Category: Tales with Tails

Dog Gone – Darn Near

Ten month old Dale, a 35 pound Airedale Terrier mix, and his litter-mates had made Lucky’s Place their temporary home. Fortunately, Dale was deemed a match and quickly adopted by a wonderful family from Seattle, Washington.

All was well until the first break of their long journey home. During a quick stop for gas, Dale decided an open window was his invitation for a walkabout – much to the dismay of his new family. Out of sight before they could replace the nozzle on the fuel pump, Dale took off to explore the town of Alpine on his own. Fraught with worry and on a tight schedule, the family was forced to give up their search and proceed home without their new family member.

Social media postings, radio classifieds, posters and word of mouth all served to quickly put Dale “on the milk carton” in Star Valley. A few days later, sightings began to come in and numerous attempts to capture Dale were undertaken by the caring folks of Alpine. Dale, still dragging his leash, proved to be too skittish to even be approached, let alone caught, by strangers. After two very frustrating days of missed capture attempts, a decision was made to take Mickie, Dale’s brother, to Alpine and attempt to lure this very frightened puppy to safety.

Mary Ann, Director of Lucky’s Place, Susan, and Mickie searched the neighborhoods around the Alpine airport for hours. Determined to find him, they finally received a break from a neighbor who alerted them that Dale was last seen hiding in the woodpile in their backyard. Utilizing Mickie as bait, and being very, very patient, the group waited for Dale to appear. Having finally recognized his brother and seeing other familiar faces, for the first time in days Dale eagerly ran toward a human being. With a wagging tail and jumping for joy, Dale and the group were successfully reunited hence the stressful adventure came to an end. The Seattle family had already returned home, but family member Matt, living in Idaho Falls, was in touch with Lucky’s Place and happily fetched Dale the afternoon of his rescue.

Lucky’s Place is committed to the animals and the communities of Star Valley. We want to sincerely thank everyone who helped in Dale’s rescue.

Turn the Crank

After 3 years of waiting, she’d let herself go. Her hair was greasy and if someone tried to touch her, she shrank away as though the risk of someone breaking her heart again was simply too painful. Months of volunteer time later, I finally conceded that no one else was likely to adopt cranky old Pauline, so I brought this ‘sad sack’ home. Her sudden turn-around took everyone by surprise. With a self-assured grin, she immediately stretched out in a sunny window. Within days, her coat began to shine, and so did her mischievous personality. The little imp now cavorts along the couch, gallops after other cats, and purrs contentedly in laps whenever a coffee break is called. Such happiness is contagious. May it infect many others with the unexplainable urge to adopt.

A New Leash on Life for Bon Jovi

When a skinny adult Border Collie with a filthy matted coat and sore feet arrived at Lucky’s, it seemed the usual routine of easing fears and addressing basic care would ready him to meet potential adopters. Despite his rough start, the young guy we called Bon Jovi sparked right up and revealed a happy nature. As I worked with him, however, we discovered he was deaf. That narrowed his adoption options, because a lot of people aren’t willing to try to understand the particular needs of animals that are in some way different than the norm. I could only release him to someone who would be willing, or else Bon Jovi would just be lost and lonely again.

After several false starts, a family arrived to see him. They requested paper and a pen to begin our “match-making” interview. The entire family – like Bon Jovi – was deaf! When Bon Jovi came out to meet them, it was pure magic. Will, his new owner, sends progress emails and pictures of their life together. Moments like these are truly what keep volunteers like me excited about our ongoing efforts at Lucky’s place. It is tough to say who gained the most from this: Bon Jovi for a new family, Will for his new canine partner, or me, for playing my part in bringing them together.