Butch (a good dog) went for a walk out the gate and got himself stolen. He was sold to a fight farm. The night before his first fight Butch, Amazon, Cain and Able were all rescued by Marla and her friends.
Butch’s Big Adventure: Part 5.
A few minutes of frantic bouncing and lurching along the old track, a hard left onto the road and we were out of there. FREEDOM.
I don’t know how long we drove. With the rhythm of the van, my head in Marla’s lap, the warmth of Amazon’s flank against mine, I was soon fast asleep.
I slept like I hadn’t slept since I walked out the gate and this adventure began. I dreamed of the platypus who was a boat. I dreamed of running with a huge bellowing pack. Once I woke yelping in terror with a sparking hot stick coming at my face. Marla soothed. I fell back exhausted and dreamed no more till I woke with the sun coming in the window.
The van was slowing, turning, and I got up to look out the window. I saw dogs, everywhere dogs. Old dogs laying in the morning sun, young dogs romping. They saw us arrive and they all gathered.
I’ve never seen such a well behaved pack. There was 10, maybe 20 dogs, (I don’t count well), all sitting up straight. A few pups trembled, getting up and sitting down, but none broke pack. They were there for Marla.
She stepped out of the van and went to the older dogs, who had placed themselves in front of the pack. She knelt before each old dog and hugged them each around the neck. Then every single dog got a hug, the smaller dogs a caress, the gang of pups she saved till last. The pups lost it then. They were all over her, licking her hands, trying for her face. She laughed.
Amazon, Able, Cain and myself watched and waited. After the dogs had greeted Marla they came to each of us, to smell, touch, and welcome. Other humans appeared and they greeted us too, each person to each dog.
My heart flooded. I’d almost forgotten the joy of human hugs and pats. There’s something very deep in us that pine for human love.
It was still early and everyone was out in the general yard. I soon picked up a companion, an Alsatian (like me) pup called Rex, who walked with me while I explored. He filled me in on how things worked here.
Now, in the early morning, was social time. Rex told me this is the best time of the day. Soon everyone would go to their our own kennels and have their gates closed. Rex must have seen me twitch, because straight away he reassured. “It’s not being locked up, like a bad thing. It’s for the visitors who come to see us. Visitors can adopt us and take us home. It’s easier for them this way, better than having us running around all over the place.” That made sense. It’s everyone’s dream of course, an owner, a family, and this way we could present ourselves individually and on our best behaviour.
For now though, we were free to roam. There was a lot of space so the young ones could run, but plenty of trees too. Outside the main fence it was all bush. There was a big house for Marla and the carers. Mother Mary, the oldest dog, lives in the house with the people. She can wander wherever she likes but she is very old. Mostly she stays on her rug on the verandah and we can go see her there.
Half of the big house is a hospital, with a vet. People bring their sick pets there, and wild animals too, when they get hit by cars. There is a place next door where the wild ones go to recover and I could see some kangaroos there, through the fence. Rex said we are not allowed to bark at them or frighten them.
Then Marla came to show us our new kennels. I liked it a lot that they called them ‘kennels’. At the fight farm it was ‘cages’. Every kennel here has a little house to sleep in and it’s own bit of outdoor space with sand and pot plants. I was given one next to Amazon, which was lovely. We had so much to talk about. Cain and Able got a big double kennel, thanks to Marla. Amazon told her Cain and Able were brothers, born on the fight farm, never even been out the gate till now. So Marla gave them the big kennel together. They were clearly loving this new place, wrestling like puppies in their little yard.
In the late afternoon we were let out again and I talked with more of the dogs. There was a big hubbub because some people had been visiting earlier and they want to take Jenny, a sweet Collie, home. She is beside herself with excitement. They have two children and the children told Jenny they have a house on a farm and another dog for her to play with.
My new young friend Rex introduced me to the other pups. He was the oldest. The pups showed me what they had learned, how to sit and stay. Rex asked me, if I wanted to, could I help him teach them stuff. Oh yes, I’d like that very much.
Then we all went to our kennels for dinner, with our gates open so we could come and go. Dinner was really good. A little bit of meat and plenty dry food, good dry food. After that everyone gathered in the main yard, for quiet time together.
When the sun went down everyone went home to sleep and our gates were closed for the night. I was so happy I could burst.
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To be continued …..