Toy Truck

This is another in the “Sunday Story” series.  No politics today, just a story of people who help dogs.

Dog Community

The dog “community” is varied.  Most know about the “government” agencies, the county animal shelters.  What many don’t realize is that there are “county shelters”, and there are county “humane societies”, and those two are very different entities.  The “shelters” are the “dog catchers” of old, a branch of law enforcement.  Their primary job is to manage dogs that are a threat to the community, either vicious, road hazards, or some other nuisance.  The Humane Society is privately funded, and deals with animal cruelty and health.  So a lost dog that is injured might fall under their jurisdiction, while a dog that is biting people or other dogs goes to the shelter.  But a lost dog that is just lost; neither may be involved.

It’s confusing.  Now add to that the privately run dog “rescues” that are throughout the state, and groups like the one we work with, Lost Pet Recovery (LPR), and there are a mishmash of folks working to deal with lost, injured, dangerous or stray dogs.  Sometimes they all work together, and sometimes they end up at cross purposes.  The “animal control” agents (old school “dog catchers”) and the Humane Agents are legal authorities, with badges and guns.  When there’s conflict with private groups, they have the authority to arrest humans for obstruction.  

Lost Dogs

So if you lose your dog, you definitely want to call the County Shelter and the Humane Society and let them know.  That way, if someone reports a lose dog or turns it in, they’ll know it’s yours.  But they probably aren’t going to help you find your dog.  

For that you need to do your own work.  There are no “companies” that I know of that you can pay to find your dog.  There are groups, like our Lost Pet Recovery, that will help you, but your participation in the process is fundamental.  Think of LPR as a guide, letting you know what to do, in a process that will hopefully get them in a position to humanely trap your dog. 

And then, scattered throughout the state, there are private, non-profit rescues.  These are the folks who take in strays or dogs that owners can’t keep.  They are usually (not always) out on some country road, far away from neighbors.  When you pull up there’s a cacophony of barking, and at the better ones, there’s indoor kennels and outdoor runs.  Those non-profits need supplies:  food, medicines, equipment.  It’s an expensive proposition. Few are funded by a “sugar daddy or momma”.  Most raise funds through donations.  

On the Farm

When I was three years-old, I watched  “Zorro” on television (in black and white, it was 1959).  I wielded a knitting needle and decided to sword fight with our dog Princess.  She turned and bit me on the arm, a perfectly reasonable thing for her to do.  But Mom and Dad decided she couldn’t stay, and sent her to “live on a farm”.  When I was older, I thought that was a story they told us kids when a dog was euthanized.  And maybe she was.  But there are literal farms, often at the end of a narrow country lane, that take in unwanted and stray dogs.  So maybe Princess really did go to a farm.

There is an organization in Cincinnati called United Pet Fund.  It plays a particular role in the dog (and cat) community.  UPF takes in massive donations of food and equipment from manufacturers.  For example, if a dog food manufacturer prints thousands of dog food bags with a faulty label – they  don’t throw the filled bags away.  Instead, they sell them at a much reduced cost to UPF, who then re-sells them to the non-profit shelters throughout the state.  And it’s not just dog food:  it’s “pee pads”, crates, and other equipment.  And last week, it was dog toys.

Overstock

The toy manufacturer had a huge overstock of toys.  They had to clear out their warehouse, and so they donated the toys to UPF.  Now UPF’s warehouse was filled with toys, and space was at a premium.  The folks at UPF are big supporters of Lost Pet Recovery, our group.  And so we did them a favor.

UPF has a big 26’, diesel delivery truck.  They filled it with pallets of boxed dog toys.  And we volunteered to deliver the toys to shelters and rescues throughout Southern Ohio.  So last Friday and Saturday, it was “Christmas” for dogs, compliments of UPF and LPR.  

Jenn and I drove to UPF on the northside of Cincinnati to pick up the truck.  After passing a driving inspection by “Dr Z”, the founder of UPF, we pulled out on our tour of Ohio.  It was a beautiful day to drive into Ohio’s hilly Southern country; out on State Route 32, the Appalachian Highway.  Our first stop was past Portsmouth in Wheelersburg, to meet  Rescue people in the parking lot of Lowes.  We transferred a full pallet of toys to them, as well as several boxes of “pee pads” (an absolute necessity for any rescue).  They were excited, filling their van with boxes. 

Into the Hills 

We then went to a “typical” dog rescue, up on a narrow winding road in Scioto County (just north of Portsmouth).  As I backed the truck (that went better than expected) the dogs responded to the “beep-beep” warnings with plenty of “alert” barks.  And then we were up on the back of the truck, pulling out almost a whole second pallet of toys.  The dogs will soon be happier, with pull-toys and “squeaker” chew toys to play with.  (There’s a soundscape:  thirty dogs, searching for the “squeaker” in the chew toy.  Better than barking, I guess).

We found our way out of the countryside onto the “new” Portsmouth four-lane bypass, SR 823.  Then we headed North, up SR 23 to Chillicothe, and then across SR 35 to the Fayette County Shelter near Washington Courthouse.  They got a pallet of toys plus some, and we got to talk to the Agent, who works with LPR  trapping stray and lost dogs.

Then we turned towards home, but first with a stop at the Licking County Humane Society.  There we left a fourth pallet, and had a conversation with the folks from our own county’s group.  One agent went to high school where I was the Dean of Students, and quickly said I wouldn’t know her because she didn’t get in trouble!  She was right, though I recognized her face.

Hand-off

And then, after almost 400 miles, we dropped the truck off in West Columbus to the leader of LPR, Don.  Four pallets to go – Don had the second leg of the “tour”.   “Santa Claus” arrived  on Saturday to groups in Troy, Dayton, Middletown, and Western Ohio. 

There are a whole lot of volunteers, non-profit organizations, and trained professionals involved in helping animals in our communities.  Jenn and I have five dogs at home; we know it takes a lot of financing as well as time.  Our tour with the “Toy Truck” let us meet all sorts of folks who are doing what they can do to make life better for dogs who don’t have “forever families”.   If it takes a “village” raise a child, it takes a whole state to care for dogs. 

The Sunday Story Series

Author: Marty Dahlman

I'm Marty Dahlman. After forty years of teaching and coaching track and cross country, I've finally retired!!! I've also spent a lot of time in politics, working campaigns from local school elections to Presidential campaigns.