We haven't participated in a dog transport this summer, largely due to busy schedules and the puppy we have at home, but we decided to volunteer to chauffeur a few pooches this weekend.

To catch up those who may be new to this topic, my hubby and I volunteer to drive legs in a cross-country transport that takes adoptable dogs from high-kill shelters in the Memphis-area to rescue groups in New England that can place them in new homes.

We usually pick these pooches up somewhere here in Roanoke, the halfway point between the originating rescue group in Brighton, Tenn., and the receiving rescue group in New Jersey or New Hampshire.

Typically we drive the Roanoke-to-Lexington route (sometimes we go as far as Harrisonburg) on Sunday mornings. Then we hand them over to another volunteer who drives them to another volunteer, and so on and so on until the get to their final destination.

This Saturday, we offered to keep the dogs overnight and then drive the leadoff leg on Sunday morning. We expected to see three dogs around 9 p.m.

We got two dogs around 9 a.m., about 12 hours earlier than we planned.

Uh, okay. Well, it's all good.

I am still not sure why the other dog didn't make the trip, or why they were so far ahead of schedule, but Lilli, a former stray that appears to hound/pointer mix, and Jazzy, a black Lab taken from a hoarding situation, were brought to our house while my hubby and I were out.

My college-student daughter welcomed the traveling pups. I am so glad I mentioned it to her while she was half-asleep on my way out to water aerobics class.

By the time I got home, the girls had settled in and were getting along very well with our three dogs. I am told Lilli even met our cat, Thai and they were cordial.

Our backyard looked like a dog park. We felt a little obligated to tell the neighbors we weren't opening a kennel.

Both dogs were house-trained, well-mannered considering their circumstances, and completely lovable. Both would lay their heads in our laps for a good scratching, both played nicely with Coral and Dexter, and both seemed to enjoy Stormy's puppy-curiosity and energy.

We were also happy to see that Stormy minded his manners and was polite and playful with his new friends.

The guest pooches slept quietly through the night in Dexter's and Coral's crates, and in the morning we sent them on their way to their new homes. I got an e-mail late Sunday afternoon that they arrived safe and sound with their rescuers.

Good luck, Lilli and Jazzy. We are sure your will make two families very happy.

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• Posted by Nona Nelson in Shelter stories
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