How it all started!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

How it all started!

When I was 16 Michele and I walked in to the Cincinnati SPCA on a mission to find a puppy! We walked around and saw 2 runs full of puppies. There was a little man in the back who was the ugliest dog of the bunch. I wanted that one!!! We took him home, named him Niles, and had to convince Mom and Dad we could keep him. (I always liked the name Niles b/c it was a street in Mt. Lookout, it just so happened to be the street down from where Michele was hit by a car when we were riding bike... but that is another story). Well Niles came down with a bad case of Parvo and they told us he had about a 10% chance of surviving. Well he did and he lived a healthy life until Christmas 2007 when he was diagnosed with cancer. After 3 surgeries and 7 months of Chemo Niles crossed the rainbow bridge on July 10th. It was at home and his family was around him. He was in so much pain we actually felt a bit of relief when it was over.

ANYWAYS!!!!

Niles was a rescue dog, someone had him and decided they no longer wanted him. If Michele and I didn't randomly walk into the SPCA that day, Nileydog Rescue would not be what it is. This might sound silly but I made a promise to Niles that I would do everything in my power to help other dogs in shelters have a chance. If this little guy could bring us so much happiness for 8 years, imagine all the happiness that is put down in shelters every day!

October 31st 08' I started working for a property management company in Cincinnati. When I went in to interview, I met this woman named Jenny Walker, she apparently thought I was there to take her job so she was not to fond of me. One of the first things we talked about was dogs and I think that is when she started to like me (even though she told everyone in the office that she hated me)..... The first rescue Jenny and I went on was to the Trenton pound to pull a Boston Terrier who I fostered for MWBTR. Jenny had been helping transport dogs for local rescues. We started doing shelter runs together, we would rent a cargo van and drive out to Adams, Scioto, and Gallia counties. We would literally pack the van with dog crates and put as many in as we could . We were lucky there were no "big" fights in the van. We would usually pull about 20-30 dogs. They were all covered in their own feces, some were so matted they couldn't even walk. The Gallia warden and I spent over an hour bathing one and pulling off all of the ticks on him. The last time we had a big load we ran out of room so we drove home with a Redbone Coonhound between us, a mini pin on Jen's lap and another one at her feet. I still don't know what happened but Jenny ended up with 22 dogs at her house. Out of these 22, 1 came down with Parvo, 2 had kennel cough, 1 cocidea (not sure if I spelled that right), one stepped on a nail and needed surgery and not to mention the mass they found in his colon which could be cancerous. Well after hours spent at the 911 vet, thinking we were going to have to euthanize a dog in Jenny's back yard, and $1,000's of dollars of our own money everyone turned out ok and all but 3 have been adopted. So if you know anyone who is interested in adopting a puppy send them my way!

Since then Jenny and I have gone on a few more shelter runs (she is no longer allowed to come to the shelter, I have to drop her off at a store close by b/c she tries to take all of the dogs) none have been as intense as this one, but im sure that will change the next time we go. Ill keep you posted Shell :0)