"Shelby" is my favorite. He is one of several Bassett/Lab mix dogs (if you can imagine) that have made their way into our shelter this past year. His body and legs are all Bassett but he has the big old head of a Lab. Mary Adams (who rescued another such dog, "Gomer", who went to Mass on our first transport) and I have named the "breed", if you will, Bassadors. Now Shelby had been on our Save List several times - I just could not let this one go. A dedicated rescuer in Warrington, PA, who had saved a couple of our Plott Hounds, meanwhile was working with artist Chris Jordan on a project to be exhibited across the country in museums and art galleries. This exhibit will be comprised of collars of dogs euthanized in shelters, in yet another effort to raise public awareness of the plight of our pet overpopulation. Vicki had asked fellow shelter workers to collect some of these collars and send to her for the project.
Shelby, always a clown and always happy, had strayed into our shelter wearing a 3-1/2 lb. towing chain, tightly secured around his neck by a full-sized padlock. It was so large that it took Gordy and Chad ten minutes, each taking turns to try and cut through the link a little further, to free Shelby from the inhumane manacle. On a Wednesday evening, knowing that I could not save Shelby any longer, with no adopter or rescue secured for him, I emailed Vicki and asked if this chain would be too heavy for the project - that it had just been cut from a grand fellow who would be lost the next day. Vicki was so moved that she called me back and said, "save Shelby.....I will find room for him somewhere". By the next day, Shelby was being vetted and plans were made for him to be transported by a TN volunteer all the way to Vicki in PA. Her foster family was so surprised to meet Shelby but, after they stopped laughing at his odd looks, fell hopelessly in love with him. Shelby was only in their care for two weeks before finding his Forever Home and they have written to me about how happy they are with this big lovable Bassador who now sleeps in their bed and has won their hearts totally.
...Donna Lindsey, Breed Rescue Coordinator
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