March-April 2021 | Volume 1, No. 1 | |
Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue | |
|
|
"Homeward Bound," is a newsletter from Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue (SOLR).
In each issue, we bring you stories about our rescue work and the wonderful people who make our mission possible.
| | | |
"On the Frontlines" is a regular feature about the many jobs we all do to carry out our rescue mission. Each newsletter will focus on a different area. We begin this issue with our transportation volunteers -- both in the air and on the land. | |
Flying High
By Nancy Schuessler
|
Several times a year, Al Johnson boards his blue and white Cessna airplane and flies from Marana Regional Airport to Deming, New Mexico and back. His cargo? A homeless dog. His mission? To help it find a family.
Al is one of the many volunteers who transport dogs to our rescue for re-homing. “It starts with a phone call. If I’m available, I’ll get the basic details and look at the weather. If that’s a go, I might prepare the plane a day before; one less thing to worry about,” says Al. Most trips take him about six hours door-to-door. “Transport day starts about four hours before departure with dog duties at home and fixing a lunch. I arrive at the airport about 30 minutes before departure, get the plane ready, pull it out of the hanger, and I’m on way.”
Al has been transporting dogs by plane about two years. But it doesn’t happen without sacrifice. The fuel alone costs about $50 an hour. If you add in other costs like insurance, storage, airport fees, and more, the total cost might be closer to $120 an hour. But that’s just a guess on Al’s part.
Why does he do it? “I’m helping the dogs.”
So far, Al has made over a dozen flights for SOLR. He removed the back seat to make a large cargo area for a dog crate. One dog can fit comfortably in his 1972 Cessna 182P. If there are two dogs, they must both stay in the same crate – and there can’t be any fights. “Once I’m in the air, I can’t do anything about a fight.” He remembers flying 13 tiny puppies on a two-hour flight from Deming, NM to Buckeye, AZ. “They had a little accident before takeoff, and I had to deal with the smell for two hours. But it was worth it.” The two volunteers who received the pups at the airport cleaned everything up, which he was grateful for!
Going by air is not always the most reliable means of transport. Bad weather and other factors can intervene. In two years, Al has had to postpone two trips – both for weather.
Most rescues happen by car. Volunteers might cross several state lines or even the U.S. border to help a dog in need. Some drive hours, even days.
SOLR rescues Labs from an area that includes Arizona, Utah, Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Getting them here takes patience, love, and determination. Rescuing one dog might involve 300 to 1200 miles and up to 10 volunteers. SOLR currently has 25 volunteers who assist with transportation.
How does it all come together? It begins with Jeannette Wahl, SOLR’s transport coordinator. Jeannette, who lives in Phoenix, has been heading up the transport team for several months. “When we get a request to save a Lab, I check to see where it is,” says Jeannette. “There are people in different states who help. They set up transport from their state to all over the United States. If it is a Labrador from another state, I will see if they can help. When the dog gets close to Arizona, I will use our transporters to finish the trip.”
Not all transports involve interstate travel. There are short runs, too. Volunteers take dogs to and from vet appointments, public events, fundraisers, and appointments with potential adopters. “It’s very rewarding,” says Jeannette. “We cannot save dogs without this process.” She says transport volunteers get a special reward: “They get to see the new dog before anyone else sees it.”
| | | |
Here's a diary of a typical transport: |
-
A request comes in asking SOLR to save two Labs from the El Paso Animal Services that have been taken away from their owner – Joey, a one-year old yellow male and Ross a one-year old black male. Jeanette sets to work setting up transport. Here’s how it goes:
-
A worker at the pound volunteers to drive them from El Paso, Texas to Wilcox, Arizona, which is 236 miles. This does not include the drive back home!
-
Stan Lindenfeld picks them up and drives them 123 miles to Picacho Peak, Arizona.
-
Fred Rykwalder drives them 99 miles to Chaparral Veterinary in Cave Creek, AZ, for their health checkup. After the checkup, they will need to get to their foster homes.
-
Erica Gudenkauf, Joey’s foster Mom, drives 27 miles to Cave Creek, AZ. She picks Joey up after his checkup, then drives him to her home in Anthem, AZ.
