Learning of Noelle

I open an unsuspecting email one morning, it was fwd from a friend. A simple email, a forward, I receive many daily as do most of you. I didn't realize the impact this simple email would have on my life, the people it would bring together, and the lives that it would save. The email was titled, "FW: Need home..." When I opened it I found this.

"We are overcrowded and have had a four to five year old Collie, looks to be full blooded, dropped off on us. She is a very good dog, housebroken, crate trained, loves children. BABEE is good with other dogs and cats just wants love. She looks to have been spay, current on her shots.

We have to get her moved from where she is into a forever home or foster. If you know of anyone that would be interested in having her for a pet or fostering her please contact me ASAP. "
A collie, not to old, through no fault of hers is in the most dire of predicaments; was my first thought. It was quickly followed by the realization of how far away she was; and the reality of URGENT means now, not in two weeks. How in the world could I arrange to transport a dog nearly 1,000 miles and several states quickly?! It takes time to organize these things, and Thanksgiving is two weeks away. Gas is coming down in price; but the time, effort and trust involved and less than a week to make it work?

In addition there was another dog, Arthur, 6 year old blood hound who was also in need of a home. Arthur's situation was a bit different from the Noelle's as Arthur was in a very temporary home in an effort to keep him out of the shelter. Arthur's parents could no longer keep him due to the birth of a new baby. See Arthur is very clumsy and a bit rambunctious and his parent's were worried he may accidentally hurt the baby. So, for a little while, Arthur's grandmother agreed to keep him.

Well, needless to say I responded to the email. Inquiring a bit more about the dogs, their situation, and ultimately agreeing to foster them IF we could arrange a transport in time. My shelter contact person admitted she'd never done a transport of this distance before, but she was quick to agree to help. I've arranged a few transports, and as a matter of fact the one year anniversary of the first was the same weekend we were planning on transporting these two . I decided to ask several of the people that aided me in that transport since this one was coming along some of the same route.

Amazingly enough, the friend who originally sent me the email agreed to transport Arthur and Noelle just over half the distance, and combine the trip with visiting a friend of hers in Virginia. Two other friends in Virginia agreed to meet up with each other, pick up Noelle and Arthur and bring them the rest of the way to me. They would spend the night, before driving home the next day. It amazes me, how many people are willing to come together, put their own lives on hold, travel great distances, all for the benefit of one lucky dog.