Camden Animal Control

By: Tracy Walts
Event Team Lead, foster, & volunteerEveryone tells you it is going to be hard to see the dogs in the shelter but that coming on the service trip is worth it. This is day 2 and I believe them.

Warren Animal Shelter

By: Brittany Mayer
Foster & volunteer

Today, we visited the City of Warren where the Mayor and his wife welcomed LHK9 with open arms!

Warren Animal Shelter is entirely outdoor with 6 kennels, so we were really able to get to know each dog. In kennel 1 was Thunder, a German Shepherd who is heartworm positive and in severe need of a dental surgery. In kennel 2 was Gosling, a brindle mixed breed who would do anything for a belly rub. In kennel 3 were Cow and Duck, best friends with opposite personalities. In kennel 4 were Sterling and his friend Chicken, who are pretty perfect pups. In kennel 5 were Cindy and Foxy Girl who are bouncy beautiful babes. And lastly, in kennel 6, was a pup with the PAWfect Boston name: Baked Bean!

These 9 sweet, friendly, adoptable dogs received a well deserved spa day and home makeover while they wait for a foster or a FURever home. We replaced all kennel doors with safer gates, replaced the food containers and kennel feeders, built new insulated dog houses to protect them from the elements, and of course deep cleaned the kennels and bathed/vaccinated/HW tested the dogs. At the end of the day, in is a symbolic gesture of the excruciating decisions the shelter leads must make every day, each volunteer was given a clothes pin to clip onto their favorite dog’s kennel in hopes that they will come up north to LHK9.

Leaving the pups in an outdoor shelter, especially in the rain, was hard. All we can do is hope they find fosters so they can make their way to us in Boston – an adventure in itself that us Northern volunteers got to experience at the beginning of the day when the Southern foster families dropped off their beloved fosters onto transport. The Southern fosters do this every week after their fosters get health certificates – essentially their passport to travel North! While it was tough witnessing a little boy and a grown man shed tears, each foster knows that the adventure leads to the greater good. An open spot in a shelter, and a loving home for a dog who is flighting for a loving family of their own.

Humane Society of Saline County

By: Alicia O’Reilly
Volunteer, adopter, & foster

It’s day 1 of the service trip, and I don’t know what to expect. See I’ve never gone on the trip before, and I don’t even know most volunteers I’ll be traveling with. Nervous and excited I was ready to do this! I started my day at 04:00, and made it to Little Rock by 11:45; meeting some great volunteers along the way. So far, so good! Immediately we’re off to do what we’ve come down for, we’re off to the shelters.  

First up is Saline County. A sign reads “Be kind to our friends”: 

Be kind to our friends? You mean love them to pieces? Of course, we can do that! We got to cuddle, feed, and bathe some adorable puppies. I mean look at the pictures, AH-DOOR-AH-BLE!

But it’s not just about the puppies, we got to walk and show love to all the dogs, young and old. And we didn’t forget about you kitty cats! We made sure to show them some love as well.  

Something that struck me on this visit was the care of the animals. I felt like they really-really care about all the animals, not just in this facility, but all the animals everywhere. Hearing the staff talk about the programs they run for the town is something special. I was really impressed with their passion, and dedication.  

I left Saline County feeling great; this was a happy way to start to our trip. And it has me thinking what else can we do to help these pups? Day 2 – here we come!  

By: Steph Phenix
Medical Coordinator, adopter, and foster mom

The first time I came to Arkansas was on the second annual LHK9 service trip in April 2014. Spring was a little behind in Boston that year, but as soon as we left the airport in Little Rock I saw that it was in full force in AR. The trees had bloomed, roads were lined with wisteria, and the sun was shining. Everything was green- including me. At the time, I didn’t know much about the shelters in the south; I knew that dogs died and I knew that our rescue saved some. I thought that if you worked in a shelter, you must love animals. I expected the shelters to be clean and filled with happy dogs.

I was not prepared for what I saw on that trip. At the shelter my dog was rescued from less than a year before, I saw dogs living in several days’ worth of worm-ridden poop and bloodied kennel walls from their tails banging so hard against them. There didn’t seem to be any interest in spending time with dogs or even just keeping their living conditions healthy. One shelter worker told me that he only gave the dogs names because it was easier than learning their assigned numbers. On a tour of Pine Bluff, I tried to hold back tears as we saw kennel after kennel filled with up to 3 dogs, some totally emaciated. I met a white Pit Bull who had been there for months (she was related to a court case that was not yet resolved) and was skin and bones. That dog died in the shelter, and her image is forever burned in my brain. When rescue feels overwhelming, I think of her and keep moving forward.

