We had two wonderful little dogs arrive Sunday night, brought out to us by Gale Lang's TLC Pet Transport. This is one of them, Owen the Beagle, who came to us from North Carolina. (Sorry, you'll have to wait until Friday to find out who No. 2 was!) We were first contacted about Owen by a volunteer for Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland, who had seen him listed in a "Must Be Out By..." email from a county animal control shelter in North Carolina. It said:
"Owen (A150080) is a 5 yo male Beagle, unaltered. Owen was a confiscation as part of a neglect case. He was found locked inside a trailer with no food or water. He was very thin and pitiful. He came in covered in fleas and urine. He had scaly patches and hair loss from the fleas and poor husbandry. He looks great now and has gained weight. He has been with us for two months while his case went to court. Owen is blind but compensates very well. He walks slowly and deliberately to feel his way around. He listens to your voice and comes when called. He loves to play with other dogs. He loves attention. He must be out by 9/10."
The volunteer said they were unable to help but hoped we could. I emailed the shelter, offering to take Owen, and the shelter then forwarded my email on to a private rescue group in Asheville called Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. In the small world that the animal rescue community often is, it turns out that Brother Wolf's executive director, Denise Bitz, was involved in rescuing and sending to us a blind and deaf Catahoula named Emmy Lou way back in 2006. (Emmy Lou was subsequently adopted by one of our employees in 2008.) Denise graciously offered to pull Owen from the shelter for us, get him neutered and vet-checked, and then foster him for a month until we could get the transport scheduled. Thank you, Denise!
On Sunday night, when Alayne picked Owen up to carry him into the house, he pressed his face against Alayne's and wrapped his front paws around her neck. He was so content to be held like this that Alayne just walked around the house for a while, holding him.
The next morning, however, it was like someone had fired a starter's pistol, because right after we let him out in one of the dog yards, he took off to go zooming around. He eagerly greeted his new friends, blind Louie and blind and deaf Spencer and Katie, and then raced back and forth from one side of the yard to the other. Owen was in constant motion, darting back and forth, so happy to be outside and cruising around. Although the shelter said he was 5 years old, he acts much more like a puppy!
The beautiful photo at top is one that Denise sent us last week. Here are some I took this morning, including this one of Owen with Louie on the left:
You can see what a handsome little fellow he is!
It was hard to get photos of him because he kept zooming up to me, and every time I'd try and take a few steps back, he'd just keep coming:
Finally, Owen momentarily ran out of steam, and that's when I got this shot:
For some reason the flash went off, even in bright sun, which is why his eyes are shining so much -- his pupils are wide open and the flash is bouncing off his retinas, just as you saw yesterday in the photo of Fuzzy and Sophie. Owen is another classic case of progressive retinal atrophy.
Next up is ... oh, that's right, I'll be holding off on the other new arrival until Friday. But no, it's not a Dachshund! (Owen's arrival now evens the score at Beagles, 6, and Dachshunds, 6.) However, this yet-to-be-seen arrival is smaller than a Dachshund ... has as much personality as a Dachshund ... but is not a Dachshund.
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Another Shelter Challenge begins -- and No. 3 again already!
The new Shelter Challenge started October 3rd and ends at midnight on December 18th. Grand prize in this round is $5,000, plus $1,000 for weekly winners and $1,000 for state winners. There are also other categories ... please see the Shelter Challenge website for details.
And remember, you can vote every day, so consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Please note: Use Rolling Dog Ranch for our name and NH for the state and our listing will come up. [Yes, we are still listed as Rolling Dog Ranch for the purposes of the contest, not Rolling Dog Farm.]
Because of your votes, we just won $1,000 as a weekly winner in this round of the Shelter Challenge. Please help us win more money for the animals here by voting every day, and by encouraging your family, friends and colleagues to vote every day, too. Thank you!
I love you guys.....what a piece of heaven on earth.
Posted by: KARLA | October 16, 2011 at 10:52 PM
I'm constantly amazed how these beautiful fellow creatures respond to loving care after enduring such terrible treatment - no grudges, no hate, just happy, grateful love and joy. We could all learn from them to just be in the moment and live fully. Bless you for your love of Owen and all your sweet dogs. (Tears when read of his response at arrival when held by Alayne!)
Posted by: Joanne Standen | October 15, 2011 at 03:59 AM
This make me weep. There's a special place in heaven for you all. LOVE and blessings.
Posted by: Charlene Blevins | October 15, 2011 at 12:08 AM
Yay!!! another beagle... And a very handsome one too!!
Posted by: Shasta | October 14, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Welcome to Rolling Dog-Heaven Farm, precious little Owen. Lots of love, hugs, rowdy companions, good food and a warm bed - and don't forget green grass galore. You go, little boy!
Posted by: Angela | October 13, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Welcome to heaven on earth, Owen. I'm so glad that you were rescued from your horrid fate and taken in by the loving RDR! It's about time you hit the jackpot~! I'm so glad that you've adjusted so quickly to you new home, but then with all that love, it was easy, right?
