not scouts - a plea to re-unite a little girl and her dog - poss. service project? (long)

[LauraT7]

This is not scout related - or maybe a troop could chip in and make this a service project by or including this as part of patrol trip?

 

Going to springfield might help with one of the citizenship badges.... but let me explain....

 

In addition to scouting, my son and I are involved with Golden Retreiver Rescue of Wisconsin - which also services Northern Illinois. Breed specific rescue groups like ours take in dogs of their breed specialty from county shelters, strays and owner relinquishments. The dogs are placed in foster homes with families while they recieve medical care, training and are behaviorally assesed for placement in a permanent adoptive home.

 

In addition to assesing dogs for intake and interviewing potential adoptive families; one of the things Jon and I do is provide transport - say, from the previous owner to the foster home, or from the foster home to the adoptive family. In one unusual case we are trying to transport a dog named Apollo from Appleton, WI to St. Louis, MO to re-unite him with his original family, including 12 yr old girl.

 

Here's the story....

 

As often happens, a family split, mom got custody of the daughter, and dad got custody of the dog, with the agreement that should he ever not want the dog, Mom and daughter get to have the dog back. Dad moved to Wisconsin, remarried and new wife hates dogs. Rather than notify the ex-wife- Dad simply turns the dog over to rescue. Luckily, mom finds out about this, and tries to get the Golden back. problem is, the Golden is in Wisconsin, and his little girl & Mom are in St. Louis.

 

We have transport to the greater chicago area / collar counties. I will have him here overnight Friday night, June 6, and St Louis rescue can pick him up somewhere north of Springfield Sat or Sunday. I can meet someone around the Chicago suburbs; Du Page, Boone, Kane counties? if they can take him north of Springfield, IL. to meet with a St. Louis rescue volunteer.

 

The foster family says the dog, Apollo, is a real sweetheart and that if they didn't know he HAD a loving family waiting for him, they would keep him.

 

This is a "but for the grace of God, go I" situation. When I divorced many years ago, I was faced with the posibility of having to give up my beloved 7 yr old goldens. I managed to keep them somehow - being a single mom isn't easy - fiunancially -and they were our best buddies for many years. Toby lived to 13 1/2 and Tara lived past 15 - they made a HUGE difference in our lives as a family. Jon's dad once gave away his black lab, Cinders, they had that Jon loved, and we found out too late to rescue her from the shelter they turned her into - she went to another family. It was right after Tara died, and Jon was really devasted by losing all his dogs in a few short years. Jon could understand old age and cancer taking Tara and Toby - but giving away a family member is something children NEVER understand. Not long after that, we adopted Tristan from rescue, and he brought our whole family out of a deep depression.

 

I don't know this little girl or her dog - Apollo. All I know is that she's 12 - just Jon's age. I keep seeing Jon and this little girl facing the same pain - and this time I might be able to help STOP it! So I've taken a personal interest in this particular transport.

 

is there anyone out there that can help transport this baby home to his little girl?

 

Contact Laura Tobin

laurat7@sbcglobal.net

or

tlaurat7@hotmail.com

 

We tried last weekend, and if we can't get it together this weekend, we will keep trying until we do. I would take him all the way myself if I could - but I have been unemployed since January and with Gas prices as high as they are, and a gas-sucking Van, I just can't afford the long trip.