Over the last few years, I have volunteered a lot of my time with LHK9; I call it my second full-time job that pays in dog kisses. As a foster and Medical Coordinator, I have fostered 49 dogs, attended countless events, implanted hundreds of microchips and answered more questions about poop than I could ever count. During this time, my relationships with Arkansas fosters and volunteers became stronger and stronger. There is a very special bond between the person who took a dog from the shelter broken and sad down South, and the person who is entrusted with finding a FURever home for that dog up North. When housing in Boston got too expensive for a single gal (and since I work from home), I decided to make the move to Little Rock.

In my 7 months in AR, I have learned that I will never stop being shocked by what I see in shelters. The dogs who cry when they are pet because they have never known affection. The vet who won’t even try to help a dying puppy. The dog owner who drops his dead dog on the shelter doorstep, causing a disease outbreak that kills 10 puppies in a couple days’ time. I have learned to take a moment to cry, then get right to work. I have learned that putting your foster on a bus headed North is a lot harder than handing him over to an adopter. I have learned that I cannot save them all, no matter what I do. I have learned to be happy with the impact that I can make, no matter how small. And I have learned to lean on my rescue community because they will hold me up every time.

Now that I live in Arkansas, I was asked to help plan the annual service trip for 2017. I was ecstatic to be able to visit the shelters ahead of the trip to help determine what they need most. I met with all of our shelter liaisons, took measurements and priced out projects. When I tallied it all up and found the goal would need to be set at $17k, my heart sank. We have never set a trip goal over $10k and barely met $17k when the trip was over the previous year. The planning team decided all the work that was needed was too important, we just had to make it work. I experienced a few sleepless nights along the way, but we met the goal in 12 days. As of the day of this writing, we have raised $27,909 and are working to find the best way to spend the remainder.

The projects for this year were beyond ambitious, but I know my rescue team and I knew they wouldn’t quit until everything was done. We were asked to patch up chain link fencing at Pine Bluff, but our team learned how to replace and install it themselves. When they didn’t finish on the first day, 5 volunteers went back to the shelter to finish up the next day. When asked to shovel mud from flooded kennels at Bald Knob, our volunteers did it without complaint, laughing at how gross it was. The last hour at Bald Knob was a race to get the cleaned out kennels filled with gravel. We had four wheelbarrows of gravel going at once! For the Hazen shelter, it took a group of 4 people almost 4 hours to put together 2 dog kennels that would protect dogs from the elements. At Stuttgart, a volunteer even encountered a live wire while cleaning (don’t worry, she’s ok!). These amazing people just worked through all of it. I am sure they were frustrated or tired at times, and a bunch got sunburned too, but they never gave up. They rallied together with smiles on their faces for the love of the dogs.

The trip ended two weeks ago, and its effects are really starting to take hold. Dogs are moving out of shelters and into foster homes, and sponsorship fundraisers have started. The dogs at Bald Knob don’t live in mud anymore and as a result they are experiencing less stomach upset and their indoor kennels are easier to clean. Local volunteers have been back out to the shelters to do more work, inspired by what our group has done. The trees and bushes planted to provide shade at Hazen are growing and the dogs are sleeping in their fancy new doghouses. Food and supplies are stored safely in the new storage buildings. I am so excited for the crew to come back next year and see the things they built and repaired in use. The puppies in the repaired puppy pen, the dogs using the kiddie pools on the gravel pad. Just one day’s work in the shelter will last for years.

I miss my friends in Boston. I wish we could have a dozen service trips each year. Having them here with us, all working together helps remind me why we do all of this. A lot of it is for the dogs, but some it is for each other too. The community we have created among us is so special. I like to say “find your passion and you will find your friends” because that is so true for me. I encourage the reader to do the same, and if your passion is helping dogs please consider joining our community!

We worked at 3 shelters today, so be sure to read all the PAWesome entries!

