OT- Meet A Kind Selfless Caring Person

[Sandy]

Too often we hear about, witness, or read about bad people. Good people are not as newsworthy for some reason. S is one of the special good ones:


I first met S at the local animal shelter several years ago. She was very active at the shelter. She and I were on a committee planning for a local county dog walk in the park charity event. It was apparent that she cared about animals and people, being sensitive and caring to both.

Prior to and after I adopted a dog from the shelter, she was of great personal help, talking at length and sharing extended emails about concerns I had relative to the adoption process and assimilation of the dog into my home. After I adopted my dog, she continued communication with me relative to how the dog-King, and I were doing. Certainly indicative of a caring and kind person.


She and her husband live with 10 dogs, 2 cats, and 3 turtles. I don't know for sure but I think that all of the dogs and cats were adopted. Not certain about the turtles. So S opened her heart to adopt and save animals and provide each a wonderful caring home.

I have seen her on occassion at the local rescue shelter bringing in dogs late in the day that she had brought back from some rescue shelter or rescue group in the New Orleans area. I thought she was part of a group funded by the local county in whih I live. I was incorrect.

Today I was talking to her and learned that this wonderful, generous, and modest sole has driven by herself, 11 times since Katrina, at her expense, to New Orleans, visiting shelters and rescue groups. She would drive 15-17 hours straight and pay for her own hotel accommodations.(On a couple of recent trips, she was given a sofa to sleep on in the home of one of the shelter's director.) She ate junk food. She would then visit a shelter/rescue facility and work all day taking care of the animals, helping an always understaffed group of workers. Then she would load up her van and bring crates of dogs, that she was sure were up to date with shots and were neutered (some at her expense) back to Maryland from New Orleans and would deliver them to local shelters or rescue groups. She could be seen late at night bringing dogs into my local no kill shelter. She has thus far saved the lives of 102 dogs that were homeless from Katrina and most of which would almost certainly have beed euthanized. All done by a middle aged lady with no help, financial or otherwise. She did tell us that she would take crates or meds or blankets as contibutions to help the homeless dogs of Katrina.

This is not a dog story, something that some here do not like me telling, but it is about that which resides in the heart and sole of a very special lady- One who lives with 15 animals but has the concern, love, and sensitivity to animals to give so generously and selflessly of herself to help save the lives of other animals. To me that is a beautiful and wonderful human being. Can't get any better than that.

I have adopted a single dog. She humbles me.


Sandy

[Lifelover]

Great Story Sandy. She sounds like a wonderful woman.

Some folks have big feet others have big hearts!

[Sandy]

Better than me. I have big feet and a small brain. :)


Sandy

[BumbleBeeDave]

Anyone who doesn't like you sharing this is telling us much more about themselves by saying so than they are telling us about you or her.

This woman deserves to have her story told and have people appreciate the very special things she is doing. She deserves our thanks! Thanks for telling us about her!

BBD

[Sandy]

My math ability is better than most. When I was in graduate school at Penn State in math education, I was humbled by the mathematical knowlege and quickness of mind that my math teachers possessed. They were at an amazingly different level than I was. They truly humbled me. To see a woman who has 15 animals to care for with her husband do what she does on top of that, all on her own, really is a humbling experience. Taking care of my dog is a great responsibility and takes a great deal of my time and energy. What she does is just remarkable to me. And she is such a down to earth and modest woman. Puts it all in a little different perspective. Refreshing to see that goodness of humanity in action.


Sandy

[a100mark]

Anyone who doesn't like you sharing this is telling us much more about themselves by saying so than they are telling us about you or her.

BBD

+1

[Sandy]

This is a bike forum and some people think that dog or animal threads shoudn't be here since they have nothing to do with cycling. I clearly understand their point. Serotta is kindly sponsoring this forum and they build bicycles and don't breed dogs. However, there are lots of OT threads which have great content in them and which add flavor and additional content to the forum. OT threads simply evolved into what they are today. Clearly a case can be made for or against them.

I decided not to any longer post any personal dog threads on this forum because of the opposition by some, and quite frankly I no longer was willing to receive the hassle in doing such.. However, I really did not think that this was a dog thread at all but it is about the selflessness of a person. Refreshing to see that in this world sometimes.


Sandy

[Sandy]

The last post spontaneously made me think about bikes with dog names for model designations.