-
Jeannette Wahl picks up Ross and drives him 10 miles to meet foster, Brian Hubbell.
-
Brian Hubbell, Ross’s foster Dad, drives Ross an additional 30 miles to his home in Gilbert, AZ.
And it all happens in just one day!
|  | | |
Interested in joining our team? Send us an email or click below to learn more about volunteering. | | |
Bailey's "after" photo is pictured below in "Amazing Achievements," along with new owner, Madie Janik. | |
This pretty 18-month-old Labrador mix was rescued last September from a scrappy field in Texas, where she was dumped and left for dead. She weighed only 31 pounds! She was dirty, sick, and severely malnourished. Sadly, her owner had not even taken off her red collar before abandoning her to die.
When a call came in asking if SOLR could save her, we did not hesitate. Our volunteers went to work immediately, arranging transport from Odessa, Texas to Tucson, Arizona. She would travel 622 miles to get here.
Her first stop? Andrews Veterinary Clinic. Here, she was given a complete health examination. Testing revealed she had tick fever – an infection caused by tick bites. Without treatment, it can cause fever, pain, loss of appetite, breathing problems, stiff joints, seizures, and eventual death.
Bailey would have certainly died a terrible death if SOLR had not been able to help. Thankfully, Bailey is alive and well today. Her tick fever was successfully treated with antibiotics, and on October 10, 2020, Bailey was adopted by Madie Janik, a foster team outreach member with SOLR. “I love her more than I ever knew was possible,” says Madie. “I am so thankful to SOLR for bringing her into my life.”
Madie has renamed her “Lucy Lou.” She describes Lucy as a wild child who loves to run, chase, and hike mountains. Madie still fosters other lost dogs for SOLR, and Lucy teaches them how to find their forever families. “She is one of the smartest dogs I have ever met.”
Today, Lucy Lou (formerly Bailey) has good food, a soft bed, and oh so much love. She will never be alone or hungry again.
| | | |
|
|
Look who's in the kitchen cooking a birthday cake for Bear. Bear celebrated his second birthday recently, and it required a big celebration.
Bear came to SOLR from Mexico when he was an eight-week old puppy . He was suffering from a broken leg and a broken heart. But look at him now! He was adopted by the Cwiak family on May 29, 2019 -- Dan, Jessica, and their daughter, Danica.
Here, Bear's favorite human is whipping up a birthday cake for him and his four-legged sister to share. Aren't these photos just too cute! Isn't he a lucky dog?
| | | |
Madie Janik & Bailey (now called Lucy Lou) | |
Here are just a few things we did in 2020!
210 Labs joined SOLR in 2020.
- 55% Male, 45% Female
- 32 Puppies (age 5 months or less)
- 24 Seniors (age 7 or over)
205 found new, loving families in 2020 alone! (And that's just the beginning.)
They were all different colors!
- 50% yellow Labs
- 33% black Labs
- 14% chocolate Labs
- 3% other
And they came from all around the Southwestern States:
- 40% from Arizona
- 23% from Mexico
- 20% from Texas
- 15% from New Mexico
- 3% from Utah
| | | | |
|
"Stray" is a new documentary from Magnolia Pictures about the street dogs of Istanbul.
Once exterminated en masse, the stray dogs of Istanbul are now protected by law from being euthanized.
This beautiful film follows three homeless dogs without narration or commentary.
Click the photo to watch the trailer!
And don't forget! You can help us help strays in the Southwest. Become a foster or volunteer... or donate today!
| |
|
|
Thanks to all our generous donors and wonderful volunteers. You're great! You give hope, love, and life itself to dogs that would otherwise be homeless and hungry.
We thank you. The dogs thank you. Ruff! Ruff! Ruff! It wouldn't be possible without you.
| | | |
Did a friend forward this newsletter to you? Sign up to enjoy getting future issues. You can unsubscribe at any time. | | |
|
About Us
We are an independent 501(c)(3) organization made up of experienced volunteers who are dedicated to the rescue and adoption of homeless Labrador Retrievers and their offspring that are in need of safe and loving homes.
Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue
7739 E Broadway Blvd #212, Tucson, AZ 85710
520-554-0911
Email
| |
Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue | www.solraz.org | | | | |
