August 2018
Our 18th annual Rescue Picnic was July 21, and it was one of the best ever. The adopters who came have been at picnics many times before and most of them knew each other already. The weather was perfect and the dogs all got along. We had a chance to see many of the dogs we know well and visit with some very good friends. The picnic is one of the high points of our year and this one was special. You can see more photos at https://nwsams.smugmug.com/Rescue/2018-Rescue-Picnic/.
Theresa and John lost their boy Scooter in 2017, but they came anyway because they love the dogs. We asked them to hang onto Nanuk for the afternoon to keep him separated from Rowdy; the two have had issues in past months. He obviously liked them and was happy all afternoon. They came to us at the end of the picnic and asked if they could foster him. First we had to contact someone else we were already talking to about fostering, and when that was done we called and said yes. Nanuk is living with them in Kalama now and he’s a happy boy. They go for long walks, exactly what he needs. Meanwhile our lives are so much more peaceful and we don’t have to keep all the gates closed. You can see by the pictures how well this is working.
It has been six long months since we picked up the three Iowa puppy mill girls from Prairieland, a backyard breeder in Brush Prairie. Only in the past month have they truly begun relaxing; they are still fearful of nearly everything, but now they take food from us. Last week Fena actually tolerated getting scratched on her neck. It’s a mark of their past lives, and what was done to them, that it has taken so long.
We have been talking to Kathi Bacon for the last two months about the possibility of her fostering one of the girls. Joy stopped by to evaluate the dogs and we concluded Fena would have the best chance if separated from the others. Sophie has been the leader and Fena is willing to be led, so placing her in a home with two other well-behaved dogs may be exactly what she needs. Kathi spent a lot of time during the wait getting ready, beefing up her fencing, and setting up a very secure area in her home.
We have said from the beginning that the number one requirement for one of the girls would be a secure yard with double fencing; if any one of these girls escaped, she would never, ever return to a human. Kathi’s home, her care of dogs, her understanding, and her timing is totally what we needed for Fena. We think she is one in a million. Kathi picked up Fena on August 11. She tolerated the move, and Sophie and Tessa accepted the change here. We will accelerate training and desensitization for the two of them as much as we can.
Back in 2005 we heard about a Sammy pup in the shelter in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Our daughter Kristina picked her up for us and we brought her across the state. We could see Emily was a mix, but she was young, cute and adoptable. We placed her with a family in Portland who decided she had so much energy they put her out in the yard. She was bored and ate the wiring out from under a travel trailer, and they returned her to us. Shortly after that we took in a young male, and the people who came to see him decided they wanted two dogs, so we adopted both to them. She continued as an active young dog, and along with the boy they ripped out a water feature in their yard. So Emily came back to us a second time, and a dog who comes back twice gets to stay.
Shortly after this happened, Kristina’s husband Jim called and told us he would like to surprise Kristina by coming over and adopting Emily. She has lived with them ever since. Emily has been joined by four children and she has been a perfect family dog. Emily is getting old now and slowing down, but is still a big part of their family. We had a chance to visit with them recently and Emily is every bit as wonderful as ever.
Northwest Samoyed Rescue is happy to announce the addition of four new board members who will help us move into the future. Joining Ron, Kathy, Melissa, Terry, and Joy will be Erin & Tom Sitterley, Holley Irvine, and Hans Bjordahl. These four have been helping us as volunteers for many years, and as board members they will help us transition to new leadership when the founders turn over the Rescue reins. Meanwhile we’ll all work together to make that eventual transition as seamless as we can.