Transcripts
Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the
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:people and rescues making a
difference in the lives of animals.
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:Hi everyone.
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:We are back with Lisa Krohn
of New Orleans Bulldog Rescue.
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:To finish up our conversation, she is
very well versed in animal rescue and
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:does a bit of everything from TNR to being
the vice president of the New Orleans
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:Bulldog Rescue and fostering kittens.
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:Welcome back, Lisa.
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:Do you still do TNR actively
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:Lisa: unfortunately, my job does not allow
me to, I work during the evening hours,
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:so there is no setting traps at dusk.
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:And then when I get off of work, of course
the first thing to be re my responsibility
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:is to come home to let all my animals out.
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:I just can't, I don't have the
time at night to set the traps.
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:I started with this job right
in .:
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:And Rachel and Sue and I trapped
almost 500 cats that year together.
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:But after that, I haven't
been actively trapping.
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:Unfortunately, I just don't have the time.
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:I'm at work when I need to
be setting traps in the best
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:time to set traps is at dusk.
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:I don't have a problem with
checking traps at night and
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:checking traps early in the morning.
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:I can't set them so it just.
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:Took me out of the ball game.
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:But if anybody needs traps.
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:I have two that I've loaned out
occasionally here and there.
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:I have a neighbor across the
street that feeds an eye feed.
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:We get a straggler here and there.
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:That was the last cat that I trapped,
was a new guy across the street.
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:A big white and black
guy . And got him neutered.
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:And besides that, I try to help
out where I can, but unfortunately
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:I just don't have the time to
actively trap 'cause of my job.
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:But I gotta have a job.
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:Dixie: I understand.
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:Lisa: Unfortunately that's one of
the one thing that I did enjoy doing.
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:It's so much fun to stake out traps
and, sneak around at night, your
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:flashlights creepy, but, Rachel
would never go out, but man I'll be
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:out there at 1:00 AM checking traps,
walking around with my flashlights.
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:She's you're not afraid.
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:I'm like, no, I'm not afraid.
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:I'm like, we've warned these people
that I'm coming, that someone's
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:gonna be checking the traps.
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:And, and it's always a thrill when you
get a cat that you're going for, and
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:the one thing I could do without is the,
part of putting the traps in my car.
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:That's not always fun.
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:Yeah.
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:Because they make us stink.
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:Dixie: Yeah.
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:Lisa: A lot.
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:And it can be
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:messy, so
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:Dixie: yeah.
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:Male cat urine is no fun.
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:Lisa: And they're in a trap and
they're upset and the one nasty part
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:about doing TNR we learned we put
down multiple layers of plastic.
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:Like I'd cut up those big, 40 gallon
contractor bags, those big plastic
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:bags that were for yard work.
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:And , I'd have my dog, seat cover on,
and then we put the plastic down and
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:sometimes we put blankets underneath that.
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:You just protected your, car.
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:And I thankfully did not do the majority
of the running around with multiple cats.
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:'cause I have a smaller car.
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:Sue and Rachel had larger cars, so
they were taking most of the animals.
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:But I, pick up a cat in a trap, go check
a different location, pick up a cat
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:in a trap, go to Sue's house, fill out
the paperwork, leave them on her front
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:porch, she'd wake up in the morning.
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:There's new cats in the trap because,
'cause we were tag teaming it,
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:we'd set all the traps together.
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:I'd check late and Sue would do the early.
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:So it worked out great.
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:We fixed a ton of cats in our our
community, but it just never ends.
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:We have a climate here that is,
suitable for animals to live and breed
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:24.
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:7 365 kitten season never
ends, unfortunately.
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:Yeah, I know you know all about that,
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:Dixie: unfortunately.
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:Yes.
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:. Lisa: Years and years ago I
fostered kittens here and there
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:for Joan with Spay Mart and once
Rachel started with the Jefferson
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:S-P-C-A-I, fostered kittens with her.
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:But I've had kittens
plenty of times for Joan.
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:And I'm always the one that reaches
out 'cause I have adult cats
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:and I've always done a rescue.
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:So I feel like they need that experience
with another cat coming into their house.
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:They're not necessarily staying, but
it's like good for them to have that
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:experience, let's help raise another
generation, and they get to be the big
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:cats of the house and, show the little
kittens what the deal is and play with
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:the babies and, try to sneak there.
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:You'll meet expensive, wet food when
mommy's not watching out of the bathroom.
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:They're good for that one too.
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:Yes, I'm talking about you, Willow.
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:Dixie: Do you have male cats that
take care of your kittens or female
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:cats that take care of your kittens?
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:Lisa: It's the male cats that
take care of the kittens.
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:Dixie: Me too.
