Operation Sheltie Rescue -- Asheville, NC
These pages are dedicated to the Shelties who were seized from their owner on charges of neglect and subsequently taken into rescue by volunteers associated with the American Shetland Sheepdog Association (ASSA) www.assa.org.
The seizure took place on March 10, 2000 in a rural area outside of Asheville, NC. There were a total of 27 animals seized, as well as five additional animals who were released to a non-resdent family member, making a total of 32 animals removed from the premises that day. The 27 animals seized included 22 Shelties, four non-Shelties (1 border collie, 1 beagle, 2 feists), and 1 kitten.
Of the 22 Shelties seized, one Sheltie was humanely euthanized upon arrival at the animal shelter; two were thought to be collies (hey! everyone thought so!); another was returned to a previous owner; and the other 18 were to be taken in by ASSA volunteers. As does happen, one of the 18 made his way into a local angel heart and was given a home with her, leaving 17 that were transported to ASSA volunteers in other parts of NC, as well as to VA, TN, and SC.
Operation Sheltie Rescue is primarily about the ones helped by ASSA volunteers and by the money donated to an ASSA fund in their name. These very sick Shelties were placed in foster homes where they received the companionship, love, and care that they so richly deserve but had heretofore been denied for an unknown period of time.
All of these dogs needed medical care in varying degrees. Even the younger, stronger ones were suffering from dental problems and muscle atrophy, presumably from being crated 24/7. Others had diagnoses like high grade heart murmurs, testicular cancer, autoimmune myositis, spinal degeneration, infected teeth, and infected ears. These conditions are all in addition to the common things found in neglect cases, i.e., starvation, dehydration, intestinal parasites, anemia (presumably from worms). And these were just the physical injuries ...
Until the owner's custody was legally terminated on 11/13/01 -- 20 months from the day of seizure -- the only funds available to these dogs were from the ASSA "Asheville" fund and the foster families who took in these wee ones. Thanks to these foster homes who personally provided the animals whatever was needed and more, and to the generous donations made by unnamed angels to the "Asheville" fund, all the dogs received the medical attention they sorely needed.
As of this writing, 4/13/02, three of the original "Asheville Shelties" have crossed over to Rainbow Bridge, but not without being loved and spoiled before their time came. Find more about Benji, Pops, and Teddy from the rescue angels who love them in the Updates section.
We have some recent photos and updates on some of the other lucky ones, and we are working on getting as much information as we can on each of these precious puppers. For me personally, there's no such thing as too much news about these wee ones.
So if you are one of the adoptive families reading this, or a previous foster home for one or more of these puppers, please send any and all info and photos to ashevilleshelties@rescue-works.org. If you need to send info via snail mail, let me know. I'll send you my physical address.
I look forward to filling these pages with the beginnings of happy endings! (More stories! More treats!) I will post any and all updates and/or recent photos I receive. That includes updates for ANY of the 32 animals seized on 3/10/2000, even though only the original 18 are listed on these pages now.
This is not an indicator that they don't deserve the same honor, love, and respect. They were simply not the focus of ASSA volunteers. Also, they were taken in locally and didn't require rescue assistance.
To acknowledge and celebrate these other animals, I hope to find what photos I took of them on the day they were freed and publish a page or pages for them. If available, I'd love to include any stories I might garnish in regard to them.
Unfortunately, I only know generally that all of them were placed locally. Aside from that, I have no way of individually contacting the folks who gave homes to the kitten, the two feists, the border collie, and the beagle. So if you are one of those folks, or have knowledge of them, please send anything you'd like. I'd be more than happy to post them to this site.
I also have no way of reporting on those animals that were released to the family member. If memory serves, there were three Shelties and two cats. I believe the cats were adopted out, and the Shelties were ultimately returned to the neglectful owner. Please offer an extra special prayer for the safety and loving care of those animals.
Thanks to everyone who loves and looks out for the animals who have been made to be dependent on human kindness to live.
Vicky Lacy
A note about donations:
Now that the case has FINALLY been settled (Hallelujah!), the adoptive families have taken full financial responsibility for these Shelties (in addition to the love and care already lavished upon them). However there are always other rescues needing financial help. Love just isn't enough at times, and somehow there are always more rescues in need than there are monies.
So please, if you have the heart and financial resources, consider making a donation to the general ASSA Rescue Fund below, or to another animal rescue of your choice -- or for that matter, ANY organization dedicated to the care of animals in need.
Whether or not you send money, know that the animals thank you for any way you show you care -- even just for browsing their pages.
Please send donations to:
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ASSA Rescue Fund
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PO Box 819
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New Lenox, IL 60451
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Even if you can't help directly, please pass this URL to others. You never know how much you might help by networking. Thank you for visiting and for caring about these wee ones.
