U.S. Collaboration For Fall Haul To Scooby Medina And Shelter Aid To Spain
September 25 - 30, 2009
A group of dedicated volunteers from different parts of the United States collaborated for a very special trip to Scooby Medina Shelter in Medina del Campo Spain, Sept. 25 � 30th 2009. The goal of this trip was to volunteer at Scooby, bring hundreds of pounds of supplies to a few shelters and to bring back 11 lucky dogs from Scooby and 1 from a shelter in Valencia Spain.
Diane Ward of Scooby North America planned this trip and was joined by Paula La Porte of Forever Home Greyhounds with a group of volunteers from the East coast, Amy Ross, Claire Dayton-Cook, Julie Quinn and one GRIN volunteer, Gayle Uyehara, from the West Coast. The team effort proved a great success! GRIN volunteer, Gayle, handed off our supplies to a volunteer named Beatriz from the Podenco shelter in the Canary Islands called APANOT. The shelter representative was ecstatic with the needed supplies and donation that our supporters made possible through our Shelter Aid Program. This particular shelter has it tough being isolated on an island with few adoptions. To view the shelter, go to: http://apanotenerife.spaces.live.com or http://www.youtube.com/user/vannelglez
The trip to Scooby was memorable as all these volunteers pulled together to bring back the 12 dogs which included 6 adults and 6 puppies! GRIN's two lucky adoptees were Rafia, a sweet little Podenca from Scooby Medina Shelter, now in the loving home of Chuck and Jane Totten, and Caroline, a young Galga that was rescued from a killing station in Valencia last August by rescuer Silvia Bordetas who saved her the day before she was going to be put to death. Her fate was sealed that day and she was given a chance for a new life in the states by GRIN supporters, Don and Elaine Irving in California. After a long trip from Spain, Gayle delivered both lucky dogs safe and sound to their prospective families and both are reported doing fantastic after their long adventure. Both of the dogs have adjusted very quickly to living in a home and both especially like sleeping on the beds! Caroline has been reported �roaching� the same night she arrived and is playing with stuffies!
The other dogs have gone to their respective people and groups. Two special cases include Lucho/Joaquin who is a tripod galgo who came to Scooby with a mangled leg from a car accident and had to have his leg amputated. Former GRIN adopter Chris Mosley welcomed Lucho/Joaquin into her home where he will be spoiled for life! Four puppies headed for Indiana. and a special Galga girl named Truda is in the care of Forever Home Greyhounds in NY to have treatment for a spinal injury. Scooby mixes also have had a chance at life in the states as two came back and will be taken into Peppertree Rescue to be homed. Please read the following article by Barbara Kucharczyk on who Peppertree is and the work they have done to help some Scooby mixes.
We want to thank all these marvelous volunteers and groups for helping GRIN in the handling of the hundreds of pounds of supplies that went to Scooby and the other shelters and for their determination to take on the huge challenge of bringing back a few lucky souls! Our thanks and hats are off to all you amazing people who value the lives of these dogs in Spain and as always to Scooby Founder, Fermin Perez, for his big heart.
Telma Shaw and the GRIN Board
How I found out about the Scooby refuge and how Peppertree got �involved�:
About ten years ago I read an article about Fermin rescuing three galgos from an abandoned well. After that, I made it a goal in life to adopt a galgo. I never in my wildest dreams expected to be a Scooby volunteer helping hundreds of animals nor did I ever think that my rescue network would expand to another continent. I have many people to thank for that � most importantly Peppertree who bought into my crazy idea of bringing Spanish dogs to the US!
BANNI - Mestizo (Spanish for mutt), female, 4 months. Banni is from the Scooby Refuge in Spain. She was found with a life threatening cut to her throat. The staff at Scooby took wonderful, loving care of her and helped her back to good health. Ahmed (Scooby Refuge Manager) had a wish that she would come to the USA and find a wonderful family to dote on her! We really do not know what breed Banni is � but she is a very petite little dog. She is currently 7 pounds and we do not think she is going to get much larger than 15-20 pounds. She is good with other dogs, but sometimes gets stepped on. Like Boris, she quickly learned how to go up and down the stairs. Banni loves to curl up on your chest and put her head on your shoulder and just fall asleep. She has a wonderful personality despite all of the horrific things that have happened to her in her short life. Banni will always have a special place in the hearts of Ahmed and Scooby, the volunteers that carried her over from Spain and Peppertree. Like Boris, we are so pleased that she is in the USA and that we may find her that special home that will love her.
BORIS - GSD Mix, male, 3-4 years. Boris is from the Scooby Refuge in Spain. He had been at the shelter for several years and was starting to become depressed and grow thin. When Peppertree found out some volunteers were going over to Spain, we took the opportunity to grab Boris so that he could have a proper home and life. Boris is a handsome, smart boy. He is a little shy with new people but once he realizes you will not hurt him, he will be your shadow. Despite his shyness, he is street smart and super curious about his new world! He learned stairs in less than a day, and loves the fact he can come into the house and be warm after doing his business outside. He is good with other dogs and does like to play with them. Cats are unknown. We would recommend older children since quick movements might scare him. Boris is a handsome boy who will make a family a wonderful, loyal companion. We are so pleased to have him here and give him a chance at a true forever home.
Note � Boris was actually part of the rescue from Seville. His first year of life was spent tied to a tree with a rusty drum as a dog house. In 2008 the team from Scooby rescued him. He eventually became a �perimeter� dog and there was no interest in him. So when we found out that some volunteers were going to Spain � we grabbed the opportunity to bring him to the USA!
Peppertree (PT) is an awesome organization! I have been in rescue for 13 years � and PT is the best group to work with. Over my 5 years with PT, I have taken in super shys and hard to place breed like chow chows. The PT group has an amazing amount of rescue history and experience. They are willing to work with any breed and work through any issue (especially dogs like Boris who haven�t had a lot of socialization in their early, developmental months of life).
In Peppertree's first year working with Scooby, we have pulled 8 dogs from Scooby: Cocu and Malacara (I adopted both boys) � Becky, Elvira, Luis, Jara, Bani and Boris. We are already pulling together our �wish list� of dogs that may have special needs and need a break from the shelter. We are hoping to grab another 5 in May 2010.
Our website is www.peppertree.org. If you look on our website, we have a newsletter portion � I wrote a lengthy article about my experience in February 2009 in Spain.
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Do you remember the hairless galgo ridden with a horrendous case of the mange that had been wandering the streets in southern Spain? His name is Parchito, he was rescued and cared for and now has made his journey to his forever home in Belgium. We now know that Parchito is a beautiful black galgo, his hair is growing back, he is doing great. On October 17th, 2009 he is being transported to Germany to his forever home. Thanks to everyone who helped give this boy his life back!
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