Hugs all around,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger | October 13, 2011 at 09:51 AM
What a beaute! And I think the name "Owen" fits him perfectly! I, too, welcomed a new four-legged friend to my household this week. He is a six month old tabby cat that I named "Harry". He was rescued as a stray in poor shape trying to eat out of a garbage can. Sadly, I had to put my 12 year old cat, Max, down a month and a half ago due to illness. He was a rescue from The King County Anmal Shelter in Kent, Wa, and Max lived a good, long life. Out of great sadness comes a new, deep love that you never thought possible because of a broken heart. But, thankfully, love is infinite, even when we think our hearts our incurably broken. Welcome to the good life, Owen!!!
Posted by: Carolyn Kupferschmid | October 12, 2011 at 09:07 PM
Sounds like Owen loves his new home and Alayne has another minion! What a happy ending/new beginning for him.
Posted by: Tonya Allen | October 12, 2011 at 04:40 PM
Wow...this post just kept getting better and better. Thank you to everyone involved in rescuing Owen from his previous life of neglect. I guess he told you and Alayne pretty clearly how much he appreciates it.
Have a blast you handsome dog!
Posted by: Chloe | October 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
Way to go Owen. You scored BIG with living at RDR!!!!!
Posted by: Penny | October 12, 2011 at 12:10 PM
*WELCOME dear Owen* to your new loving family..you will soon have your own fan club on your mom and dad's website...can't wait for updates on you!! HAVE FUN e-x-p-l-o-r-i-n-g your new beautiful world....
Posted by: Valerie | October 12, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Amazing how dogs can come out of such a neglectful and awful situation and still have such a good outlook on life. Maybe Owen runs because it is the first time he can do so, so it may be his joy to finally have a chance for a puppyhood (better late than never). He hugs because he is being shown LOVE and care. Think how his life changed...smelly trailer, covered in his own waste, no water!, no food..I would run for joy too. Bless everyone who had a hand in this little boys life transformation.
Posted by: Anne in FL | October 12, 2011 at 10:44 AM
WELCOME HOME OWEN WELCOME HOME
I love the fact that when he hit the yard , he had to be thinking JACKPOT
Posted by: Eric | October 12, 2011 at 10:25 AM
What a wonderful post! I got teary over the part where he pressed his face against Alayne's. Beautiful. And what a joy to read of his delight in exploring the next morning! God bless you guys.
Posted by: Lisa K. - San Diego | October 12, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Welcome,Owen! He's adorable. Glad he's adjusting so well to the farm.
Posted by: Ashley | October 12, 2011 at 10:01 AM
It's been a while since there's been a new face in town. Welcome, Owen. I love the image of Alayne walking around, unwilling to put him down, with his arms wrapped around her neck.
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | October 12, 2011 at 09:58 AM
Owen is sooooo handsome! What a great looking dog. And now he's a happy dog, too. Please post a photo of him with Alayne. So glad he has friends to play with and is happy and healthy now.
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | October 12, 2011 at 09:37 AM
Just echoing the dark side ==> "He was found locked inside a trailer with no food or water."
Posted by: Mauro Salles | October 12, 2011 at 09:30 AM
He is so cute and beautiful so glad you were able to welcome him into your life.
Posted by: Anita Maloney | October 12, 2011 at 09:03 AM
Love this guy...you are precious, Owen! Run that yard, soak up all the love; you deserve it!!!
Posted by: Glenda | October 12, 2011 at 06:16 AM
Welcome home, sweet Owen!!
I can just see him in Alayne's loving arms... It makes my heart melt.:-)
Can't wait to read about the other "new furkid in town".
God bless you, Steve & Alayne (and Denise, of course), for rescuing Owen.
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | October 12, 2011 at 02:48 AM
Owen! What a magical story to a wonderful place you so deserve. You sure know the way right into everyone's hearts, and I imagine Alayne's in particular with those snuggle hugs (jealous!)
HUGE bravos for everyone helping you on your way! "It takes a village" or perhaps a convoy? :)
Posted by: Margaret | October 12, 2011 at 12:52 AM
Oh, he really is a handsome boy! I'll bet Widget will get him to be her next sidekick, so be prepared :)
Thank you for taking Owen...he's one lucky boy!
Posted by: Ann | October 12, 2011 at 12:51 AM
Ohhhhh...could we PLEASE have a picture of Owen snuggling up with Alayne with his paws wrapped around her neck?!?? Please?!?? And welcome little Owen! You are ADORABLE.
Posted by: Alisa | October 11, 2011 at 11:35 PM
LOVE OWEN!! Of course as a part of Atlanta Beagle Rescue, I'm partial to beagles and am very happy that the count is even. As for Friday's feature, my guess is a Chihuahua ... as I have a Chi and your description of the new arrival would aptly fit most any Chi! Either way, can't wait to meet the other new one and thank you, again and again, for what you guys do!
Posted by: Michele | October 11, 2011 at 11:33 PM
What a sweetheart! And can't wait to see who's next on Friday!
Posted by: Linda | October 11, 2011 at 10:03 PM
What a cutie patootie:-) Go Beagles!!!
Posted by: [email protected] | October 11, 2011 at 09:00 PM
What a great addition. Of course Owen will have to pass Widget's RDF Beagle Orientation Course which has been been compared to SEAL training. But once he is a certified RDF Beagle I'm sure he will fit right in.
Posted by: Bob | October 11, 2011 at 08:45 PM
Owen-Handsome sweet guy. Steve-what a tease, Friday! A yorkie?
Posted by: Zoe | October 11, 2011 at 06:57 PM