Might have a Greyhound model for a racing bike, a Border Collie model for a bike good at everything, a Rottweiler or Pit Bull model for a tough all around no nonsense off road bike,... Lots of possibilities. Heck if we could include other animals we could have a Snail or Slug model for Serotta Sandy and a Turtle model for Kevan!! :)


Snail Steel Serotta Sandy

[Too Tall]

Truck = Rotweiler (real name of a local's dog)

I'm glad you did not publish her name. What she does must be deeply personal and somewhat private. None the less thanks for the motivational note and the message was not lost.

Hey? FWIIW at what point in a persons responsibility for critters does it progress from normal to weird? For instance, I grew up in a house with 5 cats and 2 dogs. This seemed very normal. Regardless of abilities or intent if on the otherhand my mom managed family and 13 cats than no definition of "normal" would be in play yes?

[J.Greene]

a Rottweiler or Pit Bull model for a tough all around no nonsense off road bike Snail Steel Serotta Sandy

My colleague's elderly mother was attacked on easter by a Rottweiler while walking her dog. The dog was killed and Mom is still in the hospital. The old lady lay bleeding on the sidewalk until a passer by stopped to assist. Mom is going to be ok. The Rottweiler has been taken into custody. The owner didn't even bother to leave the house when the dog shot out of the front door. I'm glad you put so much care and attention into King Sandy. If all owners were as atentive as you are we'd have fewer attacks.

JG

[Sandy]

Genuinely sorry about what happened to the elderly lady. The lack of the owner to respond to the dog running out of the house indicates lack of responsibility. In addition, I assume that the owner must have had some understanding of his dog's ability/propensity to attack another dog or person.

I have had my dog since Christmas day and he has never gone outside without me being with him. He goes outside in the back yard which is fenced and has two locked gates, but I am ALWAYS there when he is. I have him off leash in the yard but with me always carrying the leash. If he leaves my secure yard I am ALWAYS with him (say on a walk or ride) and he is always wearing a collar with id tags and ALWAYS has his harness on with me at the other end of the leash (unless he is in my car and at that time the leash is simply hanging from his harness). If you see King walking out of my back yard, You will see me within 6 feet of him holding the leash, attached to his harness.

JG- Thw majority of horrendous dog bites/attacks are a function of irresponsible owners, horrendous breeding, and lack of understanding of the abilities and propensities of certain dogs and breeds. There are a zillion pits out there and the relative number of atttacks is quite small, but they can be absolutely devastating and horrifying. I will never argue that. Almost anyone should realize that any dog can cause siginificant damage if it bites you. A Rottweiler can do extensive harm rather quickly.

Appreciate your post. I am really sorry for what happened.


Sandy

[J.Greene]

I agree about the owner part. It's sad. The woman is very lucky it was not worse. She is very small and frail.
On a side note, my best friend's Mom runs animal control for the county I live in. She is charged with putting animals down as well as all the other functions of the department. She strongly believes there are no bad breeds, just bad dogs.

I posted this not to start conflict but to acknowledge that you don't just own a dog, but care for one with the responsibility an animal like king deserves and requires. We are not getting a dog for our 3 boys until they can handle the responsibilty.

JG


JG- Thw majority of horrendous dog bites/attacks are a function of irresponsible owners, horrendous breeding, and lack of understanding of the abilities and propensities of certain dogs and breeds. There are a zillion pits out there and the relative number of atttacks is quite small, but they can be absolutely devastating and horrifying. I will never argue that. Almost anyone should realize that any dog can cause siginificant damage if it bites you. A Rottweiler can do extensive harm rather quickly.

Appreciate your post. I am really sorry for what happened.


Sandy

[Sandy]

Truck = Rotweiler (real name of a local's dog)

I'm glad you did not publish her name. What she does must be deeply personal and somewhat private. None the less thanks for the motivational note and the message was not lost.

Hey? FWIIW at what point in a persons responsibility for critters does it progress from normal to weird? For instance, I grew up in a house with 5 cats and 2 dogs. This seemed very normal. Regardless of abilities or intent if on the otherhand my mom managed family and 13 cats than no definition of "normal" would be in play yes?

The abnormal person is one who has a mental health issue and hoards too many cats or animals and they are living in a very unsafe/unhealthy environment. Instances of people hoarding 40-60 or more cats in that manner are more prevalent than people could imagine. I met your mom. The only abnormal thing about her is how abnormally sweet, charming, and aware she is. She is quite the lady and undoubtedly quite the mom!.......You on the other hand :rolleyes: :)


Sandy

[Sandy]

I agree about the owner part. It's sad. The woman is very lucky it was not worse. She is very small and frail.
On a side note, my best friend's Mom runs animal control for the county I live in. She is charged with putting animals down as well as all the other functions of the department. She strongly believes there are no bad breeds, just bad dogs.