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:Lisa: Willow doesn't wanna
have anything to do with them.
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:Baby D will swat at them.
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:Simon is like, hello, let me groom you.
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:Dixie: It's weird.
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:It's really weird because I have two
males that absolutely adore kittens.
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:They wanna go in, they wanna
go see the kittens, they'll
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:go lick 'em, they clean 'em.
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:Lisa: Yep.
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:Dixie: If
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:I need a babysitter, I'm,
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:Lisa: that's what Simon does
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:Dixie: y'all go babysit?
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:And Yes.
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:It's just, so weird because you
would think it would be the females
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:and, my females absolutely hate 'em.
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:They're like, get these kids out here.
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:Lisa: They're like, oh no,
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:you are not pointing that
work off on me, lady.
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:That's exactly what
they're probably thinking.
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:Oh, no, Uhuh, my job was done.
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:So funny.
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:Yeah.
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:And for the longest time, I
always enjoyed, having male cats.
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:My female cats weren't always the
sweetest and they were more reserved.
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:And, I've gone through a bunch
of semi feral cats and that
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:we're fostering and decided to
keep, because I'm just committed.
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:And, it's completely different from
the friendly crew that I have now.
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:I have strangers come in
and my Siamese is Hey.
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:What's up?
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:And she will nudge you and
paw at you until you pet her.
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:And she's like front and center,
in the living room saying hello.
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:A lot of my cats were
not that personality.
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:And I actually pulled Willow's litter
from J Paws when they were like, 0.46
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:pounds or something, and foster them
through the Jefferson SPCA with Rachel.
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:And with the intent of always adopting
the little, blue Point Siamese.
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:She'll be my fourth Siamese.
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:I'm partial to them, but then,
two years before I adopted
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:Willow, I also adopted baby D.
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:His real name is Dylan.
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:And he and his sister Kate
came into the Jefferson SPCA.
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:It was serious eye issues.
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:Neither one of them had eyelids.
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:It's called agnesis.
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:They're just born without them.
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:And Kate unfortunately passed away having
some eye surgery done at 18 months old.
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:And Dee's he gets his eye drops four
times a day and I clean his eyes and
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:if we get a little stray hair growing,
it looks like it's gonna poke his eye.
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:I just pluck it off just the vet would do.
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:And then, I also noticed that
he was having some teeth issues.
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:He's a lanky guy, and I right
away knew we had stomatitis.
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:So now we've had all of his teeth removed.
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:That was, that's been over a year now.
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:He just has his little front
teeth and he is doing great.
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:He's still a lanky guy with, and
he looks a little funny without his
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:eyelids, but he is the sweetest thing.
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:He, sleeps in bed with me every
single night and will snuggle
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:up right next to my head.
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:Even.
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:None of my cats really care about the dog.
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:Even Simon, who was trapped by Trap
Dat Cat who lived outside, sleeps in
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:bed with the 14-year-old pit bull.
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:She's a great cat dog.
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:She loves the cats.
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:Not so much a good dog with the
other dogs, but she loves the cats.
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:Dixie: That's funny.
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:Lisa: And I definitely trust her with
these kittens, but I wouldn't put
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:her in a room with my other dogs.
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:And I think that just goes with the years
of experience that I just know and trust
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:this dog is people are like, wait, you
trust your pit bull with your eight week
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:old kittens and not your 5-year-old dog.
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:I absolutely do.
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:I've done this a long time and I know
that she's not gonna hurt them, and
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:she's not gonna do anything to them.
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:She's just gonna walk around
she daintily walks to make sure
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:it's not gonna step on anyone.
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:And she stops when they get puffed
and she doesn't, move forward.
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:She's very good with them.
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:I never taught her those things.
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:I'm assuming at.
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:Some point she's just picked them up
because I've had her most of her life.
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:She's been with me since 2013, so
she's just one of those difficult
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:dogs that never found a good home.
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:Like she's reactive on a leash.
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:She's the dog that you bring into the vet
that you have to stand off to the side
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:that has every sticker on her chart, just
to warn you, because I can't predict it.
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:So sometimes she's great when we go
into the vet and sometimes it sounds
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:like I'm riding a bucking bronco who's
screaming in the other side of the clinic.
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:You just never know.
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:It's always an adventure with her.
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:Wouldn't trade any of it.
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:Dixie: You have a lot going on.
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:How do you manage the emotional and
physical demands of doing rescue work and
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:what keeps you going on like tough days?.
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:Lisa: If I'm having a tough day,
what keeps me going is knowing that
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:tomorrow's a different day and I can
approach whatever issue I had today in
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:a different way tomorrow because if I
didn't learn today, maybe tomorrow when
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:I change something, I'll learn or I'll
figure out what the best solution is.
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:But thankfully, I haven't been
in a position where I had a
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:super difficult dog lately.
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:But I've had dogs where like I left
the house and someone touched the
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:front door and I'd come home to
escape dogs and feces everywhere.
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:And so it's just doing rescue.
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:I've learned to run the gauntlet
as I call it, of emotions
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:much faster than other people.
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:I've lost plenty of dogs doing rescue.
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:I've had to euthanize dogs for behavior.
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:It's never an easy decision.
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:But in the long run, I know that if
I can't keep that dog, myself, and
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:personally give it the life that
it deserves, then and I can't adopt
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:it out, then what are my options?
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:And the kindest thing to do is,
unfortunately you have to euthanize.
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:And that is the worst
decision ever to have to make.
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:But unfortunately it is necessary.
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:And doing rescue, you just
you deal with the emotions.
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:I get upset, I cry.
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:I try not to regret.
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:That's the biggest one I feel like that
I have had to learn to deal with, is
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:to know that I've done everything in
my power and I'm at my wits end with
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:whatever's happening, whether it's,
a dog in my house and I'm having,
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:aggression issues with, or it's Petey
who I cried 45 minutes all the way home
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:across the lake after dropping him off.
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:But the dynamic in my house and the
way my house smells is different
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:because Petey is not here with
the constant cleanup and the mess.
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:And I love Petey dearly, now that
he is not here, it's almost a relief
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:to know that he's where he belongs.
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:And my house was never
where he intended to be.
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:Sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's
happy, and you want to take all the
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:happy, like I will, high five myself.
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:When I do adoptions, I'm
like, all right, good job.
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:And people ask me, how do
you move on so quickly?
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:I'm like I never intended
to keep that dog.
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:I intended to take that dog into my house.
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:I intended to give it rules and boundaries
and structure and find it a home.
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:That person who adopts that dog
gets all that information too.
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:I've brought this dog home, I've
given it structure with the kennel.
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:I'm telling you, these are the
rules at my house to, to help
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:transition the dog to your house.
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:I suggest this is what you do.
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:You can never go too slow.
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:You can go too fast.
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:When you're integrating a new
dog or a new animal into your
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:house, you can never go too slow.
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:So we always tell people that we
understand you wanna bring your new
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:dog home , and you wanna snuggle.
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:The new dog, it takes at least
two to eight weeks to settle into
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:a new home and a new routine.
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:If you start giving a dog like what
We adopt out these powerful breeds and
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:these breeds that will take a mile.
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:When you give them an inch,
you have to have structure.
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:And we use the kennels for that.
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:And I tell people I feed in the
kennel, the kennel controls everything.
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:It controls outside time.
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:It controls affection, it controls
feeding it, and my dogs get
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:treats every time they get in.
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:They get something, whether it's a
high value treat or it's a couple of
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:little rom crunchies, that they love.
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:I'll throw four or five in there.
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:But I do, I.
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:Bigger treats like the Whimsies shoes,
and I buy the red barn bargain bags,
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:and I take the hollowed out like marrow
bones and I stuff them with pumpkin or
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:yogurt or dog food, and then I freeze 'em.
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:So it gives them, an extra 30 or 40
minutes of work and a nice treat as well.
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:It's about keeping everybody
happy so that I'm happy as well.
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:And when I've got a difficult dog,
that's when it's okay, how can I
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:outsmart them, keep them in their
kennel, what can I do to take the
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:edge off to get them to settle?
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:We, I'm not opposed to giving
my dogs drugs to help them learn
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:to react and to settle down.
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:And we get dogs straight outta shelter.
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:I don't know anything about 'em.
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:I don't know whether they're friendly
with, cats most of the time the shelter
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:knows that they're friendly with dogs.
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:Sometimes they're not always
friendly with people or they react
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:with men or they're shy or, and all
these things need to be overcome.
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:And it's just about getting the dog,
making an assessment and figure out a
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:plan to get this dog to, tip top shape
so it can go on and find another home.
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:A home where it's gonna be able to, live
its best life, hang out on the couch,
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:sleep in the bed eventually kind of thing.
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:Dixie: It's true though because I find
one of the most challenging things about
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:finding a pet a new home is actually
people wanting them to just go into
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:their house and they don't take it slow
and they expect everything to work out.
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:Lisa: Yeah.
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:Dixie: There's a lot of truth to what
you said because it's not like that.
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:And if you adopt an animal thinking
that's what you're gonna do most of
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:the time it's not gonna work out.
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:You need to take it slow for that animal.
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:Lisa: Yeah.
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:It take time to adjust.
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:I run a very strict type ship here.
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:My personal dogs are the only ones allowed
up on the bed and up on the couch because
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:the dogs that I adopt out might not
necessarily be allowed on the furniture.
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:And someone might be like, Ooh, I don't
wanna adopt that dog because he jumps
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:on the furniture and I don't want that.
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:And I don't want jumping on the
furniture to be the reason why
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:this perfectly, good match dog for
your family doesn't get a home.
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:'cause you don't want it on the couch.
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:So you're in the house, you're in your
kennel, you eating in your kennel, I go
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:out to the coffee shop every morning.
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:Usually, I take Cobalt or
Susie with me, looks like I'm
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:getting them out of the house.
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:We have actually have an event at Port
Orleans that we're taking some of our
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:dogs to and then , we'll be there just
selling merchandise and just hanging out.
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:I think they're doing a big old
dog event, like a hot dog event.
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:And then we'll be there for a little
bit, but we've just been taking a break.
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:I haven't had any new dogs, so we haven't
been doing our monthly adoption events.
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:Dixie: Do you have a website?
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:Lisa: We do, it's
www.neworleansbulldogs.com.
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:And we also have a Facebook page.
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:I believe if you just search
Facebook for New Orleans
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:Bulldog Rescue it will come up.
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:And the Facebook page is usually the
most current on what we have in rescue.
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:We make all of our posts and we
showcase our dogs on Facebook.
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:And then I believe the Petfinder
is usually linked in each of
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:the the showcases that we have.
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:But all of our like surrender
forms and our adoption applications
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:can be found on our website.
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:They're just in the drop down
list when you click on it.
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:We do feature dogs there, but it is not
always up to date with who is adoptable.
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:'cause it's not interfaced
with the petfinder and , so
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:they don't talk to each other.
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:But yeah, you can reach us that way.
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:And we, we usually do once
a month adoption events.
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:If you are interested in adopting,
you must attend an event.
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:Even if you've attended an event in the
past, we still recommend that you come
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:out just because it gives you a chance
to see literally every adoptable dog that
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:we have is required to come for that.
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:It's just a one hour once a month.
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:We have no set day or location.
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:A lot of times it's on Sunday
'cause that's my only day off.
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:And we, try to pay attention to
football games and all the things.
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:And when it's summertime like
this, we're having them inside.
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:Usually at a brewery.
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:We've got good friends at Urban South
and they'll let us bring the dogs in.
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:Most of our stuff happens after events.
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:We have an event, and then that week
right afterwards is when, we vet
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:check and start setting up one-on-one
meetings that we don't allow children
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:under the age of 14 at our events
because some of our dogs don't like
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:kids and kids can be unpredictable.
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:So to make sure that my dogs and
your children are safe we ask that,
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:they don't come to these events.
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:People unfortunately still do bring
their children and we just ask them
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:to keep their children, on the side.
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:Or if they're looking at a specific
dog that I personally know will be
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:good with children or have seen it, in
a setting where children are around,
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:we'll let the children introduce
to the dog, but usually it's all.
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:It's all set up
individually after the fact.
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:Like you come out to the event, then
there's a one-on-one meeting either
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:with all of your family or whatever
dog is currently in your home.
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:And then there's another
meeting usually at your home to
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:make sure the dogs get along.
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:And then we move inside and do,
a drop off a home inspection.
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:And I tell people, I'm like, I don't care
what your TV looks like, or I don't care,
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:if your sofa's, brand new or old, shoot my
sofa, both corners are torn up from Simon.
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:I just wanna make sure that,
your yard is secure and that
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:you have space for a dog kennel.
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:And that's pretty much, what I'm looking
for because people have been around
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:and know how to work rescues and they
will lie about things like having
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:an outside dog or where they live.
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:Like I've had people tell me they live so
and and then I want to drop off the dog.
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:They're like, oh.
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:Oh, we just recently moved.
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:I'm like, no, you didn't.
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:You just recently lied is what happened.
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:Dixie: I was recently catfished for a cat.
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:This is no joke.
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:Lisa: Oh my goodness.
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:, It's funny, but it's not funny 'cause
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:Dixie: it's it's not funny.
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:Lisa: Don't you have something
better to do with your day?
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:You know what I mean?
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:It's come on.
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:Dixie: Luckily we caught it.
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:Lisa: Yeah,
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:that's the worst one.
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:I feel like I've I'm a volunteer.
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:I work like 45 hours a week,
like I work six days a week.
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:It's broken up over six days,
but I work six days a week.
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:I don't keep a normal schedule.
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:I go to work at 2:00 PM I'm usually home
in between nine and:
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:Not the normal everyday schedule.
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:But I enjoy it.
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:And when people waste my time, I don't
like that I have very limited free time.
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:If I don't have control,
it would be absolute chaos.
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:And I go to work with chaos.
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:I come home and it's a little
chaotic, but usually can manage it.
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:Once I get more than three
rotations and yes, I rotate dogs
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:'cause not everybody gets along.
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:When I get more than three rotations,
it starts getting difficult.
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:And right now I've got
a good three rotations
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:but that's one of the great
things of doing dog rescues.
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:I know my animals, I know what their
limits are and I keep them safe no matter
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:what, whether it's in the yard, in the
house, at the vet, in public, yeah.
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:It's just, I.
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:That's the commitment that I've made.
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:If I had children, it'd be the same thing.
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:I just accidentally got into
dog rescue and the first dog
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:I fostered was a bee hole.
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:She dug a hole in my bedroom floor.
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:I learned real quick that
the kennel is my best friend.
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:So they're like, yeah, you
gotta keep her in the kennel.
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:I'm like, kennel's.
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:I learned the hard way when my, one
of my first dogs ate the windowsill
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:and started eating the walls.
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:We very quickly got a kennel, but
I was like, oh, she just got fixed?
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:No, she dug a hole through the
carpet to the concrete while I was
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:sleeping in the same room with her.
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:Dixie: Wow.
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:Lisa: So yeah, crate is my best friend.
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:I learned real quick that Crate is a
extremely important tool, especially
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:when I'm getting dogs straight out
of the animal shelter because I
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:don't know what kind of dog this is
or what kind of experiences they've
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:had in the house or with furniture.
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:And I tell people that when they adopt
from me and I'm like, look, I suggest that
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:you keep this dog on the same routine for
the next two weeks that I have him on.
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:They eat in their kennels,
they sleep in their kennels.
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:When I'm around and watching
them, that's when they're loose.
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:I don't know if you leave him loose when
you run to the grocery store, if he's
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:gonna take a poop on your couch or eat it.
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:I wanna say that he's not gonna do
those naughty things, but I don't
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:know, because when I leave, he's safely
and securely sleeping in his crate.
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:And that's, people think, oh, it's a cage.
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:No, it's their safe space.
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:I, it's never a punishment.
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:It's always a positive.
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:They get something delicious.
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:My dogs will run me over to get to
their kennels, and half the time I'm
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:you're not even going in your kennel.
423
:This is time to, to hang out in the house.
424
:And they will still go in down the
hallway and act like they're gonna enter
425
:whatever bedroom their crates are in.
426
:And then when they realize I've
sat down, then they just come
427
:back in the living room and oh,
it's my time to be in the house.
428
:But, my dogs enjoy their crates
and they, I've got a bed in
429
:there and they get fed in there.
430
:All the most high quality
treats are given in there.
431
:And it's, just my experiences over the
years have just definitely, solidified
432
:that the crate is my best friend.
433
:Had dogs that, gave me a run for my money.
434
:And the kennel helped a lot to give
me more control and to learn that
435
:they can trust me because I control
everything with the kennel and my house
436
:is safe and my other animals are safe.
437
:And, most of the time when I'm
gone, they're asleep in their
438
:kennel and that's what any owner
wants their dog to be doing.
439
:But maybe sleep on the couch.
440
:Rhonda sometimes stays loose, but I
don't even let her loose now because
441
:of the storms, because I don't want
her to go in the bathroom and hide
442
:or, decide that she wants to actually
knock the kittens down or something.
443
:So
444
:her kennel is safe for
everyone, especially her.
445
:Dixie: Definitely nothing wrong
with kennel training them.
446
:It's a good thing to have in my opinion.
447
:Lisa: Yeah, it absolutely is.
448
:And my whole extra bedroom is just,
there's five, there's six dogs kennels
449
:in there, and if I need to, I can
put five more crates in that room.
450
:I have the capacity in one room
to finagle 11 dogs in there.
451
:For my own sanity I don't,
but I can if I need to.
452
:Dixie: What's the one message you
would like to leave our listeners
453
:with about animal rescue in general?
454
:Lisa: In general, I just wanna
say spay and neuter your animals.
455
:But with rescue, just be honest.
456
:If you wanna adopt a dog.
457
:Be honest.
458
:You wanna adopt a cat, be honest.
459
:Make sure you spay and
neuter your animals.
460
:Be responsible and committed.
461
:It's not a, oh, it's a cute little kitten.
462
:It's a, in 20 years when they're in
kidney failure and you need to take 'em
463
:to the vet, will you commit to do that?
464
:Will you be doing fluids
at home for your cat?
465
:Will you do the extra, expensive
food and the wet food and all the
466
:things that your animal needs?
467
:There's so many things I could say
468
:I just want people to be responsible.
