Hello again from FSJ world! I know I've been away for awhile but I'm back and today I have a very personal story to share with you about a young female pointer named Cali. She's a gorgeous black and white speckled bird dog with a big black 'heart' on her left side and, true to her God-given art, she's a real sweetheart! I often work from my back deck and here is my 'foster' office assistant. See her heart?
Cali's story begins in Middle Tennessee where I live, and I saw her photo on Facebook. She had been turned in to Animal Control but our local Humane Association was preparing to put her up for adoption. I thought it would help her to be in a family environment, have other pets to play with and enjoy our HUGE back yard. (Bird dogs need LOTS of room to run!)
It turns out Cali's family had been visiting in our area when she got lost. When the weekend was over, they headed home but prayed for God to watch over their little girl. Well He certainly did, by creating miracle after miracle until Cali and her family were reunited. A kind family found Cali and realized she wasn't 'dumped'...but simply lost. They turned her in to one of our local animal facilities. That was when Cali's first miracle happened. Recently our Animal Control group has made a strong effort not to euthanize an animal right away but to partner with our Humane rescue group to give homeless animals a chance to be adopted.
Everyone who met Cali knew she came from a loving family. This sweet girl didn't have a mean bone in her body, loved people, other dogs and even cats! To Cali, they were all just new friends. So when no one stepped up to claim Cali, the Humane Association began getting Cali ready to be adopted out. In fact, they had her scheduled for a spot on the Rescue Waggin' (wagon) headed to northern states where fewer dogs and cats are available for adoption. That's when Cali's second miracle happened! She developed a cough, had to be pulled from the Rescue Waggin' roster and put on antibiotics. By the time Cali finished her medications, I had stepped up and asked to foster her. I was Cali's third miracle!
Cali and our Great Pyrenees became great friends right from the start and when Wolf would come on our back porch to nap, Cali would claim the couch. She'd sleep with her head on the armrest and watch me while I worked at my computer. She and I bonded right away, as if we both knew we had been brought together for a special reason.
When Wolf and Cali weren't napping on the back porch they were lying within a few feet of each other sunbathing in the yard. And so Cali's days went... that is, in between fetching a Remington bird-toy for me for 20-30 minutes every morning and again about dusk.
Our Pyrenees is older, but Cali LOVES to run so this was 'our special playtime'. After retrieving it, she'd immediately drop the toy at my feet and then flop down for a belly rub. I don't know which she favored most - the treat she got as a reward...or the belly rub. LOL
I had heard Cali was found running lose in a neighboring town so I set out to search for her real family. As you can see from this blog, I have a background in fundraising. But I'm also a Certified commercial real estate appraiser, and, as such, I'm pretty adept at online research. Plus I'm VERY stubborn (just ask my husband!) Once I get an idea into my head, I'm like a pit bull. I had lost one my own dogs exactly a year ago due to illness and Cali reminded me very much of Mazie. They looked alike and they both have that same naturally sweet countenance about them. I believe Mazie led me to Cali because I had a role in her miracle story.
I was puzzled why her family didn't come to claim her, especially if she was loved as much as we all thought she was. It just kept eating at me, and I couldn't let the thought go. After searching for her family in our area with no luck, I began to search anywhere on the web for a lost posting that matched her description. Low and behold, I found a posting with the special note that said her name was Cali and she has a black heart on her side! Miracle number four! Cali's home was actually in another state! That was why her 'bird dog nose' couldn't track her way home when she got lost...because it was over 300 miles away!
Just last week Cali and I drove to Georgia to meet up with her real mom, at a halfway point for both of us. Cali's great adventure back home was only made possible by miracle after miracle after miracle - that all lined up perfectly to create a real success story.
1) She got lost after Animal Control started working with the Humane Association to adopt out lost or unwanted animals, rather than turning to euthanasia.
2) Cali developed a cough and couldn't go up north with the Rescue Waggin'.
3) Mazie's spirit led me to find Cali's photo on Facebook, and I knew I had a special part to play in her life.
4) I'm stubborn enough not to give up searching for Cali's real family, because that's what I would want people do for me, if the tables were turned.
Miracles DO happen! All of these miracles lined up perfectly for a special reason. Needless to say, Cali's family is thrilled to be reunited with her, especially the three young children that have missed her kisses on and cuddling next to her while watching TV. So what's my point in all of this? Local animal shelters are BADLY in need of all kinds of donations - money, supplies, people to help transport adopted animals, people to help work the 'Pet Adoption' events or foster families to give these lost animals some home-style LOVE until their forever home is found.
Remember, fundraising comes in many forms - money, time, manpower, talents, donations - the sky is the limit! Whatever YOU HAVE TO SHARE or KNOW HOW TO DO... non-profit agencies can benefit from your help or contribution! Together, we can ALL help make a difference!
Just call your local Chamber of Commerce and ask for the closest NO-KILL ANIMAL SHELTER! Believe me, these innocent creatures are waiting for YOUR PHONE CALL!
Talk to you again soon,
Sherie Smith
Fundraising Designer