I posted this not to start conflict but to acknowledge that you don't just own a dog, but care for one with the responsibility an animal like king deserves and requires. We are not getting a dog for our 3 boys until they can handle the responsibilty.

JG

Never thought that you were trying to start a conflict. Your point about not getting a dog until your 3 boys can handle the resposibility is in itself very responsible and even more wise. Hopefully, more poeple would think like you. When I used to volunteer and walk dogs at the main county shelter I would see parents bringing their kids to the shelter to pick out a dog for the kids. I would often see that the kids had little or no genuine interest in the dog at the shelter. So why get a dog for the kids? Those particular kids would obviously not take the responsibilty of dog/pet ownership. It seemed so foolish to me.


Sandy

[Ginger]

Josh,

Animal hoarding is a very real issue that even affects rescue workers. It's even been studied (I'm sure you could find more research as well):
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/

http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/pubs/masshousing.pdf

Often, others involved in rescue don't recognize that their co-rescuer is exhibiting some of the same behaviors as people they've rescued other animals *from.* It's a difficult thing. And difficult to discern. At some point someone needs to say: Honey...no...you have enough dogs.

And I'm not posting this to rain on Sandy's story. Well meaning people get overwhelmed and are often unwittingly enabled by those around them who are also focused on the cause.

And, at some point, the animals rescued from New Orleans are no longer "Katrina victims" but just regular rescue animals. Even rescue programs that were created to help the animal victims of Katrina have broadened their scope so that they still have a mission.
Not saying those animals' plight is any better or worse than other rescue animals, or that they don't deserve rescue, but often, the money spent redistributing those animals could be better spent on programs closer to home.

It is a lovely story Sandy. Thanks

Ginger

[Sandy]

Your points are well made. I think that New Orleans and the surrounding areas might be unique in that there was a mass exodus for those areas during Katrina, lots of pets were left behind during the exodus, and many people never returned. So the pight of animals there might be somewhat unique. I know that S told us that there was a shelter (or some shelters) that are so understaffed, that dogs never get walked and the cages are cleaned one time at most during the day.

Ginger, taking care of one pet for me is not easy and I don't even work. I can't envison how people take care of 10 or 15 and adequately do the job. It takes a remarkable anount of scheduling and efficiency.


Sandy

[deechee]

Hi Sandy,

I just want to let you know I think you're a great guy and I'm not trying to start anything.

As great as these actions appear, I wonder about the flip side. My sister is very active at her local shelter tells me there are always people who seem to actively search out animals and dump them at the shelter. Some animals don't need to be moved. Some are fine being feral. Why does she need to move animals all the way from New Orleans to Maryland? Its a completely different environment to adjust to. Can't they be moved to surrounding areas? If she has the time and resources to do this, why not just focus more attention on your own area? Most shelters I've seen always need more of everything.

The intentions are great, I just wonder if its the smartest thing to do.

[Dave B]

While not even trying to trump this fine lady...this kind of story reminds me of Fixed!

another true hero to many.

He should be int he NBA so kids could see what a real role model looks like.


Heck the Pacers could use a full team of him!

[Lifelover]

While not even trying to trump this fine lady...this kind of story reminds me of Fixed!....

I'm sure Sandy wouldn't mind if we all used this thread to highlight people who do extra ordinary good deeds.

What is that Fixed does that reminds you of this? I've always wondered why everyone on the forum shows him such admiration!

Please clue us in!

[J.Greene]

I'm sure Sandy wouldn't mind if we all used this thread to highlight people who do extra ordinary good deeds.
What is that Fixed does that reminds you of this? I've always wondered why everyone on the forum shows him such admiration!
Please clue us in!

My pal fixed gave me a kidney. He is a great man.

JG

[Dave B]

I suppose kindness is debateable. However..

When my wife and I were going through bankruptcy I shared it with people here as I had to say it out loud. Fixed shot me a PM and offered any one of his bikes to borrow until I got back on my feet as I sold all of mine to keep us floating.

Fixed has done this often to many people here.

I just got a PM from him that a jersey to fit my fat arse was on its way free of charge.

When someone gives with out any thought of reward..selfless if you will. Over and over again to many people.

That is special...atmo.

I would also say Sandy fits this bill to a T as well. Both have given me more in words and kindness then I could ever have hoped for.

[Sandy]

While not even trying to trump this fine lady...this kind of story reminds me of Fixed!

another true hero to many.

He should be int he NBA so kids could see what a real role model looks like.


Heck the Pacers could use a full team of him!

Heck, the Knicks could use one of him and one of me,and I am an old white guy who can't even jump! :) :)



Sandy

[Sandy]

My pal fixed gave me a kidney. He is a great man.

JG

He is really great. He gave me his other one!!!! :)


Sandy

[Sandy]

I'm sure Sandy wouldn't mind if we all used this thread to highlight people who do extra ordinary good deeds.

What is that Fixed does that reminds you of this? I've always wondered why everyone on the forum shows him such admiration!

Please clue us in!

I will try:

1 He says a great deal that is insightful in very few words. He imparts wisdom based upon personal experience/observations.

2. He has sent people items without charging and with no fanfare. I believe he sent bicycle items out free around Christmas, with the recipient only paying freight or somethink like that.

3. Appears to be friendly,helpful, and caring in his posts. Has a degree of sensitivity within.

4. Treats people with respect and kindness as he posts, nor is ever condescending or arrogant. What you see is what you get.


Sandy

[Sandy]

Hi Sandy,

I just want to let you know I think you're a great guy and I'm not trying to start anything.

As great as these actions appear, I wonder about the flip side. My sister is very active at her local shelter tells me there are always people who seem to actively search out animals and dump them at the shelter. Some animals don't need to be moved. Some are fine being feral. Why does she need to move animals all the way from New Orleans to Maryland? Its a completely different environment to adjust to. Can't they be moved to surrounding areas? If she has the time and resources to do this, why not just focus more attention on your own area? Most shelters I've seen always need more of everything.

The intentions are great, I just wonder if its the smartest thing to do.

Excellent posts and questions. Obviously, I can only speculate. First, the main shelter in the county has a remarkable adoption rate- over 90% from what I understand. That is exzceptionally high. The smaller shelter is a no kill shelter so dogs there are never euthanized and they also do a great job in adopting them. Now they have only 7 dogs and have had as high as probably 25 approximately. Perhaps she is simply more comfortable dealing with local shelters and rescue groups that she knows and is confident with.

I know little about cats and less about feral ones but have been told that feral cats are really hard to domesticate like "normal" adopted cats. I have found that dogs are remarkably adaptable animals.

Totally agree- All shelters need help- If they do not, they probably don't have any animals there. I speculate that maybe she just has greater confidence in dealing with shelters, people, and rescue groups she knows.


Sandy

[J.Greene]

Sandy,

what does a "no kill" shelter do with a dog that may be super aggressive or shows traits that won't allow it to be adopted or integrated in the most common way?

JG

[Vancouverdave]

We're parents to 5 former pound animals--3 cats, 2 dogs--and one purebred brat of a dog. The people who work in shelters are awesome. I for one would not be able to handle putting down animals who aren't adopted. We had to argue our way into adopting one of our cats--he was sick, we think he was headed for the pet food mill, and they didn't want to let us adopt him.
He spent his first two months with us being nursed back to health in the spare bedroom. He's now the biggest, weirdest, craziest cat you've ever seen--thank you, SW WA Humane Society!

[BumbleBeeDave]

I just got a PM from him that a jersey to fit my fat arse was on its way free of charge.

I've been told many times, "Dave, you have a fat arse." Where's MY free jersey? :crap: :mad:

Or was that "Dave, you ARE a fat arse?" Oh, well . . . :D

BBD

[Dave B]

I've been told many times, "Dave, you have a fat arse." Where's MY free jersey? :crap: :mad:

Or was that "Dave, you ARE a fat arse?" Oh, well . . . :D

BBD

Well I look like an out of shape line backer for the Detroit Lions, so if you match that description.

Brother from another mother! When I shake the lbs I'll send you all of mine.

Hope you don't mind a few Lance items!

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . so if you match that description.

. . . match that. My "back line" is extremely out of shape! ;)

BBD

[Sandy]

Sandy,

what does a "no kill" shelter do with a dog that may be super aggressive or shows traits that won't allow it to be adopted or integrated in the most common way?