469
:Just know that it's a commitment.
470
:It's not, it's a cute little puppy.
471
:It's a, when your life changes
in five years, make sure that
472
:there's a plan for your dog.
473
:Bulldog Rescue has a safe haven program.
474
:We've only had to use it a couple of
times, but it is for people like, in
475
:a domestic violence situation that
need to get out, but don't immediately
476
:have a place to go with their dog.
477
:We've had a couple come in and
we basically foster them until
478
:these people get on their feet
and can take their dogs back.
479
:And then still, occasionally I'll
still, Amazon Prime, a bag of food here
480
:and there If they need help, I would
rather go the extra mile to help you
481
:keep your dog than rehome your dog.
482
:Dixie: Absolutely.
483
:Lisa: Maybe that's
484
:what I should have said.
485
:Dixie: Absolutely.
486
:I absolutely agree with that.
487
:I would rather see people ask for
help than just rehome their animals.
488
:Lisa: Yeah.
489
:Or get in over their head and then have to
like, go bring their half dead dog to the
490
:shelter, in a last ditch effort for help.
491
:Whether the dog survives or not
is up to what's happening at the
492
:shelter at the present moment.
493
:If they can, get the vet care that the
animal needs or if it's just a lost cause.
494
:One of my neighbors, just the
other day told me that the neighbor
495
:across the street, a couple houses
down, one of their dogs died and
496
:they're like she'd been sick.
497
:I'm like what'd the vet say?
498
:And they're like they
didn't take her to the vet.
499
:I'm like, that's just insane.
500
:It's, my dog misses a meal.
501
:I'm like, something's wrong.
502
:You're going to the vet.
503
:Dixie: That's crazy.
504
:Lisa: They let their dog die.
505
:Like they didn't take her to the vet.
506
:I'm like, just flabbergasted.
507
:I have a whole credit
card for just my animals.
508
:If I can't afford what needs to be
done, I've got that security blanket
509
:there for a reason, accidents happen.
510
:Animals need proper care to,
to live a good, healthy life.
511
:And some of those things
are unpredictable.
512
:Believe me, I know anyone who owns an
animal should know that animals get sick.
513
:Just like people, you need
to buy pet insurance or you
514
:man up and you pay the vet.
515
:But if you're smart about it, you
get a puppy from, a, a reputable
516
:breeder or from a rescue, and then
you immediately get pet insurance.
517
:Most of mine unfortunately come in with
medical issues, so pet insurance was
518
:never a good idea for me because it would,
disqualify the preexisting condition,
519
:which is the condition that I would
be taking them to the vet for, right?
520
:Unfortunately it doesn't always
work in everybody's favor, but.
521
:We do what we gotta do no matter what.
522
:Yeah.
523
:I will eat ramen noodles so I can
buy somebody's meds or I will dog
524
:sit for free, or cat sit for free.
525
:Or anytime I have anything extra,
I'll always try to like, give a
526
:little bit of here and there to on
Give Nola Day and things like that to
527
:rescues that I don't even work with.
528
:I give my time to, bulldog rescue and I
give my time to the Jefferson SPCA and
529
:anybody else that asks me for help, if
there was with a rescue, that's what
530
:I contribute is,, my volunteer time.
531
:I don't always have the funds
to spare, but if I do, I will
532
:definitely, do what I need to do.
533
:I've been buying some of my own little
kitten supplies, 'cause I know, the
534
:Jefferson Feed has a ton of kittens.
535
:I know what that costs to run, so
I've been providing some stuff for
536
:my own kittens and some fosters
do that and some fosters don't.
537
:But a way that I can get back,
is to help with the kitten stuff.
538
:And, I buy my own dog
treats and my own dog food.
539
:So it's just, bulldog Rescue
paying for the dogs that are
540
:technically living in my home.
541
:Rent free huh Rhonda.
542
:But yeah, I don't know any other way
to live my life other than to helping
543
:with dogs and cats and, if I have the
time to do TNR or to help out where I
544
:can, I did the shelter neuter return
for years to try to get the proper
545
:numbers to get that best friend grant.
546
:And then we got that grant and
those girls were here for three
547
:years and then they're gone and
then we're still in the same boat.
548
:Dixie: Yeah, it'll get better one day.
549
:We just need to get more
people on board with the TNR
550
:Lisa: But
551
:yeah, when is one day, I've
been doing this for 20 years.
552
:Dixie: It's amazing the amount,
that's amount of work that you do
553
:though working with all these groups
and it's really admirable too.
554
:Lisa: Thank you
555
:Dixie: A lot of people, there's a lot of
ego involved in animal rescue sometimes.
556
:And, so you don't always see
people helping other groups
557
:because of that ego thing.
