Doll Stanley

Hi All,

Here's the news from Project Hope. Yick! What a week. There was so much to do here that there was more than a time crisis. I won't dwell on the negative I'll just say that I managed to get through it without the aid of a lobotomy.

The horses are ecstatic. They have been staying in the hay field because the fence around the area where we feed them, the goats, and pigs sorely needed repair. Buster pony, and his friends the goats, and Natalie hog were going for tours of the neighborhood. The new fence is up!

The office completion is overdue. Hopefully next week.

The portable fencing is now in the Canine Care Center. It has to be shored up, and housed before it will be ready for incoming rescues. This is the area we will initially care for new dogs until there is room for them in a compatible group. Neiel, one of the dogs rescued from a cruelty case in Pontotoc, MS. will be our first guest in this area. He is a sweet dog, but being a hound/rottie X he will need to be matched with really compatible friends. I think we have just the two friends for him.

Our three pieces of legislation were introduced into the State Senate. We are holding our breath to see if the house versions got in time. Day-before-yesterday was the cut off. The frantic last minute work on a few changes to the bill that will aid shelters in humane euthanasia was nerve-wrecking.

Cruelty cases. Besieged! However, there was the sweet taste of justice for one family this week. Their precious rottweiller was shot by a neighbor, causing him to lose a front leg. The Webster County Justice Court Judge cried when the facts were given, found the culprit guilty, and ordered him to pay a fine and restitution (a huge vet bill). He filed false trespass charges against a member of the family in retaliation for the cruelty charge. Court for the trespass charge is Feb. 12. Having already told the judge he only filed the charge for revenge, he will likely incur the judges full wrath.

We had to say good-bye to Max day-before-yesterday. He was a wonderful dog. Having taken him from the most wretched conditions, a rottweiller of 43 lb., no hair, the life nearly sucked out of him from the hundreds of fleas he was so grateful for his new home. At first he didn't share food. He ate in a portable pen inside his group enclosure. Gradually he learned to share and be joyous. He was heartworm positive, but was to be treated as soon as his general health improved. Tragically, his life of slow starvation, rendered his bones to frail. At 75.5 lb. his back legs gave out. The prognosis for treatment was extremely poor. That and other lingering health problems moved us to let him go. I will be thankful that he knew love, warmth, plenty, and had buddies to snuggle with.

Molly dog will go home today. After over a year of giving us joy she has been adopted. Her new family will travel from TN. today to take her home. They have been her for a visit to meet and bond with her. They saw her picture on the web. Yeah for Molly! They are a really lovely family. The two girls are so gentle and sweet with her. Molly is a border collie mix and will delight them with her smarts and on so sweet sugar.

I will leave you now. I have a zillion things to accomplish. A glimpse into the last two days nearly identical agenda will set me free.

Feed, clean, and care for animals. To town to Doc's for several animals. Phone calls for help to respond to. Legislative last minute efforts - calls, faxes, e-mails. Dealing with the fence, building, plumbing/electric contractors (and their poor sense of time scheduling). A burial. A trip to Jackson for feed one day, legislation the other. Errands in Grenada for feed, parts, and to pay bills. Calls out to keep abreast of working cases.

And more... Really, really crazy. Yesterday my head felt like it would implode if one more call came in. Oh how sweet it will be when Carlos can move in to the office and begin work. Edna will come to clean the cattery today.

Bye!