be included in the selection process. Canine members are required to do a “meet and greet” to insure compatibility.
Are you prepared to provide medical care a pet may need?
Unexpected medical emergencies are unfortunate but common aspects of pet ownership.

Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet?
Pets like a predictable routine, and if your routine is changing or inconsistent it may be not be good timing to adopt.

Are your living arrangements suitable for the animal you have in mind?
Animal size and breed characteristics are important considerations – do your homework and ask lots of questions.

If you are hesitant about any of your answers to these questions this is probably not the right time to adopt. However, if you are confident in your answers it may be the perfect time for you to adopt a pet!

Arrival Delayed

Fresno dog arrival delayed due to inclement weather. The SOHS Saving Train is stranded in central California until I-5 in Mount Shasta is re-opened. Stay tuned for further announcements!

So it goes… weather has not exactly been our friend this trip. It is too windy to safely travel today with such precious cargo, so we will load up and head out tomorrow am. In addition, one of our team members is feeling “under the weather.” It is hard enough to drive 10 hours with vehicles full of animals when you are feeling great… it is another matter entirely when you are sick, so Thursday it will be. What this means is that all of the medical procedures and baths will have to take place on Friday, when we had expected to have everybody ready for adoption. Dogs may be placed on hold or adopted and medical will be completed later in the day. It is an enormous undertaking to vaccinate and microchip more than 80 animals so we will do the best that we can and hope everyone will be patient. These special dogs deserve every opportunity to find the perfect home. There are only a few dogs that are spayed and neutered so the majority will not be able to go home right away, or else they can go out on contract with a deposit which is returned after we spay and neuter them.

Truthfully, this experience has been both exhilarating and mentally exhausting. We have to keep everything in perspective and remember that we made a difference for more than 80 dogs. We need to also remember that we need to make time to sleep when we do a rescue. As I say that, we are making plans to leave shortly and look at a few more dogs. Fresno SPCA is the largest single- site animal shelter in California. That was our last stop yesterday and that visit only reinforced what we already know - animal overpopulation is a socio-economic problem as well as one of total human irresponsibility. The answer however is very clear. Massive spay/neuter and education efforts are needed to stem the tide of death for innocent animals.

“Saving Lives” is why we’re here

Due to inclement weather dogs will not be coming to Medford until Thursday and some will not be available for adoption until Saturday - dogs can be placed on hold.


4 shelters in one day!

I have learned this – live blogs are not possible during the midst of a rescue! The energy required to save so many lives does not allow time for blogging, so once again this will be a midnight blog!

We were on the road again at 7:30 Tuesday morning to travel to smaller shelters in Clovis and Madera. Another shelter in Sanger agreed to meet us at ARF (Animal Rescue of Fresno.) I am actually at a loss of words to describe the pet overpopulation issue here. It is so staggering as to be beyond comprehension. A vast ocean of Chihuahuas greeted us everywhere we went. I actually “fibbed” in my first blog when I stated that we would only bring back a dozen or so due to our concerns about their transition to our cold weather. We could not leave behind terrific, adoptable sweet loving dogs… of the 84 dogs that will be arriving on the Saving Train approximately half will be Chihuahuas or Chih mixes. We will do whatever it takes to insure that we can provide a warm safe environment for them. Hopefully many will find homes right away so they will not have to live in our outside runs.

We have both puppies and adults, large and small, fawn, black, and in-between. The heart-wrenching part is that tan-colored Chihuahuas face the same challenges in this area as large black dogs do where we are. It can be an automatic death sentence, just because there are so many that it is sometimes difficult for individuals to stand out. Shy, reserved, frightened dogs that are disinterested in our presence are not selected to be temperament tested. When every kennel has 6 or more dogs it can be so difficult to choose. There are always kennels filled with small dogs. We look for dogs that are interested in humans but are not totally frantic. There is a very fine line.

I was startled upon first arrival at Madera to find not only a nice, newer adoption center but a “drop box” as well. I will not pass judgment on this practice because at least animals can be left at the shelter instead of dumped somewhere to fend for themselves. But, it was surprising because I thought that practice ended long ago. There are stacked metal boxes that unwanted/stray animals can be placed in after hours. At every shelter we visit there seems to be a procession of people bringing in pets. Hanford had opened for us only on the Martin Luther King holiday and still there were people wanting to surrender pets or found animals despite the fact that the shelter was closed for the holiday.