Stuttgart Animal Shelter

By: Lindsay LaRocca
Board Member, volunteer, adopter, and foster mom

My eyelids fluttered open on Saturday morning at 5:15am. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, I lay in my bed eagerly awaiting my alarm clock to start buzzing. As I glanced at my watch, I quickly realized that I still had an hour of sleep left before starting the day. However, much like a kid on Christmas, my mind wouldn’t shut off and let me sleep a moment longer because today is the BIG day. I finally get to visit my favorite shelter, Stuttgart Animal Shelter. What makes this particular shelter so special? Three reasons…SkyBear, Finny, and ChanceMan. These three best friends all hail from the same shelter in Stuttgart, AR and are now living it up in their FURever homes in Charlestown, MA. More about these special pups in a bit.

In order to properly explain Stuttgart, I feel like I need to give you a brief recap of my rescue journey. Four years ago, I began my crazy dog lady life with LHK9, and what a whirlwind it’s been. To say that the dogs and people I’ve met along the way have changed my life is a severe understatement. When I arrived in Arkansas in 2013 for my first trip, I was fresh to rescue and, quite frankly, lived in a bubble, not understanding the dire need to help shelters in our southern states. That first trip was a massive wakeup call. From the moment we touched down back in Boston, I knew I needed to do more. Less than a month later I applied to vet tech school, in hopes to give back in any way possible to the dogs I so greatly adore. For the past three years, I’ve been unable to attend our annual service trip as it was always smack dab in the middle of finals.

Stuttgart holds a very special place in my heart. Not only did I visit Stuttgart on my first trip in 2013, but a year after visiting, my soulmutt, my SkyBear was rescued from this very shelter in March of 2014. She had all the odds stacked against her. She was a recent momma, black, a Pit Bull who was heartworm positive, and had a staph infection. This dog, this amazing dog, would be overlooked and most likely euthanized in so many shelters. This special girl had a few wonderful advocates step up and get her out of the shelter and on the road to recovery. She was fostered by the shelter liaison, Sabra, and she and her five pups eventually made their way to Boston.

Finn was in a litter of 6 along with his momma, who had a bullet in her leg, at the shelter in 2014. Volunteers are always worried about puppies in shelters because of the high risk of infectious diseases. Luckily Finny, his momma, and all his siblings made it out of the shelter and on to their FURever homes up north. Chance and his son were found starving, emaciated, and on the brink of death in a house that was part of a drug bust in Stuttgart. Luckily, both of them also made their way to Boston in 2014. Fast forward to 2016…SkyBear, Finny & Chanceman (and their pawrents) all live just a few blocks from each other and get to play daily. These three get together for Barkdays, travel up to north in the winter to go skiing, and make sure to get plenty of swim time at Nahant Dog Beach in the summer. #rescuebesties

In 2016, we pulled 190 dogs from Stuttgart to come up north and find their FURever homes with the help of our incredible liaisons Haley and Sabra! I must say, coming down to AR four years after my first trip has been nothing short of inspiring. I can see a difference in each of the shelters including Stuttgart because of the amount of support they now have. This year our goal at Stuttgart was to clean, clean, clean (and to stay away from wasps and fire ants while doing so). We scrubbed the shelter from the inside out and man did it feel and look great! Our team worked so hard to organize the office, storage closet and donations, to scrub every kennel top to bottom, walk and love on each dog, and of course bathe all the pups and trim their nails! We also cleaned the puppy room and replaced the fencing that kept the pups separated. We even fixed a fan belt and mowed the grass. All the pups got brand new bucket pails for their water, too. Since Stuttgart has some outdoor space, we also built insulated houses there then brought them to our last stop on our shelter list: Hazen.

I have to stop to take a moment to give the most heartfelt thank you to all our donors and supporters. We are so blessed to have you in our lives and we couldn’t continue to save dogs without you. Every single penny that was donated made it possible for us to complete these projects, to ensure that these shelter pups lives are a little bit brighter!

While at Stuttgart, I also had the absolute pleasure of meeting the biggest, smiliest Pit Bull you could ever hope to squish! At Rescue Road’s Wine & Wags event the evening before, Jill and I sponsored vetting for Jabari before knowing which shelter he was from. It couldn’t be more fitting that he’s from Stuttgart, and we absolutely cannot wait to get him North and give him a big ol’ smooch!

