An Open Letter to the Rescuer of One Shy Old Dog

Hi Sue,

I'm not sure if you remember me (or even if you're the same Sue from the Dog Squad that I met four years back), but you helped me to adopt, Coal, an older black border collie/flat-coated retriever mix.  He was in the Carlsbad shelter when you brought him over to the Encinitas Petsmart event on October 13, 2007.  He was a shy little guy whose only information was that he was brought into the shelter as a stray in August and that he had a bandanna that another dog at the shelter took away.

I'm attaching two pictures for you.  One is our first day together.  The other is one over two and a half years later with his favorite bandanna. I renamed him Boo Boo, since he looked like a bear and I knew he'd become a great sidekick.    

Gaining his trust wasn't easy. His first day he tried to escape over the back porch railing.  He wouldn't sit in the same room with me until about the third month and I noticed that when I would make quick movements he'd flinch or go hide. That said, he was always up for a walk and getting a belly rub and six month in, he wagged his tail for the first time. It was almost a year when he first came over to me and sat down touching me as I sat on the floor.


I had to put my friend down due to severe arthritis and hip dysplasia at the end of April (2011), but my favorite memories of him were that first day, chasing rabbits in the park, corralling ducks in the parking lot, jumping off a landing that was much too high and sliding to a halt before popping up and continuing our walk,  banging his favorite kong ball on the floor trying to get out treats, opening doors all over the condo, or unfolding blankets to get at treats that I left for him; however that first wag will always stand out among all of these.  

I saw your email on PetFinder.com's ad for Buddy a while back and remembered your name and wanted to let you know how things turned out and the difference that you and the Dog Squad made (again... if you're not the same Sue... you should know your group made a difference.)

Unfortunately the ads are no long up and I've been unsuccessful in reaching you via email.  It'll be almost a year now that adopted my second senior dog, Rusty, and after that starting this website.  Soon after launchining, I started an adoption section of the site after someone in San Diego asked me to cross post an ad for an older dog he was looking to place in a forever home.

Several more pets followed and the site is starting to get hits from the search engines and social media sites, as well as having several hundred visitors, many of whom call Southern California home.  My goal is to get the word out about senior dogs and show them for all of the joy that they can bring to people's lives. 

Should you like to cross post Buddy or any other of your senior dogs on my site, I'd consider it an honor to help get a few more into homes where they can enjoy their golden years.  Also if there is anything that I do to help promote Dog's Squad's event or mission, you need only ask.

Feel free to share this email with anyone at the Dog's Squad or other organizations (or just folks who like older dogs) that might find it useful.  The site is located at: http://www.seniorpooch.com . There's a contact form on the site that let's you enter information on adoptable pets, ask questions, or submit ideas for articles.
  
Thanks again for making a difference,
 --Jeff

 PS... To date, I've never been able to reach Sue, so if you know her, please pass along a link to this web page.

PPS... Eventually I was able to connect with Sue. I joined the rescue that she founded, and as a Board Member, I helped in getting a number of dogs of all ages adopted. The old ones are still my favorites.