The weather continued to be stormy and drenching wet but our spirits were lifted by the loving dogs that welcomed the human(e) connection. Despite their situation and all that had happened to them they were forgiving, and their sunny dispositions reflected the warmth in our day. Everywhere we went people thanked us for coming and taking the dogs that we could. Throughout the day as kennels were cleaned and new dogs were transported in them I reflected on the fact that every blanket was donated by someone in our own community who cared. The Saving Train bus was donated, as were the snow tires that will get us home. Another donor gave money to help pay for our gas. What a difference these generous individuals have made for animals that would have no hope otherwise.

Temperament Testing

Pinch, Pull, and Tug

Temperament testing is neither an exact nor perfect measure of a dog’s behavior, but it does provide a window into an individual dog’s behavior under somewhat controlled circumstances. In an ideal world we would rescue all homeless pets, but the truth of the reality is very different. We must rescue those that are readily adoptable and do not require major socialization or training. SOHS has neither the facilities nor the resources (human and financial) to house dogs for extended periods of time while they are rehabilitated. So we must place all of our emphasis on safety.

We look for dogs that are relatively relaxed and ones that are comfortable with both humans and other dogs. We observe the dogs as skin and different body parts are exposed to pinch, pull and tug cues. We are looking for animals that do not mind being handled and show no indication that they will nip under duress. Many children come through our adoption center at Southern Oregon Humane Society who are not necessarily educated about proper humane/canine etiquette. We want dogs that will tolerate reasonable unexpected behavior. That being said… dogs are not humans and like humans they are not perfect.

We try our best to assure we are rescuing dogs who would make good family pets. They must tolerate having their mouth opened for medical procedures and also be okay about having their paws handled. Dogs may not exhibit aggressive behaviors towards other dogs or humans – that is a definite deal-breaker. When a dog comes in to SOHS for an intake appointment we also test for food aggression, but during a rescue operation we are not as concerned about this trait because dogs are frequently kenneled with 4-6 or more other dogs. It is fairly obvious why they might be possessive about food or other resources.

Fence running and space guarding are also two traits that do not work well in the stressful shelter environment. Shelters are stressful enough without adding those behaviors into the mix. Of the dogs we tested on Monday, 38 passed with flying colors and earned a ticket to board the Saving Train. That 38 dog total was higher than the normal adoption rate at Hanford over a two month period! This morning we are headed out at 7:30 am to begin the process all over again.

Saving Lives

“It takes a village” - A trip to Hanford Shelter

The best plans often take a detour and that is how today went with my blogging venture. I was unable to secure a wireless internet connection in our location and we did not return to the hotel until after 8pm. Midnight has just past and I am just now blogging about the day’s events after having downloaded photos.

The weather was dark, dreary, and stormy all day with a tornado watch in effect until late afternoon. Heavy rains flooded through the kennels at Hanford shelter where our rescue operation was underway. Located in the small town of Hanford (about 40 minutes outside Fresno) the sight, smell, and sound of so many dogs that needed assistance was both sobering and unsettling. We were confronted with the magnitude of the pet crisis in the central valley of California.

In Fresno and the surrounding 25 unincorporated small towns more than 70,000 animals were euthanized in 2009. Statistics were not available for what percentage comprised aggressive dogs but a shelter director put that figure at less than 2% of all dogs euthanized.

Frequently the stray/hold department for homeless pets in this area is assigned to a police department or other agency that does not have adequate facilities for animal control. Adoption is simply not a focus when pets are only seen as a “control” issue. The sad effect of the staggering numbers is that shelter workers in the region are frequently overwhelmed, desensitized, and defeated by the situation. The Hanford Shelter has 2 part-time kennel workers to care for all of the animals which usually number close to 200 dogs. They also have a dynamic Director who is working hard to change the odds for homeless pets there.

It took a virtual army of “runners,” a recorder, photographer, and the efforts of many others to support Dana as she temperament-tested each dog. The volunteers loaded, crated, and stacked kennels which were later transported to Rambelaine Kennels, who generously offered to house the rescued dogs until we leave on Wednesday am. All puppies were tested for Parvo before leaving the shelter and taken to “safe” housing provided by ARF (Animal Rescue of Fresno.) Kennels were cleaned and virustated and then reloaded into the bus for Tuesdays trips to different shelters.

