Where have I been?

Recently my mother suffered from a massive stroke. She lives in the woods of CT by herself with her two very large dogs. I share this to uncover yet another challenge of being in the dog rescue "business." The call comes in and being the closest relative, I need to hop in the car and go to my mother's aid. However - what is to be done about the dogs?

With the number of dogs in my home and within our rescue as a whole, it is difficult to leave the house for a few hours...leaving the state for an extended amount of time is near impossible. When a family crisis occurs, it reveals the round-the-clock nature of this job.

The dogs need to be walked, fed, interacted with. Trips to the vet are ongoing. Communication with adopters, vet checks, home visits need to be done in a short timeline so that the prospective home does not find a dog elsewhere.

Rescuers themselves have a tendency to keep the behaviorally and physically dogs themselves - dogs that cannot be boarded or tended to by pet sitters or good-hearted volunteers.

So off I went - Three out of "my" dogs with me in tow - to bring the total at my mother's house up to five...meetings with doctors, social workers, physical therapists, home health aids, and pet sitters for my mother's dogs are non-stop.

I have no Internet access and no cell phone coverage in the woods of CT which makes me feel completely helpless should a dog-related emergency occur.

David, my "significant other" promises to try not to work his usual 14 hour shifts, so that our dogs are not left home alone with their legs crossed. During absence, two dogs escaped our fenced in yard, schedule medications were forgotten, prospective adopters became irrtated and opportunities for forever homes were missed.

My father calls to ask if I should perhaps reconsider my lifestyle - but those who are in rescue, know that it is not a profession of choice.

However - We made it through the first round - but my mother needs ongoing care and a live-in companion. Being a woman who will barely let the house keeper come into her home once a week - the challenge continues and more trips to CT are in my future.

Pleas for help from shelters and concerned dog lovers keep coming in -- the dogs keep coming in.

The thought enters my mind -- "Should I stop rescuing dogs and resume a 'normal' lifestyle?"

Then I receive a call concerning a German Shepherd that is currently living chained inside someone's basement that needs a place to go...

No - I am not going to stop...but I need to figure out a better plan...