Sunday, 7/5/09

Well, I have spent the better part of 6 hours today learning how to set up this blog -- I am NOT computer savvy to say the least! (Stop laughing!!!) But Nancy already has too much to do with all the other computer things, the fundraising, the paperwork end of ARWNY -- so I figured this much I could teach myself!! Trust me, I'd rather be driving, or working with the Akitas -- I hate being crippled but hey, if I am, I might as well be useful in some small way, right? That knee replacement is coming -- 7/22/09!!!! But for now, its stuck on the computer??? I am so poor at these kinds of things -- so be kind when viewing this new blog, ok? THANKS!!

One big exciting bit of news today: Our volunteer Joann Dimon just worked a miracle -- she was finally able to save the two neglected 10-month old Akitas in northern NJ she has been monitoring for months on end! That's in addition to saving Ben, the blind Akita who came from a horrid puppymill situation; as well as taking in Mochi the 10 month old male whose owner is sadly very ill. What would we do without Joann and her family Matt, Max & Arizona?

Just to give you an idea of the work involved in rescue -- these two pups Joann just saved will need now to be altered and vetted -- which means Joann does the driving necessary to pick up these two then gets them to the vet's office, so that's hours on end of transports from one end of NJ to the other end. Add to that, the driving already done in getting Ben (with the help of Paul Lavoie!) to Joann's house, in driving back & forth all the time (Thanks Deb Karfs!) to the kennels we use in Burlington County (Bless you Angie & Jeff for your kenneling space!) to house the Akitas so they can be socialized, etc. Then the paperwork involved in keeping all the records, making sure all vet records are up to date, etc. (Thank you Nancy!)

Now add to that, the work in keeping the website updated (Thank you Nancy again!) as well as sending out Thank you's for donations (Thank you Jenn!) and now working on the upcoming Sept 19th Picnic (surprises planned, keep watching our website) and the upcoming Akita Club of America Nationals where we always try to man a big booth! Then we have the phone calls to return (Thanks Donna for the phone help!) and emails we return on a daily basis, our Facebook sites I monitor, and the applications pages we all try to check on a daily basis!!

Do any of you reading this post today, realize how much transport work, how much exercise, how much training work, how much paperwork & computer work, goes into each and every dog we rescue? Whew, I'm tired just writing it all down for you to read!!!

Now that my knee has blown out, its all on the shoulders of Nancy, Joann, Deb, Carla, John, Diane, Paul, and others to do the physical work, all of whose help has been invaluable. And of course, I've dragged my daughter Jenn into ARWNY kicking & screaming, so she helps as well as my son Jim & my sig. other Justin. But we still have room for more help! If you want to help rescue in some way, consider becoming a volunteer to help ARWNY -- we always need help with transport, with home evaluations, with shelter evaluations!!

Sadly we can't save them all - but with your help, maybe we can save a few more!! Send adopters our way -- older, housebroken, trained Akitas make fabulous companions!! See our website at http://www.akitarescuewny.com/

Over the years, I've considered giving up rescue -- for health reasons, for personal reasons, because of rescue burnout, because of disappointment in humans....but you know what, I just can't because these Akitas are all too special, and they need me -- no, they need US, they need ARWNY!!! So I stay -- and so does everyone else who does rescue for the right reasons -- we stay for the Akitas. Not for ego, not for public admiration, not for any other reason but for the Akitas.