Our rescue community is a kind and compassionate group of amazing souls who want to give back to these special dogs that just need a second chance. I’m lucky I get to call so many of these spectacular humans my friends and family. I’m not kidding when I say most of the dogs we meet end up saving us more than we end up saving them. I’ve always been a firm believer that kindness is powerful. It resonates with everyone it touches, if even for a fleeting moment. Kindness is what I hoped to bring with me to Arkansas this time around and I think our team accomplished that tenfold.

Wishing you and your loved ones cold noses ,warm hearts and the pitter patter of happy paws!

Hazen Animal Shelter

By: Sasha Prasad
Volunteer and foster mom

As a Bostonian, I am used to shelters like the MSPCA and the ARL. These shelters are bight and clean, have indoor and outdoor spaces for the dogs, are fully staffed, and have tons of volunteers. So, I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the conditions at Hazen Animal Shelter.

To start, the shelter doesn’t have an address. We had to use the only landmark in the area – the Hazen water tower – to navigate. I quickly realized why; the shelter isn’t an actual building. You can’t really even call it a shed. It’s seven outdoor kennels (with a roof, thanks to LHK9 in 2014) in the middle of a field. (I later learned that this is also to prevent people from dropping their unwanted pets off in the yard, but it still happens.) There’s no staff at this shelter. An animal control officer stops by once or twice a day to check on and take care of the animals. The contrast between Hazen Animal Shelter and the northern shelters I am familiar with couldn’t be more stark.

But despite the conditions in Hazen, and seemingly against all odds, amazing things are happening. In 2013, the shelter had a 98% euthanasia rate.

Stop reading for a second and let that sink in. 

NINETY EIGHT PERCENT of dogs were killed at the shelter. That means only 2 of every 100 dogs were saved. I still have a difficult time wrapping my head around that statistic.

Today, the euthanasia rate is 0%.

Yup. You read that right. ZERO. The adoption rate is still low, but every dog at Hazen Animal Shelter will live (unless it is suffering due to severe illness) because of LHK9, Rescue Road (our sister rescue in AR that finds fosters for these dogs), and the thousands of families in New England who adopt their dogs rather than buying them from a breeder.

Since 2013, the shelter has undergone a physical transformation too. It started out as seven chain-link kennels, completely exposed to the elements. (If you’ve never been to Arkansas, the summers are HOT, the winters are cold enough, and the springs are stormy.) Since then, Last Hope has donated lots of time and money to add a roof and walls, improve fencing and security, and built insulated dog houses. Sabra, the shelter liaison with Rescue Road, said on the hottest summer days, it’s now a full 20 degrees cooler inside the kennels thanks to the roof and the dog houses!

This year, we planted trees for additional shade, built a shed for storage of food and supplies, and paid to have power run to the shelter for the first time ever. These projects were only possible thanks to the generous donations that LHK9 received to fund our service trip. All the dogs also got walks, baths, snuggles, and vaccinations and tests while their kennels were deep cleaned.

While it’s always hard leaving dogs behind at the shelter, I was filled with pride and hope as we pulled away from Hazen. Sometimes, rescue work feels overwhelming. It can feel like all of your hard work is never enough. But change is happening. Hazen Animal Shelter is a clear example of that. We ARE making a difference.

Foster. Donate. Adopt. It matters. It saves lives.

Monticello Animal Shelter

By: Kathi Bell
Database Coordinator, volunteer, adopter, and foster mom

Today, we split into two groups, with my group heading off to Monticello Animal Shelter for the morning. We met Meri, our liaison, in town and followed her to the shelter since it doesn’t really have an address to plug into the GPS. The shelter is next to the town dump and a sewage pond. You can imagine the smell is not the best and apparently, the pond attracts snakes. Thankfully we didn’t see any although we saw buzzards hovering around.

Upon arriving at the shelter, we were met by a team of enthusiastic volunteers and got right to work taking dogs out for walks and baths. The dogs were very excited and one of our volunteers commented that walking Tank – a particularly sturdy boy – was like walking a boulder with wings! The shelter is small, with only 16 kennels and the volunteers worked on cleaning them while we had the dogs out in the sunshine (although the kennels were surprisingly clean already – probably the cleanest ones we had seen). We also tested 5 recent arrivals for heartworm, and 4 of them were negative – an amazing percentage!

