One Empty Kennel

About two weeks ago a neighbor stopped by and asked if we could take in a Jack Russell that she found wandering by the four way stop a couple miles away. She had him at her house for nearly three months and "couldn't take him in the house because I already have a dog", so she chained him outside with a dog house. She fed him well, but no flea preventive, no wormer, no shots. We had no available space, so I asked her if she would take him to animal control, as he would have shelter, food, and a chance at adoption, even though he's a senior with some missing teeth. She didn't want to do that - afraid he would be euthanized. I asked her if she could keep him for a while longer, at least till we had an opening. She said she could.

We haven't had much movement in the last couple of weeks, and she didn't check back when she said she would. Then yesterday, we adopted out Cayman. Someone had applied for him, came to meet him, wanted a few extra days to think it over, and in the meantime, a friend of hers came to town and, after seeing his picture and hearing Cayman's story, just knew she had found the dog she was looking for. The friend applied, met, and adopted Cayman.

Just as Cayman and his new mom were leaving the driveway, in pulls the lady who found the Jack Russell. She asked if we could take him as it is now getting cold at night, and he keeps going to the door to go in the house. I told her to go get him. While she was getting him, I moved some dogs and stripped and disinfected a kennel - he has to be in quarantine for two weeks and quarantine has been full.

She brought me an older Jack Russell, needs a good worming, but has been fed, needs a bath and flea preventive, needs dental work, but mostly he needs a nice warm place to live.

I named him Yoda, as he is short, a bit heavy, and old enough to be wise in the ways of the world.

It never fails to amaze me how when a kennel empties out, another dog will find its way into that kennel almost immediately - it's like it is planned.