Saying "thank you" and "goodbye" to 350 rescued dogs

UAN volunteer Cass Gilbert of Illinois visits a beautiful Akita

It was with mixed emotions that the UAN volunteers said goodbye to the 350+ four-legged furry friends we have been caring for in Hilliard, Ohio for the past week. We are thrilled that we played a part in liberating these dogs from the horrific conditions they lived in for years. We are proud that we were able to set up and operate a temporary shelter operation in less than ideal conditions. We are amazed at the resiliency these animals showed after all that was done to them by human beings. 

And we are so impressed by the incredible support of the community. The cars kept pulling up with donations: we had mountains of blankets, towels, sheets and dog beds; tables full of cleaning supplies and peanut butter; a wall of paper towels and so much more! Additionally, anywhere from 25 to more than 125 local volunteers arrived on any given day and they were all willing to do whatever we needed them to do, from cleaning cages to washing dishes. We couldn’t have done it without them.

One of the more timid, frightened of the rescued dogs

On the other hand, we are sad to be leaving our new charges. The dogs will stay at the temporary shelter until various rescue organizations and shelters arrive to move them on to more traditional accommodations while they wait for their forever homes. They will remain under the care of the Clark County Humane Society, led by shelter manager extraordinaire Chuck Jones, who has worked tirelessly for the past several weeks. Chuck was the first person at the shelter every day (seven days a week) and the last person to leave.  He showed amazing patience with the many bumps experienced along the way and his compassion for the animals touched everyone. If we could clone him we would never see another homeless animal!

Assisting Chuck is Kirstin Kiefer, a local volunteer who probably didn’t know what she was getting into when she volunteered (no arm-twisting, honest!) to train with some of the UAN team leaders so she could lead the volunteer caregivers after our departure. The long days and the physical demands of handling so many large and excited dogs didn’t intimidate her at all. She is a natural, and I can’t wait to see her as a UAN volunteer on a future deployment.

A freshly groomed dog explores his surroundings

The dogs are starting to trickle out. about 25 have left, including three who went to German shepherd rescue in Pennsylvania with UAN volunteers Dale and Diane Buhl. We are hopeful the rest of the dogs will be out of the barn by the end of the week.

So after a weekend of wild weather — from torrential downpours and flooding to freezing temperatures and high winds — we take our leave of these lovely dogs. This group of dogs has been by far the most timid I have seen, with many dogs having never experienced human touch, and most with very little socialization.  But in the short time we cared for them, we witnessed some amazing changes and are confident more will occur. And it couldn’t have happened without the UAN volunteers’ dedication and hard work. There were many who deployed for the first time, but you would never have known it. They just jumped in and acted like they had been doing this their entire lives, many of them taking on leadership roles themselves. That is a great testament to the experienced volunteers who were great leaders and mentors. The dogs thank you!

Found alone in a dark shed, this dog is learning to accept human affection

As we were finishing up Sunday evening, the most amazing thing happened: An emergency vehicle with sirens blowing sped past and the entire shelter erupted in one simultaneous howl.  It was at once the most beautiful and heart-rending sound I have ever heard, making all of us laugh but also filling our eyes with tears. It sounded as though they were all saying thank you and goodbye to us, while assuring us they were survivors and will be fine now that they had been liberated from years of neglect. The sound, and the dogs, lifted my heart and nourished my soul and made me grateful to be a part of such an amazing experience.