When we were done at the shelter, the volunteers graciously invited us to a local business to enjoy a light brunch (and homemade bath bombs!). As we talked to them about the shelter and the dogs, the passion they have to save them was evident and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place as they talked about the challenges they face every day. Meri summed it up by saying “I feel like I’m chipping at an iceberg with a toothpick”. They have almost zero local adoptions, and although they have been fortunate enough to find a couple other breed specific rescues to help, LHK9 is the only rescue that will take Pit Bulls…and they have plenty of those. They were very amused by us *crazy* northerners who actually pay people to walk our dogs or put them in doggie daycare!

Monticello is a strong hunting community and dogs are only considered useful for 2 months during hunting season. After this, the hunters believe it’s cheaper to get rid of the dogs and get new ones next hunting season, instead of paying to shelter and feed them for the next 300 days. So, they either turn them loose in the woods, shoot them, or dump them at the shelter.

On a more positive note, this group of rescuers has a good working relationship with the Animal Control Officer and he takes the little dogs and puppies to a local grooming salon run by one of the volunteers so they don’t sit in the shelter. The volunteer boards them there while they get vetting and await adoption or transport to a rescue.

Although we haven’t done any major infrastructure projects at Monticello as we have done at the other shelters, they are deeply appreciative of all the support we have provided. We heard the story of Tyson, a puppy that was put on a logging chain, got loose, was runover, and then put back on the logging chain with no medical help. A neighbor called the ACO because he was crying nonstop. When they called LHK9 for help to pay his medical bills, the answer was an immediate “of course”. He’s now been through surgery and will be on his way North when he has recovered completely!

Tyson

The Monicello shelter volunteers were overwhelmed – as I usually am – with the generosity of LHK9 and its supporters. Thank you!

By: Jill Monahan,
Board Member, Foster & Social Media Coordinator, and foster mom

When I first visited Bald Knob Animal Shelter back in 2013, I experienced a sort of culture shock. We were told stories of teenagers pouring vodka down a puppy’s throat and placing him in the road to see how long he could survive in traffic, and of disturbing small town politics I won’t mention here. There seemed to be little interest/investment in saving the dogs of BK, other than desperation and passion of the Animal Control Officer. The shock continued upon arriving at their old shelter. It was a tiny building that resembled a shipping container. The shelter’s information was hastily written in spray paint, the front opening protected only by sheets of mismatched tarp. This was the “old” shelter, as they’d just built a new one, but it was still full of dogs. We then went to the new shelter which, while still not comparable to what I’d known of shelters in New England, was an incredible improvement. It was also full of dogs.

Old Bald Knob shelter, 2013

I actually won’t talk much about dogs in this post (weird, I know) but have to mention a few! There were two dogs I met that day in 2013 that I will never forget. Red had been at the old shelter for an entire year. Her big golden brown eyes cut right through me from behind the tarp as I tried to squeeze my hand through the kennel to pet her. She helped by pressing her entire body against the chain link to get as close as possible. Red came up to Boston about a year later, after completing heartworm treatment, and was adopted by her foster mom! Then there was Runway, in the new shelter, who was found on a runway with half of his head caved (presumably bashed) in. He was terrified and withdrawn, not moving from the corner of his cold, hard kennel, and hardly looking at us. Runway, too, underwent HW treatment and came to LHK9 where he found an amazing, patient family! I’m now excited to be sponsoring HW treatment for a dog currently at BK, who reminded me a bit of Red. Cooper is a gorgeous Retriever/Great Pyr Mix who looked at me and melted into my hand just as Red did 4 years ago. I will begin fundraising for Cooper soon, and once he finds a foster, he will begin treatment then make his way to Boston!

I was nervous and excited to visit BK yesterday, after so many years. I try to put on a strong face when visiting the AR shelters, especially in front of the local volunteers who deal with things we cant even imagine, but I was overwhelmed with emotion yesterday – all for positive reasons (which isn’t often the case in rescue!).

There’s new ACO and a new city councilman who have worked together closely to help transform the shelter in many ways. While we were there working, some local kids rode their bikes over to see what was going on and decided to stay and help us with our projects. To me, this was a sign that the town is no longer turning their backs on the animals. That maybe they’re even starting to care. Not only has the shelter changed structurally, but the mentality toward animals seems to be changing, and I can’t help but burst with pride in knowing LHK9 had a small part in that.

