We have a heartwarming story to tell about the generosity of local folk when it comes to animals.
Kathy Jeanneault, of All Heart Pet Rescue near Powassan, tells BayToday about a dozen dogs that had been part of a cruelty investigation and been held in boarding as evidence for a year.
"These dogs were extremely unsocialized and mostly feral," she explains. "It was not a good situation at all."
In November All Heart Pet Rescue was contacted by a Montreal area SPCA to take on some of the dogs, in an effort to distribute them to fellow rescue partners.
"All Heart stepped up and said we could take five," stated Jeanneault.
"A week later six dogs arrived by volunteer drivers. They had been on a 13-hour trek that day. I still shake my head with amusement how they tossed in another dog when I said send five up.
"The dogs all had French names that many of us had a hard time pronouncing."
The names were tweaked to Blizzard, Rory, Dory, Winter, Paige, and Raffy.
"The dogs were terribly fearful. They just all shook in a corner and huddled together. Each one of them had to be hand-fed for weeks to earn our trust."
Jeannault says she had a great group of volunteers that would come out morning and night to help the dogs come around, but one of the dogs, Rory, wasn't doing well.
"She was extremely fearful and didn't want to eat. She was losing weight and I was very concerned for her."
Jeannault reached out and found a foster home for her.
"Mariane Guillemette-Wagner would come out bi-weekly with Rory so we could show her to potential adopters, but she was just too shy for people. By the middle of the summer, Mariane's life had changed and she needed Rory as much as the dog needed her. The decision was made to adopt the dog. I truly believe they have fallen in love with each other."
Jeannault says of the dogs, "Their fear, their battles, their desire to flee..... it was something that would take up to a year to see results."
All that love and kindness paid off, however.
"Well, last night we adopted our final dog of this pack. Miss Raffy has gone into an extremely understanding home. She is alone with a man and treated with such patience and kindness."
She thanks Erika Longman for taking Raffy into her home for a couple of months to socialize her.
"Tommi Jo Ryan and Raffy have sent many stories about their milestones, like her wagging her tail, or her attempting to play."
Jeannault says everyone should know about the kindness shown to these dogs.
"I am very proud of this gang of dogs and their adopters."
- Stephen Lister
- Teri Clarke
- Mariane Guillemette-Wagner
- Tommi Jo Ryan
- Julie Beruibe
"This is what rescue is all about folks."
