My apologies to all, but we felt it best to keep all options open for this precious pair until their salvation was assured.
Bankruptcy, foreclosure, disability forestalling a return to work, uncertain living arrangements... and caring for an aging parent several states away: How many of us would have had the courage - let alone the fortitude - to make finding a home for a pair of senior (rescued) companions who'd lived practically their entire lives together the highest priority?
That's what Dawn Hughes has faced this past month - and successfully mastered!
Despite the anguish of separation from her "support staff", she knew in her heart the best possible outcome for them was a stable, loving, safe "together-forever" - the ideal circumstance for an aging senior pair (wouldn't we ALL like our last days to pass in such in such a manner?)...
But in today's economy and social crises, what hope did she possible have for this idyllic conclusion?
Not much.
Who else would assume such a great responsibility, where would they end up - and how in the world would they make it there, given Alice's significant anxiety about transport... even to her regular vet, just 20 minutes from home?
Prospects were bleak to none...
Until you all stepped forward, and through your concerted expressions of loving concern "made it so"!
After weeks of anxious cross-posting, with little response - help arrived in the proverbial "11th hour":
An offer from a nurse-practitioner and her veterinarian husband in North Carolina.
Several foster (possible to forever?) offers, from Virginia, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and elsewhere...
A wonderful Chicago-based "senior rescue" - whose Board of Directors was so moved by their plight that they voted to waive their strict geographical limitations and their "no private parties - imminent PTS shelters only" restriction and take them into their "foster-to-forever" program.
And then - from Indiana, Cry For Help rescue (unbeknownst to all) added them as a courtesy posting on their PetFinder page... where a wonderful woman ("Debbie") who was specifically seeking a senior companion to share her lovely 1920's Sears Craftsman bungalow in Lombard, Illinois (in a beautiful, older, quiet neighborhood - replete with fully fenced back yard) care across their anxious faces... and immediately set out to seek approval as their final "together-forever" guardian and caregiver!
God must've shared our concerns for them, and known that Debbie was "the one": Discouraged (but determined, nonetheless), she'd called on several seniors prior to finding Alice and Henry, only to learn that all others preceding them had secured families before she'd had the chance to open her heart and share her home with them...
Jean Lazzaro - of Cry for Help - arranged an expedited home visit (for today - probably completed as I draft this missive).
Dawn and Debbie spoke at length on the phone, discussing in detail their concerns and hopes.
Bankruptcy, foreclosure, disability forestalling a return to work, uncertain living arrangements... and caring for an aging parent several states away: How many of us would have had the courage - let alone the fortitude - to make finding a home for a pair of senior (rescued) companions who'd lived practically their entire lives together the highest priority?
That's what Dawn Hughes has faced this past month - and successfully mastered!
Despite the anguish of separation from her "support staff", she knew in her heart the best possible outcome for them was a stable, loving, safe "together-forever" - the ideal circumstance for an aging senior pair (wouldn't we ALL like our last days to pass in such in such a manner?)...
But in today's economy and social crises, what hope did she possible have for this idyllic conclusion?
Not much.
Who else would assume such a great responsibility, where would they end up - and how in the world would they make it there, given Alice's significant anxiety about transport... even to her regular vet, just 20 minutes from home?
Prospects were bleak to none...
Until you all stepped forward, and through your concerted expressions of loving concern "made it so"!
After weeks of anxious cross-posting, with little response - help arrived in the proverbial "11th hour":
An offer from a nurse-practitioner and her veterinarian husband in North Carolina.
Several foster (possible to forever?) offers, from Virginia, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and elsewhere...
A wonderful Chicago-based "senior rescue" - whose Board of Directors was so moved by their plight that they voted to waive their strict geographical limitations and their "no private parties - imminent PTS shelters only" restriction and take them into their "foster-to-forever" program.
And then - from Indiana, Cry For Help rescue (unbeknownst to all) added them as a courtesy posting on their PetFinder page... where a wonderful woman ("Debbie") who was specifically seeking a senior companion to share her lovely 1920's Sears Craftsman bungalow in Lombard, Illinois (in a beautiful, older, quiet neighborhood - replete with fully fenced back yard) care across their anxious faces... and immediately set out to seek approval as their final "together-forever" guardian and caregiver!
God must've shared our concerns for them, and known that Debbie was "the one": Discouraged (but determined, nonetheless), she'd called on several seniors prior to finding Alice and Henry, only to learn that all others preceding them had secured families before she'd had the chance to open her heart and share her home with them...
Jean Lazzaro - of Cry for Help - arranged an expedited home visit (for today - probably completed as I draft this missive).
Dawn and Debbie spoke at length on the phone, discussing in detail their concerns and hopes.
Dawn plans to transport them to Debbie (some three hours distant), and it sounds as though arrangements are being discussed for her to stay with "the family" for a period of time, to ease Alice and Henry's unsettling transition, and comfort them through the process.
Young at Heart (that incredible Chicago-area senior rescue) was immediately contacted , so that the foster held for them could be released and two more desperate seniors would be removed to safety from area kill-shelters.
Would to God that ALL adoptions were as blessed with an outcome as touchingly beautiful as this?! Again, I apologize for not maintaining a running dialog on their progress, but concerns were SO great considering the challenge faced that it was believed vital to keep all options open... and the sheer volume of responses I would have had to address would have compromised our ability to save several others in critical circumstances (who we DID manage to rescue and place, while keeping Alice and Henry "on the front burner").
Thank you - ALL of you - for your compassionate consideration: I hope you'll forgive my selfish concern for these two dear dogs?
Yours in rescue...
Steve
Young at Heart (that incredible Chicago-area senior rescue) was immediately contacted , so that the foster held for them could be released and two more desperate seniors would be removed to safety from area kill-shelters.
Would to God that ALL adoptions were as blessed with an outcome as touchingly beautiful as this?! Again, I apologize for not maintaining a running dialog on their progress, but concerns were SO great considering the challenge faced that it was believed vital to keep all options open... and the sheer volume of responses I would have had to address would have compromised our ability to save several others in critical circumstances (who we DID manage to rescue and place, while keeping Alice and Henry "on the front burner").
Thank you - ALL of you - for your compassionate consideration: I hope you'll forgive my selfish concern for these two dear dogs?
Yours in rescue...
Steve
1 comment:
HOORAY for these old guys! Great update!
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