This week...

From November 6th until November 12th, it is National Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week... I know with election day tomorrow, this has probably fallen off everyone's radar but I wanted to bring this back to everyone's attention... Maybe later this week once the election is over with, you will read this blog and think about it...

I can speak for no one by myself, and not even for the TLC volunteers personally, but I know rescue for me is year round, every day, 7 days a week and 52 weeks of the year... I don't do it for an 'atta girl' or even public recognition... The TLC volunteers will tell you that I shy away from publicity, in fact... 

But should anyone ask me (or not~!!), I will always say that TLC has the BEST volunteers in Ventura County... 

They come together, work HARD and do it without any thought of a thank-you beyond a wet puppy kiss or knowing that today they saved the life of an abandoned or homeless shelter dog... 

"Big Joe" - R.I.P. 10/20/12

Some are gone now, but not forgotten and were instrumental in keeping the TLC rescue train rolling right along through thick and thin... As a rescue that has been knocked to its knees several times in seven years because of obstacles and hurdles, we brush ourselves off and get back into the race of saving canine lives...

TLC has taken on many hard cases or moms with pups or pregnant while other rescues have passed on the hard work involved in doing rescue of this nature... We see our pups all grown up at the dog park or we run into one at a local pet shop... And the 'thank-you' is seeing them healthy and happy, with a home and very much loved... 

One of the most heart-felt and emotional times I have had in the past seven plus years is someone in the general public came into the first rescue shop with an envelope of Starbucks gift certificates... They told me, "I know the dogs and puppies always need help, but I just wanted to say a personal thank-you to you and your volunteers for doing what you do...."  Almost brought me to my knees emotionally inside and I was really at a loss for words...

For as a rescue (and I am sure the shelter folks get the same thing), you can successfully place 500 dogs but the thing you will hear the most about is the one dog that did not place well or was not 'perfect'... 

For most of us in rescue (the majority is always female), we spend our days elbow-up in poop, laundry, in sinks bathing or washing something! and drag our spouses into our 'passion' whether they are wanting to be involved or not... It seems (at least to me), that the laundry never ever stops... 

Rough laundry day at TLC - real photo!

And you are forever trying to figure out how you are going to pay this vet bill or save that dog, somehow, some way... 

And for those that are not fostering, they can be just as busy behind the scenes - seldom recognized for their contribution to the saving of shelter animal lives... Be it the photographers taking 300 photos to get just one great one... The folks behind the scenes picking up supplies or keeping the paperwork parade running smooth and trouble free... Or the transporter who just put 200 miles on their vehicle this week, driving to save lives... 

These are all folks who go about their lives making a difference in their community... And at this time of the year, I wanted to personally say a BIG thank-you to the TLC volunteers, the staff of Ventura County Animal Services and to the other community residents who get behind and support those of us who do rescue as a passion and commitment!

Sincerely,
Linda Nelson
Director, TLC


P.S. Most of these TLC volunteers are still with us... Some as long as almost 7 years ago... That says a lot about their commitment to the cause of No-Kill!