Just how did I end up driving the CWOB rescue van up a two-lane windy road in the middle of rural Lake County, California following signs to the county prison last Wednesday?

Lake County is one of the poorest counties in California, with a 22% poverty rate – that’s slightly more than one in five people living below the poverty line. I had recently made a trip to the two municipal animal shelters in Lake County as part of my work with the Sonoma Humane Society.

What I discovered was just how impoverished the County is and how in need the animals are there. While the local shelters are doing good work within the scope of what is possible for them, euthanasia of adoptable animals is taking place at an unacceptable rate.

In the Bay Area, just a few hours south of Lake County, there are many shelters and rescue groups that pull dogs from overcrowded shelters – primarily in the Central Valley. However, no meaningful partnerships are currently in place between Lake County shelters and rescue partners, which means animals that could be saved are being euthanized.

After my visit, I thought long and hard about how Compassion without Borders could help. Our mission is to save lives and prevent suffering in underserviced, impoverished communities – didn’t Lake County fit that description?

Of course it did. The animals there are dying needlessly. We had to help.

So, we did. Last Wednesday, I took the Compassion without Borders rescue van up to Lake County. The municipal shelter is located next to the County prison, {a common occurrence here in the States where both are typically relegated to the outskirts of town}. So I followed the prison signs dutifully as I drove, with the hope of saving some lives.

As I entered the shelter I made a quick pit stop in the bathroom. Gathering my composure as I headed out of the restroom and out into the shelter to pick the dogs, I looked down at my feet and was startled {and admittedly a bit freaked out} to see a large tarantula sitting on the floor. Apparently, according to the receptionist, it was the second one spotted that day. I shook it off and carried on, all in a day’s work!

When I arrived in the back of the shelter, I was met by a very enthusiastic and helpful group of employees who were very grateful to work with a rescue organization. I temperament tested and health checked the dogs that were facing euthanasia, and was able to save five sweet lives.

You can see a video of the dogs here.

http://youtu.be/h1_z5HIaF9c

My personal favorite is a middle-aged Border Collie cross named Lillie, who was found roaming the streets emaciated, covered in ticks, and full of intestinal worms. She also has an old injury to her right eye, which I think only adds to her unbelievable charm. With a few weeks of good food, TLC, and some basic medication and deworming sweet Lillie will be a delightful companion, ever grateful to someone for adopting her and giving her the love she deserves.

Lillie was found on the side of the highway with another one of the dogs saved, Layla.. Layla is an unbelievably sweet little mix breed dog that’s submissive tail wag won my heart right away. And then there is Hero, a spunky little miniature pointer mix who shines with the vibrant  radiance of a young dog with his whole life ahead of him. Boisterous and fun-loving Remmy, the fourth dog saved,  is a black lab  who hadn’t even completed her first birthday before winding up facing euthanasia at the shelter . She is an absolutely beautiful dog, whose already had  some basic obedience, that will make a perfect family companion. The fifth dog saved is Skyler, a sweeter than life brown and white Chihuahua mix .

All dogs were transported to the Sonoma Humane Society where they will be put up for adoption.

Five lives saved, with many more to come.

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