558
:And so it's very admirable
that you do as much as you do.
559
:Lisa: I
560
:try.
561
:The animals shouldn't matter what
rescue that they're with, just as
562
:long as I have my heart in the right
place, and that's where I'm at.
563
:I needed something to brighten My
day after Trouble was, unfortunately
564
:found deceased and I wanted kittens.
565
:So I went out and volunteered to foster,
and now I'm just laughing and giggling
566
:at my three little corn chip boys.
567
:Because they're definitely a hoot.
568
:They're, yeah they're the corn chip boys.
569
:They've got the Cheeto, the Dorito, and
the Frito, and I call 'em Frito Burrito
570
:and Cheeto Burrito and Dorito Burrito.
571
:They are a kick.
572
:I definitely enjoy having
kittens in the house.
573
:It's a lot of fun.
574
:You get to do all the cutesy little
things and then they find another home.
575
:My friends are like,
you're gonna keep one.
576
:I'm like, no, I'm not really
planning on keeping a kitten.
577
:Like I love Dorito, I really
like Cheeto and Frito and I'm
578
:not keeping three kittens.
579
:We're not keeping kittens.
580
:It's not always the easy decision
sometimes, especially when you
581
:put a lot of extra love and care.
582
:'cause someone gets sick like Dorito,
it just builds a different bond, and
583
:I have learned to, to know that, if
I build a special bond with these
584
:animals, that I, that just means
that I have to keep in touch a little
585
:more and it with whoever adopts 'em.
586
:And I still get, text messages and
we still get emails and things when
587
:our dogs unfortunately pass away.
588
:And, people donate things all the time.
589
:When they lose animals, and that's
unfortunately a sad part about it.
590
:But the good part is that a lot of
those people come back again and adopt
591
:again, so they're saving another life.
592
:And, it's just, rescue is becoming the
popular thing to do, but unfortunately
593
:we still just don't have enough foster
homes and enough money to save them all.
594
:I just shake my head.
595
:'cause my family's from the Midwest
and animals are treated differently.
596
:They're more like , they
serve a purpose down here.
597
:Their purpose is puppies and kittens
in, in the Midwest, it's like the
598
:dog is out there with the cattle.
599
:You don't see loose dogs or
loose cats and stuff like that.
600
:It's just a different mentality of the
type of animal and the climate that
601
:nothing stray could live in negative
70 degrees when they get a snowstorm.
602
:It's just not possible.
603
:You can't even be outside for
more than a couple minutes.
604
:It's the whole society down here
in the south, they just don't think
605
:that spay and neuter is important.
606
:For some reason, I don't get it.
607
:Or oh, my dog's not gonna get pregnant.
608
:My dog's not gonna get out.
609
:Yeah, all those things
happened, I don't know.
610
:It's frustrating to talk about it.
611
:Dixie: It is.
612
:Lisa: I don't see an end
in sight unfortunately.
613
:'cause I still run across people today.
614
:It's, we're in the 21st century
and they don't understand.
615
:And I don't understand how, at this point
in our life and in society, in the way
616
:that, you know, domesticated animals
are treated that people still have that
617
:mentality and it's gotta start from
somewhere we need to start educating
618
:like in the schools now or something.
619
:We used to do advocacy
programs, for events at schools.
620
:We've been to a couple of times,
with Bulldog Rescue, where they
621
:were having like an environment
event and they invited our dogs.
622
:And that was a lot of fun and it
was good to, . Teach the kids.
623
:I'm a nanny.
624
:All three of our kids, know all
the rules to ask to pet a dog.
625
:And, we don't, feed our dog
all these random things.
626
:We don't hit our dog.
627
:It's so frustrating.
628
:I could talk for hours about it,
629
:When you do rescue , as long as
I have, I've got some stories.
630
:Even Michael's man, you got some stories.
631
:I'm like, I know, because every dog has
a story and I can't remember people's
632
:names, but I can tell you the dog
and I can tell you the dog's story.
633
:Like the lady that I'm gonna meet
with for the new Frenchie is I
634
:know who she is, but I remember
her dogs before I remembered her.
635
:Dixie: It's funny.
636
:I'm the same way..
637
:I remember kittens that I
fostered like 10 years ago.
638
:Lisa: I know.
639
:It happens to us too sometimes when
they send emails, they're like, oh,
640
:here's an update so and and they're
like, did you foster this dog?
641
:I'm like, oh yeah, I fostered him.
642
:His name was Judge.
643
:Because people change
their names on stuff.
644
:It's you just have to remember.
645
:Occasionally it takes me a minute, but
most of the time, if I've had a dog
646
:for , any significant amount of time in
my home, I can immediately remember them.
