TANGO

Hall County Shelter Photo

Hall County Shelter Photo

On the night of February 8th 2011 (the day after my birthday) an adorable picture on face book caught my attention.  Sure that was not uncommon. I’m always cross posting pictures of animals in need.  Many catch my eye and I oooh and awww over them.  However, there was something different about this particular set of pictures that grabbed my attention.  Instead of the scary sad and depressing pictures you often see (and that really help the cause) these were adorable well done pictures.  Almost as if each dog had their own photo session.  I clicked on the link to the album and saw a lot of adorable puppies.  They ranged from a couple months old to about a year.  It was the puppies and small dogs photo album for a southern shelter.

One silly pose caught my attention over all of them.  That silly puppy was named Tango.  Something about his innocent expression and the ‘help me look’ made me get that feeling.  The feeling that I had to at least inquire.  Sure I fall for a lot of these adorable animals.  Only a few really catch my attention to the point that I need to find out about their status and the chances I have of helping them.  Honestly didn’t think anything would come of my innocent question posted on the shelter’s volunteer page.  I’d only asked for some more information.  Next morning I opened my face book to a few replies.  The usual contact the shelter answer was posted.  Another reply though made me think that maybe there was a chance.  I began a dialogue with the volunteer.  Before I knew it I was brainstorming and trying to contact several of my rescue contacts.  Perhaps I’d luck out and someone would point me in the right direction.  Meanwhile since he was still available I filled out an application to see what would come of it.
 
Tango I would later learn (according to his paperwork) was only a couple months old when he was a stray they’d seized at the end of January.   The only other information that I knew was he’d been put on the adoptions floor on February 4th.  Long story shorter by the 10th I’d already paid the adoption fee, was officially considered his owner (didn’t even know that I was officially considered that until later on when I got the paperwork)  I’d been accepted the same night I sent in my application.  Now that all that was confirmed it was a matter of figuring out how we could get him from a Georgia shelter to Maine.  More rescue people were contacted.  Many messages written back and forth.  Many ideas, plans, suggestions tossed around.  A few false hopes, stressed moments, and disappointments came in the upcoming days.  Sadly it was starting to look like a lost cause.

Perhaps Tango was not meant to be with us.  I’d thought things were being worked out by people I’d trusted to take charge.  After some time it became apparent that was not the case.  Finally as the big day was fast approaching and plans weren’t confirmed or even set up I had to take charge and hope for the best.  He was supposed to have been pulled out for medical then a two week quarantine before he could go on transport to Maine.  The medical part had been done but then he was right back in the shelter.  A puppy at his vulnerable age should never spend time in such a depressing place.  Surrounded by death and sickness was not a life.

I quickly grew frustrated and upset with the situation.  Not wanting to give up but fearing that would be the end result I pushed forward and worked every angle I could think of.  When the day approached that he was supposed to have already been here and I had gotten nowhere I was at my end.  I’d tried many times to get through and get help.  However, it just seemed like a hopeless task.  Finally after days of persistent contact and calls I was getting somewhere.  After over two weeks of craziness I was told everything was set and all I needed to do was let them know my transport details.  Sure easier said then done.  Luckily by that point I’d reached out to other rescue contacts.  We brainstormed and worked all the ideas we could.  Pleading on posts and seeking any help I could.

Then as if by miracle a couple days before he’d finally arrive home the plans fell into place.  It was amazing how easily and quickly it went. Saturday night a friend offered to help if she could.  She was going to be heading in our direction and if there was a way we could do it she was happy to help.  Of course we immediately got to working on the plans.  Monday the shelter was closed so we had until Tuesday to iron out the details.  She would need to pick up Tango that night in order to make her Wednesday morning flight.  That final part of the plan was the most scary.  We needed someone to watch him for a few hours until she could get there.  Her estimated time of arrival was after shelter hours.  If we couldn’t find someone willing to watch him for a little while there was no way our idea would work.

Immediately my volunteer contact that I’d kept in touch with throughout this whole process and I posted for help.  Just when I was wondering if this was even going to work we got a generous offer.  I wasn’t used to having people help me out.  I’d already set up a chipin fund.  Not one to ask help of anyone I was reluctant to ask for funds as well.  A generous donator came through.  Now someone local to the shelter and a foster for them offered her help.  Without her (and her son) we wouldn’t have been able to pull off that last part of the plan.

I won’t lie even with that last piece in place I was still worried.  Call me a forever pessimist but I wasn’t going to breathe easy until he was here in my arms.  I was worried that Tuesday morning when I called the shelter there’d be an issue.  It all went as smooth as could be.  Which was a nice change compared to how it’d been going.  The final plans were arranged and now all that was left was the wait.  Something unfortunately I’m not good at.  The wait was well worth it the first time I snuggled the puppy in my arms.