Southern Mutts Rescue Wagon

Mission Accomplished!  After months of vigorous planning and hard work, on April 5th Southern Mutts Rescue Wagon (SMRW) began their maiden voyage.  The journey began in Decatur and after traveling 36 hours through 8 states – they arrived at their destination of Boulder, CO – with all 22 four-legged passengers (rescued cats and dogs) safe and sound.  Unlike the southeast, these pets were transported to a region of the country where there is a high demand for adoptable pets.  Now after only 2 weeks at the Boulder Humane Society- all but one dog has been adopted – and several pets were adopted within the first five days of their arrival.

(Pictured above are two rescue wagon volunteers – Donnie and Dianna of The Village Vets – who met the rescue wagon in Tupelo, MS to hand off their precious cargo of 9 cats and dogs.)

Follow this incredible journey on SMRW Facebook page, with wonderful pictures of the pets as well as the people involved in their rescue and transport – which included several team members from TVV and rescue volunteers from Southern Animal Rescue, a non-profit 301C organization.  Be sure and scroll down to the beginning of the FB page to watch the journey unfold from the beginning – which really started weeks and months before ever leaving Georgia.

The SMRW was inspired by none other than Chamblee Abernethy.  Many of you may remember the farewell letter written by Chamblee (pictured right) – who worked as a receptionist and Rescue Coordinator at TVV Decatur for almost four years – before she moved to Boulder a year ago this month.  In her letter Chamblee explained her reason for moving to “a part of the country where pets are not abandoned and later euthanized by the hundreds-of-thousands every year”.

We were all saddened by her departure but I do not think anyone ever believed it would be the last we would see of her or her rescue work.  She may have moved away physically but her commitment to our many abandoned and homeless pets still remains…hence the Southern Mutts Rescue Wagon.

Moose, the handsome boy pictured left, is the only dog who has yet to be adopted.  Having lived virtually every minute of his five years in a small, muddy pen with inadequate food, water and shelter,  Moose, understandably, has needed extra time adjusting to his freedom and socializing with people and other dogs.  The volunteers that are working with him continue to shower him with lots of love and attention, and believe it is only a matter of time before he will be a favored member of a lucky family.  During the transition, he still gets to enjoy lots of play and exercise in his new and beautiful surroundings.

-Jeanna Shiver