Physically, this was our most difficult day so far. We had a long list of grueling projects, and thanks to your donations we nearly completed all of them! Our biggest objective was to fix their flooding problem. Every time it rains, the kennel runs (which were packed dirt) flood and the dogs end up standing in ankle deep puddles/mud. This also creates a breeding ground for disease, which is not only dangerous for the dogs but for the ACO as well. We dug out every run, some of which were dry and packed like cement, and then filled them with gravel to help alleviate the flooding. We also installed roofs on each side of the shelter to lessen the amount of water that pours in, and to provide the dogs with more shade. Additionally, new fencing and gates were installed to create a second play area, allowing more dogs to be out at a time. For some aesthetic improvements, we painted the front of the shelter and each metal door that separates the inside kennels from the outside runs. We also sealed all the outdoor wood to prevent mold, decay, and disease. And of course, we cleaned kennels and bathed, tested, and vaccinated the dogs!

18222041_10155296108118633_3970433994401624141_n

18341688_3931353562302_853765337306089708_n

18268373_10100981763719678_7749667574065638987_n

18274879_10100981763485148_1490649459369108575_n

18300959_10211467142926912_5425693090948191702_n

18342586_10100981763165788_7205157122246032930_n

18222075_10155296108038633_4107010913668082472_n

18342320_10100363690543052_4276945993421763263_n

18403290_10211022169064670_188618017163099448_n

18342582_10211467143926937_8159448931785182790_n

18387034_2798582003850_897274864_n

18275054_10211022168504656_3833026670249416054_n

Before LHK9 started working with BK in 2013, their euthanasia rate was 98-99%. It is now maybe 1% (dogs who are suffering beyond treatment or who are severely human aggressive). It’s truly amazing to see how much has changed in 4 years, not just structurally but the politics and mindsets, and I look forward to seeing progressive change as we continue our partnership!

By: Fiona Gerety
Volunteer, adopter, and foster mom

It’s still dark out when our alarms go off. Exhausted from traveling and our first day at the West Memphis shelter, we pile into a large van and drive sleepy-eyed to Pine Bluff Animal Control Center.

There is a different mood on our ride today. Before we get there I’m warned I need to prepare myself for Pine Bluff. This is considered the hardest shelter to visit and my fragile heart is already flinching at what I have yet to see. If ever there was a place to break you it is surely here. Knowing that my very own dog (Oliver) came from this shelter last year doesn’t help.

A group of well of over 20 of us huddle in the parking lot upon arrival to strategize the day. Steph, a LHK9 coordinator, tells us if we need to take a break and cry it’s OK. We can escape to the car or the outside for a breath when we need to. My heart thumps harder with anticipation.

Upon entering the shelter things seem promising. The facility is much more impressive than the prior day, with a shiny white lobby and manicured lawn. But this is just a facade. Once you get through the initial offices and holding areas, you reach Quarantine. Low lit rows of damp dank kennels seem to go on forever. The smell is almost unbearable and the sharp cries from dogs echo loudly.

Inside any given kennel you’ll find a sopping wet dog or young puppy staring up at you with terror filled eyes. They’re afraid, and they should be. Most of them may not make it out. Whether from illness or euthanasia, for some of these pups this is death row; their last stop on what was likely a short and miserable life. This is especially true for those labeled “pit bull”. Due to breed restriction laws in Pine Bluff, pit bulls cannot be adopted out. Their only hope is being selected by a rescue organization and transported. Their hope is almost non-existent. And you feel it. You feel all of it. The desperation washes over me and tears flow down my cheeks. The only answer is to get to work. Make yourself useful. Keep your mind busy. And so we do.

We divide into groups. One by one the dogs are taken out for walks. Sunlight grazes their faces and grass cushions their paws, even if just for a few minutes. Those of us not walking pups are quick to bleach and hose down the filthy kennels, which mostly consist of cold hard slabs of concrete covered in excrement and loosely secured by rusty fencing. Some members of our team also get to work on repairing these fences with the new materials we’ve purchased through our fundraising campaign (thank you donors!).

Each dog is given a warm bath, a nail trimming, and as much TLC as possible. We also take turns bringing the dogs in small groups to receive heartworm testing and vaccinations. The majority of them are heartworm positive and will require treatment if they are allowed to survive.

