In spite of the fact that Claire was horribly ill, no vetting was given during this grueling period. The day she was released to New Rattitude Rat Terrier Rescue www.newrattitude.org, she weighed 7.2 lbs, was highly infested with fleas, and showing early signs of Kennel Cough.

We named her Claire and agreed that as long as we could keep her fairly comfortable, we would do all we could to save her. So began her journey to recovery.

Claire was initially diagnosed with diabetes and Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), explaining her state of near starvation. While these were pretty big hurdles in and of themselves, the kennel cough presented her biggest immediate challenge.

For the first couple weeks Claire would walk a fine line between life and death. Her days were spent at Milwood Animal Clinic, under the loving care of Dr. L. Stewart and an amazing clinic staff. Here she received life sustaining IV fluids and antibiotics. She was started on low doses of insulin to control her diabetes and porcine enzymes to treat her EPI. In the evening she returned to her foster home — should she lose this battle, we were determined she wouldn’t die alone. Claire inspired us all by showing her amazing will to live, through her darkest hours she would still give a wag of that stubby tail and a sloppy kiss.

The next several months would include numerous trips to the vet. While the EPI was quickly brought under control, the diabetes would prove more difficult. Much trial and error ensued before finding the right combination of food and insulin to restore her little body to normalcy.

It has been nearly seven months since the day Claire was rescued. Her recovery has resulted from the combined efforts of many people across the United States including the members and supporters of New Rattitude who never waivered in their promise to help her while the costs continued to mount; a highly skilled vet who diagnosed her early on with EPI (the much needed digestive enzymes were critical to Claire’s survival); the valuable guidance and help from a forum called www.epi4dogs.com that helped in getting the EPI under control quickly; and of course, the love and perseverance of a foster family who worked for months to find that magic combination that would finally bring her diabetes to a manageable state.

Today, Claire is a healthy Rat Terrier weighing 11.2 lbs, but she has one final health challenge to overcome. Claire has mature diabetic cataracts in both eyes. This type of cataract impairs functional vision and also causes lens-induced anterior uveitis, a form of immune-mediated inflammation inside the eyes. Claire has been examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist. Her retinas were found to be healthy and normal, with cataract surgery she has been given a 99% chance of regaining her vision.

Claire would love to join in on chasing squirrels with the rest of her pack. She longs to run in her yard and not crash into the chain link fence, or to go for walks in the woods and not have to carried most of the way for fear she’ll run into a stick or twig and lose an eye completely. There is an ever present fear of her falling down a flight of stairs, or off the deck or retaining wall. We want that added cushion of safety that sight will give her. Although Claire has become very familiar with her foster home, we watch her struggle whenever she goes to new places. She is so very vulnerable in her blindness.

The EPI and diabetes are conditions Claire will live with for the rest of her life, but thankfully are now being well-managed. To complete Claire’s rescue journey from sickly shelter dog to a healthy, much-loved family pet, Claire will soon be undergoing expensive cataract surgery. We at New Rattitude, along with the medical staff caring for her, feel that giving her back her sight is one of the greatest gifts we can offer.

The community of volunteers who called themselves “Friends of the Animals” banded together, bought property and built a new shelter.  Under new guidance, the adoption rate improved, as did the condition of the kennels and care, but they were still overcome by the numbers of abandoned and abused animals.  Dr. Carol Hood, a local Vet, gave up her practice and took over the helm of the struggling shelter.  She aided Cynthia Woods in establishing the Rolling Rescue and soon had contacts in the states that had successfully controlled the pet population.  They started taking transports to New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Florida and soon the adoption rate was really looking good, coming close to qualifying for a No-kill shelter.

Dr. Hood started establishing other programs – RAM (Rural Area Medical) actually started coming in with free neuter/spay clinics for the people that qualified.  She continued seeking and found a mobile clinic that now rolls in every month to offer a cheaper source of spay/neuter to the people whose income falls in between.

Still on the go, she joined up with Habitat for fencing projects for people who could not afford a fenced area for their pet, went into the projects and gave free rabies vaccinations, and then set up an in-shelter operative room so that she could “fix” the shelter pets before they were adopted.

Her remarkable staff is just that, remarkable.  They assist in surgery.  They assist with the health certificates and immunizations necessary to send these dogs and cats to the other states on Rolling Rescue.  They work long and hard but always greet people with a smile and a willingness to help match you with that perfect pet, but let’s just pick one little boy’s story that comes to mind.

One cold December day, a couple just happened to pull up behind a man attempting to steal a pick up truck.  In panic, he jumped into his accomplice’s vehicle and sped off – running over a helpless Beagle who picked that time to cross the street.  The couple immediately stopped, scooped him up and that is how he found himself at the Newport Animal Shelter.  Unfortunately, the trauma had left him with a spinal injury and they found he was unable to walk.  His spirit and his attitude was so huge, however, he became the mascot and greeted everyone as they walked through the door.

