Love keeps them together




By Emily Lumpkin

Being abandoned and tossed on the streets years ago by people who once loved them, Shep, the male German shepherd mix, and Mommy, the female lab mix joined forces - the force of survival.

Each day the two frightened, starving dogs journeyed four to six miles to cross a busy highway to beg at nearby restaurants. Perhaps passing motorists saw them, knew their plight and thought, "Oh, I wish I could do something."

Paul Slacks of Slacks Automotive did something. He fed and housed the untouchable dogs in a vacant van for over a year. Nearby Hardees customers did something. They regularly fed the two begging dogs. In October, Traci Richard did something. For six months, she coordinated 16 volunteers who gave of their time and money to coax the frightened and street- savvy dogs closer in an effort to catch them.

The days became colder, the traffic faster, and the frustration for the dogs' safety mounted. After months of feeding schedules, sightings, and attempts to tranquilize and catch these dog gypsies, the volunteers were unsuccessful.

Mommy and her pups

January brought another problem - Mommy's belly confirmed what the volunteer group suspected - Mommy was pregnant. With a litter of puppies on the way, the frost appearing and the thought of puppies trying to cross the busy highway, the group became frantic to catch this homeless family.

Erecting a large kennel, the volunteers - and now a large following - placed, Angus Thickburgers and Quick Way chicken, in the kennel to encourage the dogs to feed there regularly.

It would be the coldest night of the year, and the volunteers knew the reason Mommy had not been spotted. Puppies. Less than a week old, and after hours of tracking, six little bundles were found in a cold, rundown, abandoned house. Deciding to use the puppies to catch Shep and Mommy, each was carefully placed in a warm crate within the kennel to call out to mommy and daddy. They did. It worked.

With medical provided by The Dutch Fork Animal Hospital, the family is resting comfortably in a warm, loving holding facility at Wescott Acres Pet Resort. They are very frightened, very unsure why they should trust the very people who deserted them in the first place. Would they be loved and dumped again - like before? These dogs have every reason to fear us.

This is a story of love, of coming together to help those less fortunate, and with Valentines Day fast approaching, we could all use a heartwarming story with meaning. The meaning of life, the meaning of friendship, the meaning of stepping forward to make a difference in someone's life - whether man or man's best friend.

If you are interested in helping with the medical, rehabilitation costs, or adoption of Shep, Mommy,\ and family, please contact Project Pet at 772-7776 or projectpet.com.