March 17, 2008Keep those doggies rollin'Not much in life feels better than sleeping in my own warm bed early on a Sunday morning. It takes a lot to lift me from deep, serene, weekend slumber. But helping save a life will do it every time. For the second time this year, my husband and I rose before dawn on Sunday, gulped a cup of strong coffee and headed out to take part in a logistical miracle. We were one leg in a rescue relay, taking the baton of homeless dogs are on their way to a better life with new families. 
On this particular weekend, we shuttled Ava, a small but mighty bulldog mix, and Sasha, a sweet and skinny yellow lab, from their overnight accommodations in Roanoke to Marilyn, the next driver in the relay, in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in Staunton. Marilyn would get them to their next exchange in Harrisonburg. Their journey began Friday morning in Memphis, Tenn. By the end of Sunday and after 28 legs in the relay, they will be with new adoptive families coordinated by Patriot Lab & All Breed Rescue, a foster-home based group in New Hampshire. Sixteen dogs, including a senior pooch and a litter of 10 puppies, were part of this regional transport, some being picked up and dropped off along the way. All of these healthy and adoptable dogs are saved from shelters where they may have faced euthanasia. The mastermind behind this long distance haul is Gina Austin, an independent rescuer from Brighton, Tenn. Austin matches adoptable dogs with new families via a network of other rescuers, groups and volunteers. She does most of this work via phone and e-mail, and she does it all on her own time. 
We were given a package of paperwork for Ava and Sasha, our two passengers, and for Joe, a black lab, and Ebony, a flat-coated retriever, both riding with Denise, another driver in the Roanoke leg of the relay. The package proved all four dogs were spayed/neutered and up-to-date on their shots. All four dogs were well-behaved during our leg of the transport. Ava, Joe and Ebony, all unclaimed strays, left Memphis with Elmo, an elderly beagle mix whose pet mom had died. Sasha had been removed from a hoarder. Elmo left the relay in his new home in Abingdon; in Parsippany, New Jersey, Raeleen, a black lab, and her 10 pups will join the journey. We could almost track the progression of the dogs through e-mails we got from other drivers into Sunday evening. Finally, I read this last e-mail this morning from Ellen with Patriot Lab Rescue: "Dear Drivers.. Austin is always looking for more responsible volunteers who can donate a few hours to help take these dogs from Point A of homelessness to Point Z of family happiness. If you feel that you can give a pooch a ride on any of the points along the way, contact Austin via e-mail at hondadrivr@yahoo.com. |
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Comments
[March 17, 2008 12:21 PM]
Ed S.Neat story, and kudos to the volunteers that help with this! Those are some sweet looking dogs.
[March 17, 2008 8:10 PM]
KimWhat a moving blog entry! I got a little "misty" after reading it because I was so happy for all the animals involved, not to mention the families that have a new pet to love. I couldn't tell from the website if they only go between TN and NH. Do you know if they transport to other states as well?
[March 18, 2008 9:55 AM]
Nona : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/thehappywag/I have done this transport twice, Kim, and both times the relay originated in Memphis and ended in New Hampshire. However, I believe some of these dogs came from shelters in northeast Arkansas to Memphis, and I know one dog on this last trip got off the relay in Abingdon to his new family.
Also, there were supposed to be two greyhounds from an animal control shelter in Warner Robins, Georgia that would have joined this last relay in Knoxville, Tenn. and ended up in a greyhound rescue in Massachusetts. We volunteered to keep them overnight since we are very familiar with the quirks of that breed.
Somehow those hounds ended up being flown from Georgia to the rescue group, so they were not on this relay. I guess a Greyhound bus was out of the question. (Bad joke, I could not resist.)
I think the coordinator, Gina Austin, works with several groups and with several shelters (where dogs are euthanized for lack of space) in the tri-state area of West Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. The New Hampshire rescue group is good at placing dogs throughout New England.
Since I started doing this, I have been contacted by other breed rescues, specifically a Brittany rescue and an English pointer rescue, to help transport their dogs. Scheduling does not allow me to help every time I am asked, but I do what I can when I can.
Sometimes these relays end up canceled due to bad weather conditions for the drivers along the route, but only occasionally for a lack of volunteers
If you are interested in doing this sort of work in you area, contact your local SPCA or Humane Society and see if they can get you in contact with a coordinator. That's how I got involved with Gina.
[March 18, 2008 2:24 PM]
SarahSo nice to read this. I am in Southern Indiana and I am generally involved in a transport a couple of times a month. I will be moving to the Roanoke area in a few months and I am glad to see that I will still be able to be involved in this.
[March 18, 2008 10:15 PM]
DeborahDefinitely a moving story that brought tears to my eyes from the joy of seeing the help these precious animals get. Thanks Nona for doing it!! I love the dogs in the pictures...and of course I want them all (if only I could have all of them!)
[March 24, 2008 10:22 AM]
HopeWhat a great story *sniff sniff*. People working together is a beautiful thing, pups in forever homes is even better. Keep up the good work!!
[June 14, 2008 7:36 PM]
DeniseI've driven for Gina several times in her transports~she is great to work with. I hope that anyone that can, will volunteer to help out. If you have a car and an hour or so, please consider volunteering...they need all the help they can get!
[June 15, 2008 10:46 AM]
Deborah S.I have been involved in these transports for a few months now. You have to be extremely organized to coordinate this and Gina certainly is one of the best! Also, you will find how easy it is for a dog or pup or even kitty to steal your heart in 1 hour or less. I know some transporters have adopted because of this. Maybe that's part of the strategy? Regardless, what wonderful, selfless people to volunteer their time, gas money to help these precious ones!
[June 16, 2008 12:10 PM]
Tina Ann Byers : →http://highspiregardens.blogspot.comVolunteer Animal Transports happen every weekend all over the Country! I've driven for Gina before and I drove Raeleen & her 10 pups on this transport.
To find Transports in your area, go to Yahoo! Groups and search "animal transport". You'll find transports listed by state, breed and Highway: Example "I-81 Transport", "I-79 Transport".
To see some of my transport fun and photos, check out my blog at http://highspiregardens.blogspot.com and pull up the entries under "rescue". The search by label is in the right hand column.
Have Fun, Save Lives and Get Out & Drive those Sweet Doggies!
Tina Ann Byers OTRA Verified Transporter Volunteer/Transport - Rescue Me! Yorkie Rescue http:highspiregardens.blogspot.com