JG

That is a wonderful question. First my experience is very limited. I have mixed feelings about a "no kill" shelter and have only seen a couple of them. The first one that I visited was a shelter near where my brother lives in New York state. I had no idea it was a no kill shelter. I started to walk around the outside area of the shelter and very quickly felt that the dogs were acting quite strangely to me. It was very apparent and clear. The dogs seemed too lethargic, too non-responsive, and actually seemed to act depressed. I inquired about the dogs and their lack of actvity and subsequently found out that the shelter was a "no kill" one. The dogs I saw were some of the best behaved ones there. They had some of the larger outside cages. I found that dogs caged in the inner portion of the facility tended to be much more aggessive in nature and seemed not to possess the desire to even interact in a glad to see you, I want to be with you mode. I found out later that some of the dogs had been there literally for years and the dogs were infrequently walked. I presently know none of the dogs at the main shelter in my county. But I think that if I went there today, I would have little difficulty in walking all the dogs there, even kennel staff only dogs, that volunteers are not allowed to walk. There might be a couple that I would not walk, primarily if they exhibited overt dominant aggressive tendencies or possibly if a dog was extremely scared and might be a fear biter- Much less a concern to me than a truly dominant aggressive dog. But in the no kill shelter there was one dog that I will never forget. I remember precisely where he was and that was probably 15 years ago. He was a large Akita and had been at the shleter for years. He exhibited aggressive behavior that I had seldom seen in a dog. I thought at the time that if I had entered the cage he would have simply attacked me, something a dog never did to me. A problem as I see it with the "no kill" shelter is that dogs are often walked too infrequently, are not handled and interacted with sufficiently and tend to deteriorate behavior wise over a period of time that the dog is confined. There is a finite and limited amount of space in a shelter to keep animals. If a dog is there for years and is not adopted the space that that dog is occupying is being used very inefficiently as it does not allow more adoptable dogs to be brought through the facility and adopted since the more adoptable dogs never get the chance to be at the facility. In addition the spirit and demeanor of the dog deteriorates so much in some non kill shelters and the dog's quality of life is so bad, I wonder if it would not be a better idea to just euthanize some of the dogs.

I will contine in the next post.


Sandy

[Sandy]

continuation of my last post-

The little shelter that I differentiate as being a "no kill" shelter, as I have been told, is not like the shelter in NY that I spoke of in my post above. It is a rescue shelter and only certain dogs are allowed in it. They are screened. King was the first pit bull that the shleter has had, whereas in the main shelter there are times in which there are many more pits or pit mixes than any other breed by far. In fact, a few months ago,I asked a shelter employee in the main shelter how many pits were there, and he said 18. The dogs from the main shelter must be approved to to go to the rescue shelter. Almost all of the dogs that I have seen at the recue shelter have been adopted. A few multiple times if they were returned. There have been a couple of aggressive dogs there that I really wondered about adopting to anyone. I love dogs and I personally could never euthanize any animal unless it possibly was in very bad pain and obviously could not be saved. There was one dog that if I was the one to decide, I would not have allowed the dog to be adopted and would have had the dog euthanized. It is a Jack Russell Terrier mix.I had never had it out of the cage, but I did feed it biscuits through the cage, some from my fingers. It acted very friendly and warm. But it had two sides. It attacked and bit several staff members and even bit someone who adopted it. The dog would make an amazingly fast transition from sweet, warm, and friendly to an amazingly aggressive dog that literally would attack you with the intent of giving multilpe bites. I am not sure what the shelter did with the dog. I think that it might have been taken by people who knew the breed very well and was going to work with it. There was a beautiful large male rottweiler that exhibited surprisingly major dominant aggressive actions towards me. No way would I have wlked that dog. It did not act that way with some staff members. Turns out the dog had real biting issue and attacked several people it knew very well and that it had lived with. It tried to bite several of these people one afer the other in a small area. I do not know what happened to the dog. It might have been euthanized. I wondered if it had a medical problem. I think someone said that there was consideration that it might have had a brain tumor.

To answer your question secifically, I am not sure what they do with really aggressive dogs in a "no kill" shelter. I would think that in some they simply keep them and interact with them briefly and very carefully, seldom if ever coming into direct contact with the dog. Some dogs can be amazingly aggressive to most people but not that way at all to preferred staff shelter members that it knows. I would think that in some no kill shelters (and kill shelters) dog behaviorists are brought in to help eliminate the problem of aggression. I think that ethically some dogs should not be adopted to anyone.


Sandy