Have you ever wondered about the people who rescue abused, abandoned, or stray pets? I was aware that there are many, many different rescue groups around the US, but I hadn't actually met anyone who was actively involved in the day to day endevors of the on-going need to not only rescue the animals and find loving homes for them, but to also come up with the means for financial support. The needs of the animals that are rescued are not the normal costs of a dog raised in a loving home. Most of the rescues involve horrendous abuses that require immediate and expensive medical attention, and somehow, the bills must be paid.

A few weeks ago, I had been searching on-line for a rescue group in my area that might have a little Schnauzer that needed a good home. It was my good fortune to discover a rescue group in Covelo, California. The name of the group is:

Better Options for NEglected Strays (BONES)

An older mini Schnauzer named Murphy had been rescued by the group and he needed a home, but first, he had to have a very large anal tumor removed. The Vet's office is located in Ukiah, CA which is an hour and a half south of Covelo and the same distance from my home in Sebastopol, so I made arrangements to meet with Barbara Thrasher (President and founder of BONES) and Murphy, the Schnauzer, in Ukiah on the morning of Murphy's surgery. The meeting came about as planned and I was pleased to note that Barbara is the type of person who radiates gentleness and loving concern for the animals in her care, and Murphy? He is a little cutie about ten years old, who was feisty in spite of discomfort from the tumor. Unfortunately, the surgery revealed bad news. Murphy has cancer and has only 4 months to a year left before he crosses over the Rainbow Bridge. That little fella had been picked up on the streets of Sacramento, CA, and was scheduled to be killed when a BONES volunteer rescued him from the Sacramento County Animal Control which is a very high kill shelter. He was a mass of long matted hair, which had tangled over his eyes, his toenails were grown up into his foot pads and he was terribly thin. He apparently had been trying to survive on any garbage he could find. Where he came from and why a very old mini Schnauzer was found wandering the streets, no one knows. He may have been owned by someone and was lost, or he could have just been dumped. I was horrified to learn that some people will keep a pet for many years and then suddenly decide that they just no longer want the animal and they dump them out on the streets to fend for themselves. Murphy had finally been rescued by a loving human, only to be given a death sentence.

I talked over the situation with Barbara and told her that I didn't think it would be fair to Murphy to take him to new surroundings which included my two large dogs and a house with a long flight of stairs to the front door. Murphy had been with Barbara for a month and had begun to bond with her. Barb said that she would keep Murphy for however long he lived and she would take care of him, which means that she will incur more medical bills, if needed. I asked Barb where the money came from to support all the animals she has continued to rescue, which now totals 802 since the year 2000. She said it comes from donations and out of their own pockets. Just a few weeks ago when the coffers were almost completely empty, they held a silent auction. Bev Marshman (Vice President of BONES) donated a rolltop desk to be auctioned and the proceeds went to purchase food for the animals and for medical bills. To help defray costs for Murphy's surgery, Barbara placed jars with Murphy's photo attached, around their small community asking for donations. This is Murphy after being rescued and transported to Covelo by Bones Rescue.

After a little more than one month of being rescued, and a lot of TLC, Murphy is regaining some of his confidence.

Once a month, Barbara and Bev go to Eureka Ca, to an Adoption Day. Barb loads the van the night before and then gets up at 4:00 AM, loads up the dogs that are available for adoption and drives the three plus hours to Eureka. They return that night after hopefully finding loving homes for their charges. An adoption fee is charged, with the money going to help pay for dog food and medical costs. All animals are spayed / neutered, updated on all vaccinations, heartworm tested, micro-chipped and medicated for any ailments and/or injuries, and all the rescued dogs (and cats) live in home environments. They are not penned or kenneled.

I'd like now, for you to meet Tinkerbell, another example of a "throw-away" that was rescued by BONES: Tinkerbell soon after being rescued.

When her owners were evicted they left Tinker and another old dog behind. Neighbors told BONES RESCUE that the dogs had lived alone for almost 3 months surviving on garbage around the neighborhood. Tinker was very scared and hiding in an old camping trailer and the rescue folks had to dismantle the cupboards to finally catch her. She was just a mass of matted hair, plus she had a baseball-sized tumor on her tummy, for which BONES RESCUE paid the expenses for the surgery to remove the tumor.

Tinker was abandoned when she was over 13 years old and Bev, Vice President of BONES RESCUE, has had Tinkerbell for two and a half years. Tinker is now 16 years old and has developed a heart condition, but what's more important, she's being cared for in a loving home environment.

I am in awe of the folks who are in animal rescue. They selflessly open their homes and give their time, money, energy, and most of all, love, to the battered and abused throwaways. Those associated with rescue groups around the U.S. (and in other countries) are surely angels in disquise. They help as many of God's little forgotten creatures as they can, but there are thousands upon thousands of dogs and cats, and even the larger animals, such as horses, who are used up, battered, burned and tortured, and then tossed aside.
The rescue groups need YOUR help. If you are in search of a particular breed, you'll most likely find a rescue group for the breed you are looking for, BUT, stay far, far away from "pet stores" that sell animals, and PLEASE, spay and neuter your pet! There are far too many dogs and cats who are being killed every single day because there are no homes for them. If you can't adopt a pet, then make a contribution to a rescue group in your area. Every little bit helps.

by Willow Miranda, WilloWorld - Wonderful Poetry, definitely worth a visit.
©"Angels Among Us" was written for the 50+ Friends Club, Paws & Claws section, May 2004.

Many thanks to Barbara Thrasher, President and founder of BONES RESCUE in Covelo, California, and Bev Marshman.
Click here to meet "Bones", one of the rescued dogs, for whom the Bones Rescue team is named.

Related Links:
Click here for "RAVS" (Rural Area Veterinary Services)
Click here to visit - "Stop Puppy Mills"

"Purchase puppies and other pets from reputable breeders, or from animal shelters, the pound, animal rescue agencies - NOT FROM PET SHOPS!"