Adopting (Off Topic)

[Ace]

Well as alot of you know I recently had to put my best friend (pepper) to rest after a short 15 years. I sure do miss him! Anyway shortly after that horrible day the decision was made, I have looked for another dog. Not to replace him but to fill the void that was left of him not being around! I could never replace him with any dog. He was simply the best there was. I feel like I just need another dog as silly as it sounds. I have looked all over the place locally, and even out of state. I found one I sort of liked in Gainesville but after making the two hour trip and spending 2 hours with him, I decided he might grow into a BIIIIGGGG dog! Well with me getting older, I felt he may outlive me and there come a time I wouldn't be able to hold onto him so I'm still looking for another SMALLER dog. I found one shortly after that vist and he is in Tucker Ga.. Ok it's not that far away and I'm willing to take the trip. I found him on Petfinder.com which by the way has zillions of dogs of every known breed listed. Problem is they (the lister) only communicate thru e-mail. That's really not a problem except I thoink they check it every week. I DID receive an adoption paper and quickly filled it out but still haven't heard back from them. That's been three days and counting. I'm waiting for an answer and hopefully I can give this homeless dog a loving home and love that he surely deserves. He's only 4 moths old (maybe 5 by the time I get him (IF I do) so there's plenty of time to train him to ride in the bus. He kind of looks like Pepper when he was a young pup that strayed up, but he has a tail where Pepper didn't. Don't ask me why, He came that way! Anyway, I sit here every night waiting patiently for an answer. It's getting to be worse than waiting for your first born to arrive! Oh well, just thought I'd write something about my recent days and nights while sitting here doing nothing.
I DID manage to get a light bar assembled in the bus and it works pretty darn good and it looks good too! It's over top of our counter with the bar stools.
By the way, before I forget, there are a lot of dogs in a lot of places that really need homes so if your a dog lover, visit petfinder.com and read some of the horrible stories about the lives these guys have had. Some of them really make you think!

If you got this far, thanks for reading and wish me luck. Maybe Just maybe I'll have to go up around Atlanta real soon to pick up my new found buddy!

Ace

[Devin & Amy]

Ace,

Good luck and Godspeed!

Devin

[Happycampersrus]

ACE,

That's super!!! So many people after suffering the loss of a pet get selfish and say they won't ever have another, but I feel that is wrong. NOTHING can ever replace Pepper, but there is nothing wrong with making a new friend. I strongly urge people to consider a rescue dog they make some of the best friends. I have a rescue Carin Terrier and he is probably the best buddy I could ever find. I know I am rambling here, But as my life goes by I realize how short it is. I hope all works out for you!

Dale

[Ednj]

Ace - I had a dog named Angel - she lasted 13 1/2 years.  Before Eddie and I had our son, she was my baby.  She was a small maltese with a bitch of a personality - she bit Eddie every chance she got!  Mostly, she was loving and gentle.  She stayed right by my side, I never had to put a leash on her.  I rescued her.  She was in a home that didn't like dogs - she was abused by a small boy and terrified when we first got her.  She needed a lot of medical attention because of her abuse - she was malnourished and had an infection in the lining of her heart.  After she got better we had a lot of great years together.  In the end, her heart took her - but only after having her on diuretics and heart medicine for 3 months (which was VERY expensive!)  But truthfully, I would have paid anything to keep her around.  Thankfully, I didn't have to make the decision, she died in her sleep.  After about 9 months of not having a dog in the house, and feeling the void, we rescued a dog from petfinders.com - she is part Newfoundland.  She was found on Route 17 in New York State, wandering on the highway with a rope tied around her neck.  She was 9 months old at the time.  While no dog could ever replace Angel, Lady sure has filled the void and in a much different way has become a very special member of our family.  We now have two dogs - we got another pedigree Newfoundland - another rescue.  I know how it feels - they are much more than a dog - they are part of the family.  One thing that you need to consider - big dogs are great - Newfs are gentle giants - but their life span is only 8 - 10 years.  Smaller dogs usually live longer than larger dogs do.  Pedigrees live shorter life spans generally, than do mutts.  EVERY dog deserves a good home - and blessed will be the pup that gets to live in your home - you sound like you have a lot of love to share with the lucky pup.  Good luck - petfinders is a great place to get a dog from.
Sue-NJ

[BusCrazyTom]

Hey Ace,

I saw your post and can sympathize having recently lost my pet weasel (ferret). I had adopted her from a friend in NYC who had to let her go when Guiliani past a law banning them in NYC. Had a long life and was a great little friend, so I can identify with your loss. Had a very special miniature poodle before her which I rescued from Bogata, Columbia SA. We were inseperable. After many years, surviving 6 strokes and many thousands expended to get her healthy again, just to get run over by the power company truck when I was out of town.....

Good luck on your search for a new furry friend 

BTW, I am new to the bus craze, having been bitten hard by it and am still looking for my first shell to convert. I am also new to this board, having been lurking on BNO for a while and just found this site.

