Rescue Me

I love my GSP. I mean really love her. Everything about her makes me smile and she brings so much joy into my life even when she is being naughty. Even when she steals the cat food off the counter, chews on my shoes or sleeps with her dog face on my pillow I love her to death. I'm bringing all this up because I read a post on a GSP Rescue blog that broke my heart today. The post is about the day, and life and inbox of a GSP rescue coordinator and volunteer. Here's the link...I recommend you read it. I will warn you that it may pull on your heart strings.
http://gsp-rescue.blogspot.com/

I have toiled with the idea for almost a year to become a foster for a GSP rescue. I practically torture myself over it. But I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet. There are so many things that worry me about it but my main concern is what if the rescue dog wants to eat my cats. GSP's have such a high prey drive. I love my cats and refuse to put them in danger. I would love to do it because I feel like it would we great to give back to a breed that has given so much to me and Jim, it would be nice to love a pup that needs it so bad, its also just the right thing to do on so many levels but yet I still can't seem to pull the trigger.

A few months back I volunteered and was a small part of helping to drive two GSP's across half the country. Perfect strangers banded together to drive 16 legs so these two dogs could get out of a sure death sentence at a high kill shelter and get to a good foster home in New Jersey. My leg was the second to last leg. I picked up the pups in Harrisburg, Pa and drove them to Center Valley, Pa which is about an hour and 20 minute ride. Here are some pics from that drive.

Above is the hand off in Harrisburg

Above is Abby. I fell in love with her.

Jim came with me for the ride. I was thankful he was with me and got to be a part of it. I think he secretly had this huge fear that I would become obsessed. That I would want to put everything on hold and become overly involved with rescues. I think he had those feelings out of love for me. He came with me to support me tho. I have to admit it was really hard. The dogs were filthy, malnourished, Abby had an awful eye wound and infection, both dogs had infections and wounds on their tails. They were clearly neglected. But they were sweet, gentle and loving. They leaned into you for loves and rubs. Regardless of all the awful things they had been through they were happy and cherished the attention.

This was the handoff to the ladies at the New Jersey GSP Rescue. When they had the pups secured and Jim and I left as we drove away he turned to me in the car and said, "Baby, do you feel good? You did a good thing."  I blurted out NO!! And then burst into tears and sobbed the whole way home. I don't even know why. I just did. The whole thing broke my heart. I just wanted to take Abby home, I was mad that jerk people treated these sweet pups terribly, I was happy that I helped, I was proud that so many people stepped up to save these dogs, I was disappointed in myself for being such a puss about it, and I went home and hugged Cleo a little tighter. But it was a great experience...and I learned alot.

So I'm still on the fence. Not sure what I will do but regardless I think rescue is a great thing. I totally support helping out rescues....I have their calenders, T-shirts, I make contributions to chip-in and I know those things help. Maybe sometime this summer Jim and I will give it a shot. Who knows.....but after reading that blog post it really brought everything back up for me. Funny how those things happen. At the bottom of this blog I have links posted to various GSP rescues....check them out and also look them up on facebook. Thanks.