SHOREWOOD COCKER NEWS Issue 1 02/02/01

www.cockerrescue.com

Rescue Hosts Events in Madison

Three Dog Bakery & Mounds Pet Food Warehouse

In an effort to educate the public on what rescue groups are all about and gain some exposure for our organization, The Shorewood Cocker Rescue first began hosting 3 hour long events at Three Dog Bakery in Madison in August, 2000. It's been a work in progress but over the months we've developed a formula for presenting our group to the public with materials for people to read and take with them, dogs available for adoption for people to meet, and volunteers on-hand to share their experiences and the mission of our group. As planned these efforts have paid off in more adoption applications and exposure but also something unexpected… Families that have adopted in the past have made it a practice to stop by with their new cockers, say hi, and let us know how they are doing. We appreciate this feedback and encourage more families to visit.

We will host another booth at the Three Dog Bakery in Madison on Saturday, February 17^th from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to visit with some of our volunteers and meet some of our cockers available for adoption. If you are not able to make this event, our next visit to the Three Dog Bakery will be on Sunday, March 17^th from 12.30 to 3.30.

Also, Shorewood Cocker Rescue will start hosting a rescue booth at “Mounds Pet Food Warehouse” in Madison soon. The first event is scheduled for March 16^th from 12:00 to 3:00 at the east side location...

Please don’t forget to come and visit us. J

Jesse's Story Featured in Local News

Jesse, an eight-year-old Cocker Spaniel, and the Shorewood Cocker Rescue Program were featured in the December 28^th edition of the Oconomowoc Enterprise, a local southern Wisconsin newspaper. Jesse came to the rescue program from a shelter in MN in November 2000 and was placed soon after with an older gentleman in the Dousman, Wisconsin area. You may ask, "What is so interesting about Jesse that warranted a newspaper story?" It's true that Carole Kohler, the Founder and Director of the program with considerable help from her loyal group of volunteers place over a hundred cockers a year and Jessie's story seems commonplace in the beginning, but that changed quickly after he was brought to his new home in mid-November.

Not long after arriving at his new home, Jesse's owner took him out for a walk, slipped on the ice, fell and accidentally let go of Jesse's leash. Poor Jessie became very startled and bolted into the woods. This occurrence would begin almost a month long search by Shorewood rescue volunteers, local rescue groups, and neighborhood residents to locate this scared, lost dog. The Shorewood staff printed and distributed over 300 posters, but despite many sightings on country roads and close encounters near area homes, Jessie managed to elude his well-meaning rescuers and stay hidden during one of the coldest snaps of the winter. Due to the many fliers that were distributed however, we were able to keep track of the areas he was frequenting, and we were encouraged not to give up because we knew he was still alive. Dedicated volunteers like Deanna Krebs and Kathy Carter even slept in their vehicles on one or more cold nights to monitor the live trap that we had set up in the area. This was a very concentrated effort by several Shorewood volunteers, and we monitored and mapped every sighting of Jesse for almost a month until getting the call we were waiting for from a local resident late one nite. So Carole called in all of the local people we had been in contact with and all of the Shorewood rescue volunteers who had helped in the rescue effort. One of our local helpers went out late that night to move our live trap to the area of the latest sighting, and the next morning, another local rescuer was on the site and saw Jesse as this timid and frightened cocker went into his den beneath the root system of an old stump.

This story has a happy ending. Jesse was found the morning of December 12^th Except for some burrs and scabs on his head and a significant weight loss, Jessie was remarkably unscathed and has completely recovered. 

For all of the  rescue volunteers, it was a huge relief to hear of his capture and complete recovery, but it was also touching to see how the Dousman community literally banded together to help in the search. Due to the efforts of many Shorewood Rescue people and the local dogs lovers,  Jessie is now safe and warm with his family today.

Recent Adoption

Vincent was approximately one year old when he came into the Rescue. Someone bought him for breeding purposes but he got loose, was picked up by the Animal Control Officer, and the owner would not pay the $20.00 impoundment fee to get him back. He is well socialized with people and with other animals. This neat little guy was adopted by a family in Colorado who saw him on the web site.  While it is our policy to place closer, this family wanted Vincent in the worst way and were willing to drive half way to get him.  They had excellent references and this boy just reminded them so much of one they had loved so dearly that had died some time ago, that Carole, just agreed to proceed with this long distance adoption.

Vincent's new owner writes, “Just a note to let you know I got Vincent this morning in Lincoln. He is quite a ball of fire, but adorable and we love him already!!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the effort you went through to put this together. Our girls welcomed him and he just made himself at home. Found a tennis ball and it was all over. He's a ball playing fool!!! The girls just lay on the couch and get tired watching him. I do not think he's too thin at all. With all that energy, he'll probably be a very lean dog most of his life…. Thanks again for everything.”