Thomas Weeks
BusCrazyTom
Athens, GA

[Ace]

Thank you everyone for the great support! I finally received a phone call today regarding my adoption papers and about the little fella I was wanting to adopt. This could be good and it could be bad. It appears the lady in charge of the kennel where he was first listed has not been at work due to a death in her family. The lady that posted him is trying to find out more and all she could tell me was she got to talk to the Kennel mgr. (a different lady, maybe 2nd in charge) and was told that the dog in question was definitely not there at this time. It could be that he was fortunate enough to have a family foster him or he got the dreaded gas. It's sad to hear that they do about 25 at a time and it's based on if they (the kennel) feel the dog is ill, a threat, or just ugly to them! The ladt told me that she would desperatly try and find out more in the morning when another lady would be working, (maybe 3rd in charge) who happens to be a friend of hers. The main lady won't be back until Monday so worse scenario would be to wait until then. I hope he was fostered into a home. The lady I'm dealing with DID say that other dogs she had listed at the same time as the one I want were still there at the kennel and that was a good sign! Maybe not for them but you know what I mean!
Anyway, I'm all packed and ready to go to Atlanta in the morning once I get the call.Again, wish me and the pup luck! I guess not knowing what his future is or where he is at at this time makes want him even that much more!

Thanks agian for all the support. It really DOES help!

Ace

[Gary LaBombard]

Hey buddy,
good luck on getting your new family friend / pet / buddy for sure.  Remember we too also felt like you when our little Renee died and now we have not one puppy but two of them and they sure make our days brighter every minute they are not sleeping in their little house.  You will see them in "Timmonsville" in October.  Bring your new family baby now too.

Safe traveling to you and Susan to get your new baby.
Gary

[Ace]

Thanks  Gary but actually,  I met up with a friend and I'm in Montgomery, AL. doing some track testing with the car/s. The BITCH lady that supposedly lsted the dog has yet to return my phone calls or my emails. I get a feeling she is running a scam using dogs for money. Luckily I haven't paid her anything. I was either going prior to being here or first thing in the A.M. but with no calls, looks like I will be heading South. I WILL call again before leaving just in casebecazuse it's really not that far out of the way from here!
There IS a dog out there somehwhere that needs me as bad as I need him. I'll keep looking along the way!

Take care and keep in touch...

Ace, from a god awful motel room instead of my bus!

[Ace]

FINALLY after almost harrassing the contact that I had, that calls herself a volunteer to help people adopt pets in need, did I find out the truth about the little dog I was interested in adopting. Aftyer a complete run a round all week long andveryhigh hopes, I was informed via e-mail that the little fella was put to sleep. I have no idea as to why she couldn't have just called me to tell me instead of letting me go on and hope that we could hook up! After all the phone calls and inquiries I made, I kind of feel like the little guy was mine even though I hadn't adopted him. Oh well the quest to adopt a dog continues and I WILL say, the last email to this so called volunteer was worse than one of my replies to my bussin buddies on these boards. In other words I un-loaded big time on her via return e-mail since her phone is always on fax connection!
It truly makes me wonder how these shelters operate behind the scenes expecially when they ask for CASH ONLY and NO information on the dog can be given out except thru the volunteer. I would think that ANY shelter would jump up and down to find a home and offer any info they could, just to please and place a dog or cat in a lifed long home!!

Oh well again thanks for all the support and hopefully there is a dog somewhere that will want to be PART owner of  a nice newly converted H3 Prevost. Ok that makes it official. It's not an Off Topic issue now!

Ace

[TomNPat]

There IS a dog out there somehwhere that needs me as bad as I need him. I'll keep looking along the way!

Ace,

You are a very fine person!  The statement above proves that to me.  And the people who denied you your pup are pure trash. 

Our 'Bear' passed after 13 years in which she provided companionship, comfort, and enjoyment  plus so much more.  Just like Pepper did for you, she was the best!  Now she resides in our front yard.

We knew that we needed a friend, not a replacement, but that hole in our lives was big!

A year and a half later, a friend told us about a litter available while we were on the road.  We picked 'BUSter' from that litter.  The owner said 'Dogs are expensive to keep, we don't want any money.'  BUSter has been a joy!!  He isn't Bear, we didn't look for a replacement.  He is a Border Collie and is so full of energy we want to pull our hair out sometimes.  But, he is OUR BORDER COLLIE!  And each year when we return to King City, CA, the owner of the litter comes to visit BUSter with his kids.  It is like the best family reunion you could imagine.

You'll find the same joy!  Pepper will make sure you do!  It may take some time, but that will make the wait all the more worthwhile.  I'm 400 miles south of my wife and BUSter as I write this and she has him, I have the bus.  I'd rather have the 'BUSter'.  We will be back together come Monday.  Her presence will mean just a bit more than his, but just a bit!  The happiness he'll show in seeing me will be just a little less that the happiness I'll feel in seeing him. 

Enjoy the memories of Pepper untill Pepper chooses the new one for you.

TomNPat

[edvanland]

ACE:
If they are a public shelter or any shelter at all sounds like you, for the sake of other animals which could be adopted, maby should try to go over the idoits heads and find out just what the h===l is going on.  I just had one of my cats, 16 years old, go to sleep and not wake up.  He had a good life and provided a lot of affection and love.
ED
MCI 7