This small community has people – I mean GOOD people.  They had bake sales and yard sales and just donated money, and Esther Murphy drove through the community, sitting out jars in different businesses for donations until they came up with enough money for the Beagle (now called Forrest) a set of wheels, and then Esther got on line, found a chair and actually got a discount.  Forrest got his chair and, boy, could he make those wheels fly.  Because of his attitude, Dr. Hood contacted the local nursing homes and soon Jerry Fontaine and I were making visits.  He would wrestle Forrest in and out of the SUV in his chair and also brought along his own certified pet therapy dog, Abby, and every three weeks would find us in the hallways of the assisted living “Wellington Center” and the nursing home “Baptist Convalescent Center.  The patients loved both dogs but Forrest absolutely won their hearts – of course, what was not to love – a dog in a wheel chair wearing Depends…

He jogged the hallways for almost a year, warming people with his attitude and adoption to his set of wheels.  In December of 2008, they celebrated his one-year stay as a birthday party.  His success at doing PR for the shelter had just been wonderful and miracle of miracles, they actually caught him starting to stand and even take a step.

We took him on his usual visit on a Thursday and when we returned, we were told that was his last visit, he would be on a transport to Florida the next day.  Everyone was devastated with the news.  Now these transports are all manned by volunteers.  A van is leased on Friday evening and the dogs that have places in rescues are put in the van.  The volunteer after maybe working an 8 hour shift, swings into the van with his or her charges and drives overnight, stopping to water and walk the dogs.  In Florida, there are five stops starting in Jacksonville, down the east coastline and then switching over to the west coast, back up and heading back for Newport with very little sleep and a van that had to be turned in Monday morning.

The shelter got a call from the volunteer carrying Forrest, the rescue who was going to take him had tested him and found he had feeling in his back legs.  He was reloaded and directed toward a larger rescue.  A few weeks later they got the news that he was in hydrotherapy and would walk again.  Just imagine!!!

Now how to get this news out to the volunteers who helped drive these transports; and to the community who had helped buy his wheel chair; and the nursing home patients and personnel who loved him….So the following story was written and was the first of what is now a weekly “letter from Forrest” bringing news of other adoptions to everyone.  It has been almost a year and he is even receiving letters written to the editor…He is doing a great job – and of course, at 70, I have something new to add to my resume – I’m a ghostwriter for a dog.

FORREST WRITES AGAIN

Hello, Newport, remember me – the cute little Beagle in the wheelchair?  I know you haven’t heard from me in some time, but you see, I have been very busy.

I was one of the 200 transports last month from Newport Animal Shelter.  My destination was sunny, sandy Florida where within just a few days I was adopted by a wonderful family.  Immediately I was started in what my new mom called “Physical Therapy”.  Now this is really tough and has taken up a lot of my time.  I am happy to report, however, that I have walked three whole steps.  Boy, the rabbits here better start getting ready – uh, they do have rabbits in Florida, right?

Anyway, I think all the time about my friends I left behind in Newport and just thought, I’ll bet they don’t know how I’m doing and then I thought, shoot, these great people probably don’t know anything about what happens to us when we get here.  Well, I’m hoping to take care of that.  I’ve been talking to my people (all celebrities have people, you know) and they are going to open up a line of communication so I will be able to bring you some of their stories.  I hope you will get involved as well and visit the shelter often so you can meet some of these guys I’ll be telling you about.  You can actually take one or two for a walk, or scratch their back, or take a picture of them, or maybe pat one of the hard working girls and guys on the back for a job well done.  Please tell the little furry ones headed out to other parts, I said they are going to have a good life – get ready.  Oh, yes, I’ve already had to have a new wheelchair.  I’ve gained a little weight.  I know, I know, Chris – NO MORE FRENCH FRIES…

Anyway, I brought my Volunteer cap and jacket with me and I intend to let everyone know about a county that cared enough to pick up an unknown dog from a road and bring them to a place where they could be cared for, and a county that cared enough to donate enough money for that dog’s first wheelchair.  Maybe someday, it won’t be necessary to look for forever homes for these unfortunate dogs so far away from Cocke County but I am certainly glad that ride was available to me last month.

I understand that Newport Shelter’s Animal Fair brought in almost $3,000.  Gosh, that will fund a lot of good stories like mine…You guys keep doing such good work, I’m going to have to work my paws to the bone.  They did have a few donated items left over and intend to give ya’ll an opportunity to bid on them at a later date.  Told you good people live in Cocke County.

So until next month, when I hope to write you again (sure glad my front legs work so I can write), please remember to support my friends at the shelter and say “Hi!” to all my friends at Wellington Place and Baptist Convalescent Center.  Oh, and that good looking red long-haired Dachshund, Abbie, that went with me to see those patients.  She is sure some looker.

Miss y’all but please look for my future letters.

Forrest

(aka)  Arlene Yoder Eagle