Tessa and Westin’s Big Adventure

We received an email about Tessa and Westin, two beautiful JRTs about 5 years old, needing a new home in early January. It was the same week when we began working with Flashpoint to move all of the dogs after the fire, and we were already at capacity. As much as we would have loved to have taken these cuties and found them a new home, we simply didn’t have room or resources. Fortunately, they were currently living with a good family who was taking good care of them between homes.

So … we networked online and, within no time, a couple in Texas stepped up with open arms to take both of them together. That left only one obstacle: How best to get them there? Funds and time were limited for everyone involved. As mentioned in our previous post, we are a small, independent rescue and don’t have an official transport system. We knew Westin already had some anxiety issues and we didn’t want to put additional strain on him to fly him there.

So … we networked online and found some points-of-contact to weave the handoffs together. It took a couple of weeks of scheduling, but the duo finally made their trek from Atlanta to Texas this past Saturday.

They left Georgia with a couple of our poop-scoopin’ volunteers in the wee hours of the morning; jumped on board with a big-hearted, wonderful volunteer near the Louisiana/Mississippi state line who saw our Facebook post for help; and then met their new parents in Shreveport before heading back to Texas. They were well-behaved, wonderful traveling companions for everyone, but never were they (and we!) happier than when they realized they had hit the “Jack”pot: A home with a yard, endless tennis ball throws and welcoming laps. Woo-hoo!

Thanks to everyone involved, including Kelly Hamilton and family for providing the re-home opportunity for them, Anna Papadimitriou for being our much-needed go-between and, of course, to Quentin and Susan Mims for giving them a loving, forever home. Thanks also to the Mims, Sally Hall and Kim Davis for the donations to help pay for gas.

Here are some photos from their little trek across the Southern states:

[nggallery id=50]