The hopeful tail wags and canine kisses kept the crew going all day. For those dogs that secured a ride “home” on the Saving Train, their destiny has been changed. But a long 10 hour ride lies ahead, followed by a full day of medical procedures and baths on Thursday so that these lucky dogs will be ready and available for adoption on Friday.

It is after midnight and SOHS staff and volunteers are still entering data into the computer so that when the dogs arrive at SOHS staff can efficiently process the new dogs. Otherwise it can be confusing and time-consuming when breeds and names listed do not necessarily match the photos and previous records.

The day may have been dreary but the end result was a brighter future for 38 dogs. We are extremely appreciative that we live in a community where shelters are no longer full every day all year and we have the opportunity to lend a hand where and when it is needed. That being said, the real solution lies with wide spread spay/neuter acceptance and practice. It does indeed “take a village.”

Preparations and Planning

The physical drive took 10 hours today while the Saving Train was pounded by heavy winds and torrential rain that made travel treacherous, and extremely tiring. The actual preparations for the trip however began days in advance of our departure with an endless stream of phone calls that involved coordinating plans with other shelters and a partner rescue group. Without the effort of so many it would not be possible to give such a large number of dogs a “second chance.”

There were stacks of rugs, towels, bedding, tags, and collars and other essential equipment that were loaded into the Saving Train. (We brought more than 100 of everything.) Friday was spent disinfecting and cleaning both the Saving Train interior and portable kennels from top to bottom. This procedure will be repeated three more times this trip to insure that we have done everything possible to prevent the spread of disease. If a kennel has been used to transport a dog and a different dog will be using that kennel on another trip from a different shelter then it must be disinfected again.

After settling into the hotel room SOHS Intake Manager Dana and volunteer Leisha worked until 11:30pm on their “office” bed preparing collars and tags for approximately 50 dogs. Due to extreme time constraints, dog names are preselected for males and females. With all of the shelter-transfer paperwork it is essential that once a dog has been selected to make the trip to Medford that he/she is immediately tagged and identifiable as a resident of SOHS. It is midnight and we must rise early for a one-hour drive to a heavily overcrowded shelter. We are eager and excited to begin the process of evaluations and temperament testing and most importantly saving lives. That is why we are here.

Anatomy of a Rescue: The California Chihuahua Crisis

The Saving Train is on the road again!
We've packed up two vans with travel kennels and said good-bye for now to a few of our friends who were reluctant to stay behind. We are currently headed to the central valley of California otherwise known as the epicenter of the “California Chihuahua Crisis.” Splashed across websites and featured on the national news in December 2009, this story was not news to us; we have been rescuing Chihuahua mixes and other small dogs from California for more than a year now. It is not a “Chihuahua Crisis” nor is it a situation created solely by Paris Hilton. It is really a human crisis, fueled by human tragedy such as the loss of a job and a home. It is unfortunately also a crisis of human conscience and convenience.

The popularity of Chihuahuas at this moment in time may have been fueled by popular culture but there are so many other reasons for the tragic surplus of unwanted animals. Of the more than 80 dogs we plan to bring back we will be lucky if even a handful are spayed or neutered. We will be rescuing dogs only because Jackson County has an abundant supply of homeless cats and our first priority is helping pets in our own region. We will be bringing back Chihuahuas for sure, but not as many as past rescues simply because there will be a 30-40 degree temperature difference and we simply do not have adequate kennels to keep a large quantity of small dogs warm. Many are “immune-compromised” because they have not been properly vaccinated and because shelters are an extremely stressful environment.

This rescue blog will really begin tomorrow when we set foot in our first shelter. There are more than 180 animals waiting in that facility. The purpose of this blog is to inform, educate, and strengthen the heartbeat of the Herculean efforts required to rescue dogs facing euthanasia. There will be heartwarming stories as well as heartbreak… we will leave many behind. But, for the 80+ dogs who make the trip it will mean the difference between life and death for them. So please climb aboard the Saving Train blog to learn about the efforts required to save lives.