The day is long and at times grueling. Between caring for as many dogs as I can, I take on the chore of washing vinyl dog beds and placing them in the kennels. This means actually getting into the kennel with the dog and each time I try to stay a moment and give them some affection. My breaking moment comes when I bring a bed to a mama pit bull whose been staring at me for hours through her gate. I place her bed down and try to coax her onto it. “See mama? I has a bed for you! You’re such a good girl”, I tell her. Instead of checking out her bed she plops on top of me. She nuzzles her boxy head into my neck and forces me to hold her. I realize in this moment that she will likely never leave this small kennel. I begin to sob so hard I can barely see. I lay against the wall and hold her to me. She licks my face and attempts to comfort me. This dog, who is afraid for her life, is comforting ME. Not the other way around. If that doesn’t speak to the immense capability dogs have to love, and forgive I don’t know what does. I stay with her for as long as I can, but there is still much work to be done. Leaving her kennel and saying goodbye is like a knife in the heart. “Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back”, I whisper to myself. I look back anyways. Regret sinks in.

After 8 hours of hard work and many accomplishments, we pile back into the van and head home. I replay the day in my mind. All the faces of the dogs we met. The bitter unfairness of breed specific legislation. I’m sad but I try to tell myself we are doing all we can. It’s up to the world to change the way we treat animals. I have to have hope.

The music plays softly on the radio, a welcome distraction. I recognize the song by Alessia Cara but the words hit me differently at this moment. Her beautiful voice belting the lyrics, “There’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark, you should know you’re beautiful just the way you are. And you don’t have to change a thing, the world can change its heart….”

Let’s get going, world. The pups of Pine Bluff need you.

By: Jessica Teng
Volunteer, adopter, and foster mom

Bright and early this morning, we started off the trip with a bang at our weekly transport, where we send dogs in Arkansas foster homes on the rescue road to Boston to find their furever families! It is both a joyous, but also sometimes emotional, event. Sad, because it can be difficult for our Arkansas fosters to say goodbye to these pups and board them onto the bus, but very joyous because the community comes together to send these beloved pups off to the futures they deserve. Just Us Beagles and Hearts, LLC take turns doing our weekly transport, and we are so grateful for our partnership with them!

We all had our share of puppy kisses and snuggles, and will be thrilled to see all of these pups, including the adorable Boston litter, back in Boston when we return next week! Safe journey, pups!!

Next up–our first shelter, West Memphis Animal Shelter! Rescue Road, our southern sister rescue, in partnership with Last Hope K9 Rescue, has been pulling dogs from WMAS for just over 3 years now, and, during this period of time, have pulled 280 dogs into foster homes and onto forever homes in New England. How incredible is that?! We were so humbled to see the shelter staff, including Kerry and Trent, and were reminded just how lucky we and their pups are to have this incredible group of people. Their dedication to protecting dogs and cats in the community and advocating for them is obvious–if you haven’t started following them on Facebook, definitely head over there to check out the action (and also check out Last Hope’s live feed from WMAS with Trent and our own Steph, too!)

Thanks to the generous contributions of our supporters, we were able to provide the materials for a beautiful, weather-proof new shed at WMAS. Local volunteers built the shed and pulled it together, and our Last Hope volunteers spent today moving and organizing shelves, cabinets, and pantry space from the overcrowded garage currently used to house dog food and supplies.

Every dog in the shelter was walked, bathed, and had pawdicures, and we conducted medical tests for those who had not yet had them. I’ve recently earned a ‘reputation’ for being the crazy dog-nail lady, and I proudly trimmed away today. It’s safe to say that many people and dogs fell in love today, and seeing such beautiful connections develop in a short amount of time just confirmed how wonderful these creatures are, that we are so lucky to have them in our lives.

Among the happiest news, two healthy little pups, timid stray brothers, were pulled today in addition to two others into Arkansas foster homes! I quickly fell in love with timid Dingo and Dango, and was lucky to witness the blooming of their personalities from hanging out in their kennel, through a good long snuggle and treat session on our car ride home, and on a little walk outside–what little nuggets! And even more blossoming when they met their happy foster sister–they both opened up significantly and started playing together. It was such a joy to see. I miss them already–but hoping I’ll get to see them in Boston in a few weeks when they transport up!