First: Got lost. Second: Didn't care. That region is so beautiful you might even look for a reason to get lost.
Third: Wow...what a lot of puppy mill rescue groups! I did not expect to see quite so many booths, and so many rescue names I knew! Since I hadn't signed up for a booth, I decided to go as the Petfinder fairy and carry a bag full of bumper stickers, and went looking for groups who had photos on their booths that they had generated using Petfinder, to hand them out. It was great to meet the people being the internet sites I'd seen so many times.
More amazing was how far so many of them had come. New Jersey, Connecticut, Oklahoma even.
The place was full of calm, warm, wonderful dogs...and hardly a bark to be heard, except now and then when a Min Pin got excited and all the small dogs got going for a few seconds. Pugs, lhasas, Great Pyrenees, greyhounds, and poodles abounded, all polite as pie, all beautifully cared for, and all rescued from puppy mills or by rescues who also respond to puppy mill issues.
The light was lousy for photos, I'm afraid.
I only caught half the speakers, and they were excellent. Frank McMillian DVM of Best Friends Animal Society (Utah) had great information about the emotional and behavioral impact stress such as puppy mill confinement and fighting abuse (pitbulls) has on dogs.
And the men of Rescue Ink were there, and they were AWESOMELY inspiring. They strike an incredible balance between macho and gentle, and definitely have taken a "road less traveled" in drawing attention to animal abuse. Articulate, outgoing, eye-catching...what more can you say? They may indeed get this "bark" heard around the world.
Nancy was helping at the booth for Best Friends, and Judy found me as well. Both these woman reach out to help a variety of animal welfare organizations--not just one. This is how they came to my notice, when they also offered to help Wildrun.
It was a great emotional lift to visit this event.
My mother is concerned that I no longer have a dog, so I told her down the road I would start fostering for a shelter or rescue group. I have to say, when Nancy started talking to the National Pyr Rescue about fostering, my heart sort of melted over those big beautiful guys. We'll see. Of course, I'd probably check out Stray Haven first, when I'm ready. But like Nancy and Judy, there's no reason why I couldn't help more than one!
On the way home, I'm afraid the Forces of Rural Commerce pulled me into The Windmill farm and craft market. Since it was almost closing time, I figured I was safe from spending too much money. I did in fact resist a new banner for the barn, and clothing from this incredible booth called Sacred Threads (I'll be back!!!!).
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