647
:I might not remember who adopted them.
648
:The phone the contact that I added
will tell me the person's name with
649
:the foster dog's name next to it,
650
:Dixie: Uhhuh.
651
:Lisa: And that's usually how I remember
their people's names is 'cause I have
652
:it in there under the dog's name.
653
:So
654
:I can communicate.
655
:And I've met so many people and
then I've adopted dogs to judges
656
:and lawyers and real estate agents.
657
:And, I've had dogs that were down
here in the military that lived
658
:in Washington state and New York
City and all over the country.
659
:I even shipped merchandise
to Sweden one time.
660
:It was super exciting.
661
:. It was super cool.
662
:'cause I handle all the PayPal orders.
663
:If you order something from
PayPal, it gets shipped, by me.
664
:I have all the merchandise here.
665
:We, don't have a ton right now, but we
just do t-shirts, can coolers every year.
666
:We do a big ticket item,
but it's just a calendar.
667
:We're one of the only rescue
groups that does a yearly calendar.
668
:We have done 'em for years.
669
:I will never let Michael
stop doing the calendar.
670
:It's a great fundraiser.
671
:We always make our money back and
then some, and people love them.
672
:We put them out and all the
Jefferson feeds and they sell
673
:out and we have to bring more.
674
:A couple of our vet clinics sell 'em.
675
:You can always buy 'em online.
676
:It's a lot of fun.
677
:We get a photographer, we do pictures.
678
:Most of the calendar has alumni in it.
679
:And basically you donate your fee and
then your dog gets into the calendar, and
680
:then you get the professional pictures
from your professional photo shoot.
681
:And that's how we handle our calendar.
682
:It's a way for us to make
sure that we have enough money
683
:to print them, to be honest.
684
:And it's a good fundraiser for us and
people seem to enjoy it because every year
685
:we, usually get all 12 months to alumni
from the previous year or anyone actually.
686
:We send out a massive email for,
any year that you've adopted.
687
:If you would like to be in the
calendar, you can, like Max, his
688
:mom is a a retired judge, and he
is been in the calendar every year.
689
:And I asked Michael just recently,
I'm like, is that boy still around?
690
:He is he's still kicking.
691
:I'm like, all right.
692
:He's getting old.
693
:He's gotta be 14 by now.
694
:And he's not a little dog.
695
:He's some sort of like.
696
:Pit bull and bulldog mix.
697
:He's super cute, but
he's like a big blockhead
698
:Dixie: uhhuh.
699
:Lisa: He's got floppy ears and the docked
tail, but he is like a 80 or 90 pound dog.
700
:He's not little.
701
:He's solid.
702
:I fostered him and his mom's mom
actually just recently adopted a dog.
703
:And I pulled Trixie from the
L-A-S-P-C-A, she had no hair.
704
:You couldn't tell what color she was.
705
:She was like a four or
five month old puppy.
706
:She was just a baby.
707
:And she, didn't walk on a leash.
708
:She had mange so bad.
709
:She was disgusting.
710
:Those are one of those dogs,
you're like, I need a foster
711
:home like tomorrow for this dog.
712
:Because she not only needs a lot of
work, meaning bathing and, antibiotics
713
:and, but bulldogs can smell in
general, but when you've got a yeast
714
:infection all over your body from head
to tail and you have mange, imagine
715
:what that smells like in your house.
716
:It's not fun, but that's
something you commit to.
717
:I knew when I was getting her that
this was gonna be a lot of bathing.
718
:But I had a foster home who
doesn't have any other dogs.
719
:And then she ended up keeping
her and I was like, all right.
720
:It's always fun when our fosters
keep a dog and then still
721
:want to continue to foster.
722
:Of course, I gotta put that out
there because if you keep a dog and
723
:then you don't foster anymore, then
I'm like, oh, I lost a foster home.
724
:But if you if you keep a dog
and keep fostering more, yes.
725
:High fives, that's what I love.
726
:Dixie: Yeah, that is absolutely the best.
727
:Thank you for talking with me today.
728
:I enjoyed our conversation.
729
:Lisa: Absolutely.
730
:I did too.
731
:Dixie: I'll have you come back
on and we'll just do dog stories.
732
:Lisa: Awesome.
733
:Sounds like fun.
734
:Dixie: If you are enjoying our show,
please consider leaving us a donation.
735
:A hundred percent goes to our animals.
736
:And that's all the time we
have for today's episode.
737
:If you are in animal rescue, or if
you know someone that has a story that
738
:should be told, please contact us.
739
:We would love to have
you or them on the show
740
:. Thanks for listening, and please
join us next week as we continue to
741
:explore the world of animal rescue.
