Commitment to Dog Rescue
by Buff Domingos
Since 1978 my sister Sarah and I have rescued at least 70 dogs in some way, shape, or form. My first dog as an adult was Burke - a gorgeous red mix of Irish setter and Afghan. I was in Maryland selling encyclopedias door to door right out of college when I came across a litter of 12 pups. The owner said, “I’m going to drown those *** after they’re weaned. Don’t want any evidence she ever had puppies. She can’t be bred if the AKC knows she had an unplanned litter with unknown fathers.” Needless to say, a few weeks later I drove back to pick up Baby Burke, the first puppy of my very own, and took my first baby step into rescue.
|
Time passed, and I and my dogs moved to North Carolina. In just seven years of living near Northgate Park in Durham, I stopped counting at 40 rescued dogs - they either found me or were given to me to rehome. Only one ended up at the local shelter unadoptable. The rest were either restored to their original owners or placed in good new homes – remarkably only one dog with me. I became known in the neighborhood as the person who collected strays. Many dogs simply wandered up and found me – they were always fed and watered and homes were located for them.
My sister Sarah joked that, over the years, every time she visited me I "found" or was found by at least one stray dog. A few of my most memorable finds were the Basset hound frolicking alone in the park, the deaf collie just running loose, the dobie mix found by a friend, the dog that hopped into the car with me and Sarah, the dog that arrived on the porch with the plumber but was not his dog, the pit bull "Blue" who found me at work – twice. |
A black ball of energy brought to my door on a string by a neighbor in 1994 was my single most memorable find during those years near Northgate Park. I kept her (after posters, newpaper ads, and calls to the shelter produced no owner), naming her “Sadie” after my sister Sarah who was also a non-stop object in motion as a youngster. Sadie grew jealous of my older girl Rusty and started harassing her, so I gave my sister her namesake as a housewarming present for her new home in Marietta, Georgia. Sadie became Sarah’s first dog as an adult.
Sarah and I currently live in an area with few loose dogs. Most of our rescues now are adopted from the abundance of worthwhile rescue organizations - some local; others as far away as Hickman Humane Society in Centerville, Tennessee. A steady stream of dogs, dog lovers, and dog owners parade past our booth at the Raleigh Flea Market. We proudly stand on our soapbox of dog rescue and responsible dog ownership, and we hand out information on local sources for discounted spay/neuter services. |