Zoey's story begins long before November 4, 2005. How long before, and the details of that story, are known only to her. But her body told us some things. When she was discovered that day in an Ohio shelter by a kind-hearted soul named RoxAnn, she was coughing, painfully thin and frail, dirty, and shaking continuously. She appeared to be between 6 and 8 years old. Although she had been there only 5 days, she was scheduled for euthanasia later that day. RoxAnn had adopted a Schnoodle the month before, and as a result of the kennel cough the Schnoodle brought home to her other 2 dogs, RoxAnn was already nursing 3 sick dogs. She could not take another. She called her friend Stephanie, another doodle owner. Stephanie called her sister, Helene.....that's me.... a Labradoodle breeder active in the Labradoodle breeder and owner communities. I posted notices to all the rescue and doodle discussion boards available to me about the urgency of this dog's situation. Five hours later I received an email from a breeder in Tennessee named Tom Smith. He wanted to adopt the dog and bring her home to Tennessee. But Canton, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee are more than 500 miles apart....and the dog's hours were numbered. Nevertheless, a call was made to the shelter to put a hold on the dog until 4 PM the next day. First thing in the morning on Saturday, November 5th, RoxAnn went to the shelter to get the dog out. RoxAnn took her to a boarding kennel as she could not take her home. Posts to a doodle discussion forum called The Doodle Zoo (http: //thedoodlezoo.com) brought numerous offers of help. People unable to help physically offered financial assistance to defray the costs of adoption, boarding, transportation and veterinary fees. The 'Zoo' was in action, and the dog was dubbed, 'Zoey'. One Sunday November 6th, I made the 150 mile trip to Canton to pick up Zoey. Back in Columbus, I was met by Vera, a doodle owner from Cincinnati who had made the 100 mile drive up to Columbus to get Zoey for the next leg. Vera was met in Cincinnati by Ken, who took Zoey the next 100 miles to Louisville, KY. Tom was waiting in Louisville to drive Zoey the 250 miles back to his home in Nashville, TN. Zoey arrived in Nashville near midnight November 6th. While we will likely never know what circumstances brought Zoey to that shelter, we do know that a group of generous and compassionate people changed her life. I want to thank RoxAnn, Stephanie, Vera, Ken, and especially Tom for showing us how to be our best. And included in the list to thank are all the Zoo-ers who supported and encouraged this effort. If you are looking for a fun-loving, helpful, wonderful group to chat with online....find them at http: //thedoodlezoo.com! If you are considering a Labradoodle, and have circumstances that would allow it (children over about age 8, no allergy problems in your family) please consider looking for an F1 Labradoodle in a shelter or rescue. There are rescue boards at: http://disc.server.com/Indices/213827.html/ http://www.fpv.com/rescuedogs.html or contact your local shelter. If you choose to buy from a breeder, please find a reputable one. There is a great webpage about finding a good breeder at: http://idog.biz/The%20Right%20Doodle/IDOGTheRightBreeder.html Tom, who participated in this rescue, is no longer breeding but was a great example of a good breeder, and there are others at our resource page: http://westwoodlabradoodles.com/links.html The lovely rendering of Zoey at the top of the page was done by Davis, working from a photograph taken in my front yard the day of the rescue. You can visit his website at: http://www.studiofritz.com Zoey updates: Monday November 7, Tom took Zoey to the vet and reported the following: Zoey is approximately 7-8 years old and possibly as old as 10. Her weight is 25 pounds. She is infested (and probably has been for awhile) with roundworms and whipworms. She is negative for heartworms. She definitely has kennel cough and she is on antibiotics and cough medication for that. There is a definite problem with her hips and she also has a heart murmur. The vet isn't sure if the hip problem is due to an injury or a genetic problem. Her teeth aren't in great shape but she is able to crunch kibble and treats without any problem. There are a few small cyst-like growths on her body and an unusual swelling or growth above her front left elbow. This, along with her hip problem, will be explored after she regains some strength. Wednesday, November 9 Tom reported that as of this morning Zoey had gained 2.5 lbs! Monday November 14 Tom reports that Zoey's personality is really beginning to shine as she begins to feel better. She is enjoying walks despite her hip problem and is VERY interested in his cat. Epilogue Zoey settled into life on Tom's farm. She gained weight, made friends, and her coat became luminous and silky. Zoey died onTuesday, May 30, 2006, with Tom at her side. At the time of her death the vet estimated her age at 12-14 years of age, much older than we originally thought. All of us who followed Zoey's story thank Tom for allowing Zoey into his home and into his heart. Because of him she died with someone who cared for her instead of in a shelter. A poem to go with this saga: The Difference by Randy Poole Amidst the morning mist of the swift returning tide I set out on my daily run, the sunlight shining bright. Lost within my private world apart from cares and woes I ran along the moistened shore, the sand between my toes. In the distance, I saw a boy, as busy as can be. He was running, stooping, picking up, and tossing in the sea. Just what he threw, I couldn’t tell, I looked as I drew near. It seemed to be a rock or shell—as I approached him I could hear, “Back you go, where you belong. You’re safe now, hurry home. Your family’s waiting for you little starfish, rush along!” It seemed the evening tide had washed the starfish on the shore, And the swift receding water left a thousand there, or more. And this self-appointed savior, was trying one-by-one To toss them back into the sea, against the racing sun. I saw his plight was hopeless, that most of them would die. I called out from my private world, “Hey kid, why even try?” “Must be at least a thousand here, strewn along the beach, And even if you had the time, most you will never reach. You really think it makes a difference, to waste your time this way?” And then I paused and waited, just to hear what he would say. He stooped and took another, and looked me in the eye. “It makes a difference to this one sir, this starfish will not die!” With that, he tossed the little life back where there was hope. He stooped to save another. I could tell this was no joke. Those few words that he spoke to me cut like a surgeon’s knife. Where I saw only numbers, he saw only life. He didn’t see the multitude of starfish on the sand. He only saw the little life he held there in his hands. He didn’t stop to argue, to prove that he was right. He just kept tossing starfish in the sea with all his might. So I, too stooped, and I picked up, and I tossed into the sea, And I thought, oh, what a difference that this one soul made in me. Author: Helene Roussi Search the Westwood site to find information on Labradoodles and Goldendoodles! |
An online community saved Zoey's life
Westwood Doodles:
Labradoodles, Goldendoodles,
and North American Retrievers
Labradoodles, Goldendoodles,
and North American Retrievers
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