All Aboard the Brittany Railroad

Rescued dogs available for adoption in Mount Washington Valley

Gilly, an eight-year-old brittany spaniel, arrived in Glen this spring as a skinny, bedraggled, and terrified little dog. He had been rescued with 39 other dogs from shelters in the southern part of the country and transported north by volunteers. Many were involved in moving Gilly from West Virginia to his foster home, several driving long distances to ensure this petite brittany a safe haven. This network of volunteers has been dubbed the Brittany Railroad. Without the assistance of National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network and the railroad, Gilly probably would have been euthanized.The first order of business for Gilly upon his arrival in Mount Washington Valley was a bath by his foster family, Jon and Anita Burroughs. We took one look at this dirty, wild little dog and said to ourselves, what have we gotten ourselves into? laughs Anita Burroughs, who is president of the board of directors for the Conway Area Humane Society. The Burroughs were amazed that their small charge calmed down immeasurably after a bath, a meal and a good nights sleep. I think he understood pretty quickly that he was now in a safe environment with people who cared about him, and that he could relax and feel secure," she said. The couple discovered that their newly-revitalized rescue was a sweet little dog who appreciated everything that was done for him, and was overjoyed at the opportunity to take part in family life. He enjoyed long walks, snuggled every evening with the familys 12-year-old lab mix, and snored soundly through the night. Over the course of the first few weeks, Gilly learned how to play, something he did not seem to understand how to do. When I first tried to play with him, he became terrified, and clearly thought I was going to hurt him, Anita Burroughs recalled. Finally, one night she began to tickle Gilly, who seemed to suddenly make the connection that play was fun. He started covering his eyes with his paws and played peek-a-boo, continually checking to see if I was looking at him," she said, laughing. "He literally began squealing with delight. It was such a great moment, I really got choked up. One of the volunteers who had transported Gilly told me that fostering is often a way to help dogs who have had a rough time become whole again. This was certainly the case with Gilly.Gilly, according to Burroughs, is one of many purebred dogs who have been rescued and are available for adoption in Mount Washington Valley and across the country. "Many individuals and families have their hearts set on adopting a purebred dog or puppy, but are unaware that there are many purebreds in dire need of homes," she said. "There are hundreds of breed rescue organizations that have web sites both nationally and in New England. The website at www.dog.com has a search engine that enables visitors to find a breed rescue for their dog of choice. Another valuable resource is Petfinder.com, one of the largest web sites dedicated to showcasing animals available for adoption, where photos and descriptions of these dogs can be viewed by breed and location. Many breed rescues are active locally, including Second Chance Boxer Rescue and The Greyhound Placement Service, and these groups have postings on Petfinder."Local animal shelters are also an important resource. According to Conway Area Humane Society founder and director, Roz Manwaring, families or individuals seeking to adopt a purebred dog should check with their local shelters to determine which dogs are currently up for adoption. While a shelter may be an unlikely source for an unusual dog such as a chinese crested or a brussels griffon, other breeds may more readily appear, such as a labrador retriever, beagle or boxer. Manwaring urges people seeking a new dog to consider a mixed breed, which may offer the best of two worlds. We recently took in a 15-week-old newfoundland/german shepherd mix named Max," she said. "He has the sweetness of a newfie, with the intelligence of a shepherd, and the good looks of both breeds. You couldnt ask for a more perfect dog."She adds that mixed breed dogs often experience fewer health problems than purebreds, and may show the best traits of two or more breeds. She urges people to carefully research dog breeds of interest to ensure that there is a good fit with the familys lifestyle. A young lab who loves to run is not going to do well with a family that enjoys a sedate lifestyle," Manwaring said. "There are plenty of breeds who would like nothing better than to snuggle while their human is reading a book, and that would be a dog that which is a better fit for this family.Now that Gilly is secure in his foster home, The National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network has started the work of finding the dog a permanent home that will be a good match. The Burroughs have gotten to know him very well, and feel he would do best in a home with a family or individual who has a lot of time to spend with him. As he is hard of hearing, he would ideally have a fenced yard, or be placed with someone who would enjoy walking him on a leash. The Brittany rescue organization posts dogs available for adoption on its web site at www.nbran.org, and through www.petfinder.com. Prospective adoptees fill out an application, and are screened by trained volunteers whose job it is to ensure that there is a good match between each dog and the applicant. Gilly is such a love muffin that we have no doubt that he will find the great forever home he deserves, asserts Burroughs. She adds that adopting a rescued dog through a shelter or a breed rescue makes the experience all the sweeter, knowing you have saved a precious life.For more information about adopting Gilly, call Anita Burroughs at 383-6287.Conway Area Humane Society can be contacted at 447-5955.