Help from departed in Humane Society adoption?
Published 8:00 am Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Jazz’s Story
It all began as two completely separate stories, but something far more special was about to happen. Fate? A little direction from a dearly departed pet? You decide.
The first part…
Tuesday after Memorial Day, Bonnie Stewart, director of adoptions for the Oconee Regional Humane Society, received a telephone call from Oconee County Animal Control looking for someone to rescue an adult full-blooded yellow Lab that had been surrendered. Foster homes for larger breed adult dogs are few, however, Bonnie knew of one such foster home currently open, the home of Larry and Tamie Moran. So, Bonnie and Tamie headed off to examine the yellow Lab.
She was a gorgeous dog weighing in at 72 pounds under the age of 2. And most unusual – she was a very calm, laid-back Lab! She was in excellent condition and had already been spayed – a perfect specimen. Both Bonnie and Tamie immediately fell in love with this dog. The only other thing to be done was the heartworm test. It did not take long for the bad news to reveal itself – this dog was HEARTWORM POSITIVE.
Unfortunately, ORHS has had to walk away from many heartworm positive dogs this year because our medical donations have dropped. While heartworm treatments are highly successful, the cost is about $400, far in excess of the $125 adoption fee. Also, it requires a commitment to foster for at least the one month it takes to treat this disease. Both Bonnie and Tamie had a major decision to make. Both were also aware that this gorgeous yellow Lab would be euthanized the next day in the absence of being rescued. But one look into the trusting eyes of this dog meant there was only one choice. Bonnie had no idea where we would get the funds to treat the heartworm, but the Moran family made the commitment to foster the yellow Lab, named Jacey.
The second part…
Steve and Sue Johnson recently lost their beloved dog, Harley. They live on Lake Oconee with their three dogs, two of which they had adopted from ORHS. They had seen a recent article about making donations in the name of a deceased pet. So Steve and Sue tracked down Bonnie Stewart to give her their donation. It was the Friday after rescuing Jacey. Bonnie immediately hugged Sue and told her this donation was the answer to their prayers as the funds were desperately needed to treat a newly rescued dog for heartworm. During the conversation, Bonnie learned Sue and Steve would be looking for another dog soon, preferably a yellow Lab and perhaps an adult as opposed to a puppy!! Was this fate?
Later that same day, Jacey and Tamie headed for the Johnson home to meet the family and see how the dogs got along. It didn’t take long before Steve and Sue knew they wanted this beautiful, sweet dog to join their family on a permanent basis. Not only that, they wanted to fund her heartworm treatment AND foster her through it. Jacey, now named Jazz, has been treated for heartworm and is recovering in her wonderful new home with the support of her forever family.
Whatever the reason these lives came together as they did, clearly, some things are just meant to be. For ORHS, it does our hearts good to be part of the story.
ORHS will be beginning their campaign soon to build an adoption center on Harmony Road in Eatonton. Tax deductible donations can be mailed to ORHS, 6350 Lake Oconee Parkway, Ste 102, Pmb 178, Greensboro, GA 30642. If you have any questions, would like to volunteer in any capacity, please call 706-454-1508 or visit our new website at www.ORHSpets.org. Until there are none – rescue one.