Living Hero

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm proud that Silent River Kung Fu supports SCARS (Second Chance Animal Rescue Society).

I've had a chance over the last month to get to know about SCARS up close and personal. We are adopting a puppy from SCARS, after a year of going without one in our family. We've had three dogs: Bob was a really dumb dalmation - we had him for 16 years; Joe came from the SPCA and was very smart - we had him for 18 years; our last dog, Roxy, also came from the SPCA and though she was an incredible escape artist, and loved to herd anything that moved, including cows, llammas and Great Danes, we kept her safe for 7 years until she went after a pack of coyotes and never came back. We consider ourselves pretty responsible dog owners, with an excellent track record. As a family, we treat our pets as one of us, and so the dogs have had the run of the house, and have been included in our conversations. When we signed up with SCARS to adopt an eight week old puppy, we didn't expect too much trouble.

Then we met Deb.

Deb is a full time,hard-core volunteer for the non-profit society and dedicates close to 40 hours a week contributing to the well-being of the animals that are rescued by other SCARS volunteers. Deb is very much involved in the administrative duties required to keep the society running, and she also fosters some of the most wounded and broken dogs herself. It involves taking the dogs into her home, spending alot of time visiting the vet, and alot of love and patience as she and her family rehabilitate the dogs so that they can be adopted. Within a span of five years, her devoted family of five has fostered over 90 dogs.

But you have to meet this lady, to get the full picture. I first spoke to Deb on the phone when she interviewed us prior to allowing us to be considered as eligible to adopt one of the puppies that she was caring for in her home. Deb didn't like what she heard and was not sure that we were suitable potential dog owners. The thing that bothered her was that we had admitted that both Bert and I worked full time, and our daughter at home attended full time schooling. Deb didn't feel that the puppy would get the attention it required during the first six months of its life. She was worried about pee schedules, and the puppy getting lonely.

Bert and I were taken aback. We've had three happy dogs; two died of old age. Our home is set up for dogs - with a large dog-run, fancy new insulated dog house, lots of space in the house and outside, a llamma and 3 goats to talk to, and even a stupid 7 year old turkey to harrass. WE ARE GOOD DOG OWNERS!!! We figured that Deb was taking her mission a little too seriously - a bit of a fanatic. Perhaps a little socially inept. A little 'High on Her Horse'. Some sort of crusader. But we bit our lips, worked something out with Deb, and she agreed to let us meet our puppy the next week.

Deb lives in a smallish house in Edmonton. She and her husband have 3 children. They've adopted 5 dogs. When we arrived at her house we had to step of baby gates, music stands, furniture and dogs to get to the laundry room, where the ten puppies and their mother were set up. Surprisingly, the house did not smell of dog. It was clean and cozy, yet crammed with dog stuff, kid stuff, volunteer stuff, and school stuff. The dogs (all 16 of them) looked healthy, relaxed, and sociable. The 3 kids were friendly, and showed love and compassion with the animals. Didn't see the husband.

Deb turned out to be exactly what we had expected - and this is a good thing. It becomes immediately apparent that Deb and her family loves and cares for each dog as an individual, and will do everything in their power to ensure that they lead the happy lives that they deserve. During our first visit Deb sized us up and down several times over. She worried about some things, and was relieved to learn other things about us. It was a process for her, of allowing herself to become convinced that we would really care for our new dog - that she could release the puppy to us. Until she was convinced, she didn't really relax. And she judged. Deb was clearly relieved to know that we would be popping by over the next week, to drop off a blanket or toy, and to just visit and play. The following week, we could not make it out to visit - she was uncomfortable with that, but then made allowances that we lived so far away, and had to drive up to Whitecourt with our daughter.

Because of Deb, I've really stopped to think through some things. Indeed, there is room for improvement in how well we train our new puppy and what I am willing to do for her during the first 6 months of her life. That's a good thing.

The SCARS mandate is to reduce the number of homeless and abused animals in Northern Alberta. This is one of the reasons Deb is so passionate about her work with SCARS. "We take in just over 400 animals in a year, and there are lots more out there,' she says. "It's a huge job, and it's going to take years and years to gradually change the mindset of people'. "We're making a difference in a dog's life, and we're giving that dog a second chance."

Ninety foster dogs. One devoted family. We need more people like Deb.

Claire Finnamore
Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu