The adventure continues

9/10/08 Wednesday
The adventure continues. Yesterday we were looking forward to attending the composting seminar with Mark and Pam, the folks we met at the farmer’s market. They picked me up at the house and Cherie was going to head up there as soon as she got off work. As we traveled down interstate 20 we passed a dog that had been run over. It was laying on the center stripe, obviously alert with it’s head up watching as cars and trucks zoomed by just inches away. Mark and Pam are dog lovers having ten that have all been rescued. We turned around, driving across the median, and went back. I stood in the passing lane and waved the oncoming traffic over as mark picked up the dog. It didn’t seem to have use of it’s back legs.

There was another dog watching from the rest area across from where this happened. It was clear, at least to me, that this dog was a companion of the one we rescued. Both of them look like Golden Labradors so could have been brother and sister. They are absolutely beautiful. I called Cherie as we drove to an animal hospital to let her know what was going on. By this time going to the composting seminar was out. Mark and Pam wanted to go late but the seminar wasn’t as important to me as these animals are. They were of like mind so, after getting the dog to the vet, we decided to go rescue the other one. The one that was run over has a broken leg at the least, and some hemorrhaging. The vet gave it something for pain and will hold it overnight for observation.

Meanwhile we headed back to the rest stop, followed by a lady we met at the vet’s who works with the animal shelter and SPCA (I think I got the initials right). She will help us get help for the dog.

The dog (We’ve named it Ben) was there loyally waiting for his companion and confused about what happened. The animal shelter lady had a dog that looked just like the one that got hit with her so she put it on a leash and got it out, hoping this would help Ben be more comfortable and easier to catch. Ben was skittish and kept away, running to the other side of the fence. I noticed Ben responded to Cherie’s voice much better than mine and Mark’s so I encouraged her to get close and calm him down. Slowly I approached from the back, constantly talking and turning my back a little when he looked at me to not be threatening. The lady with her dog also worked closer and Ben allowed that. Cherie petted Ben through the fence as we carefully got a leash on him. He wasn’t inclined to walk and I wasn’t inclined to drag him by the leash so I reached out and picked him up. Ben was amazingly calm and has a real gentle spirit so wasn’t adverse to my picking him up at all. In fact he kind of snuggled up against me. We got him in the car and Cherie and I decided to take him home with us. The dog shelter lady offered to help us get him neutered and shots through her contacts.

Ben is fitting in real good, amazingly well all things considered. It appears he is used to being inside and is house broken. He also doesn’t display the traits of a dog that has been abused. That is so nice to see after getting Gretchen and Scooter who are both filled with fear. He sticks close by and isn’t very secure at the moment. When I pet him he whines a little, I suspect because he misses his sister and whoever he lived with before. We will try to find the owners and I will put an ad in the paper about them both. It is quite possible that someone had stopped at the rest area to let them go potty and they ran off. Ben was hungry but not gaunt from being on the street an extended time so only recently got separated from his owner.

This morning he’s out with our dogs and doing well all things considered. Today it’s raining again and looks like it will rain all week. There is so much to do that I will be working out in it all day just like I did yesterday. That’s just the way it is, nature doesn’t wait and the plants must be cared for. Mostly I’ll be mowing the weeds and preparing them for compost. Then I hope to till up just about everything. I need to research what I can plant to help keep the weeds down. It will probably be more of the Rye. I found out that the buffalo grass I want to establish needs to be planted in the spring so that will have to wait. Time to get out and get wet folks so bye for now.