Well I have to admit I think I bit off more than I could chew. Now that I have had a week to recover and reflect. There are several things that I will do differently - NEXT TIME:) Yeah you heard me right, NEXT TIME. I am planning a return trip out with board members Mike and Vickie Seaver to Missouri in August and bring back more puggers..
OK from the beginning I kept reading and hearing all about the excessive amount of dogs being abandoned in Missouri. There are several reasons for this, but mostly the economy and the new stiffer laws coming into play in MO for puppymills. SO I started contacting pug rescues out there and shelters I found on petfinder and started to make contacts.
Pretty soon I had all the pugs we could take in our rental van and I had made arrangements for them all in foster homes. SO at 4:45 am on Thursday 4/2 I headed out to pick up the van in White River. Mike Seaver met me there with a bunch of crates- many more than I ever needed so picked out some and loaded the van with all our pug supplies and my driver Jodi and assistant Sue and I headed out at 6:30 for Missouri.
We traveled all the way Thursday to Richmond Indiana. Our first stop over. Its where my sister lives and I was so exhausted by the time we got there that I only had a shake with her and fiance Larry and then went to bed. Up early the next am- Jodi, Sue and I knew that Friday was a huge day- the day we travel all over missouri to pick up the puggers. We drove to Cole Camp MO first and picked up the first 5 pugs, Kami, Buster, Jacques, Zeke and Tubby T. We met the gals of 7 Bells Sanctuary and wow they spoiled us! We gave them maple syrup from Vermont and they gave us cinnamon rolls that were the hugest things I have yet to see:) Muffins and Turnovers too! yummy.
Then we drove to Stover Mo and picked up miss April and Buggs. Two sweet pugs for sure. Then it was over two hour drive down to meet a breeder to pick up the unaltered pugs Ginger, Minnie and Wally. Nice gentleman, just a breeder that needs pugs for their money. Pugs were in great shape- socialized too- so he def. was not a puppymiller.
The last part of the journey to Sleeper Mo was the toughest as we were all just beyond exhausted and had 10 pugs with us too! We arrived at Karla's home ( SEPRA volunteer) to spend the night- arriving at 11:30 pm. After setting up the xpen and pottying the pugs- we crated them back up and proceeded to go inside and get ready for bed after a much needed cup of tea. I had a horrible cold/sinus infection going on and laryngitis.
Jodi and Sue went into bedrooms to sleep and I slept on the couch. We went to sleep at around 12:45 amish. All I could think of is we need to get up in like 4-5 hours to potty the crew and load the other last two pugs Bernie and Sassy and hit the road to try to make it to near Rochester NY on the way home.
I got up to potty sometime in the early hours- came out and turn off the bathroom light and tried to maneuver where I thought I was supposed to go. WHAMMO- fell down the entire set of stairs. Who puts the bathroom across from the stairs- wow that was silly. I laid there a good minute saying over and over- oh my god as the pain washed over me. Noone came, noone heard a thing. So I just said to myself- I need sleep- and crawled up the stairs and laid back on the couch. My head, shoulder and hip/thigh were on fire.. I slept fitfully dreaming I was hurt even!!
The next am- they all said- we heard the thud thud thud noise- thought it was the dogs in the garage! I was a sore pup. Jodi was sympathetic but also said - buck up camper- you were in the military- shape up you have to drive today. And yeah she was right- sucked it up I did. Jodi and I took turns all day driving and stopping to potty the 12 pugs- that was tough- I hurt all over and my head- well I had a HUGE shiner happening! lol every time we stopped and I had to get out I was in intense pain.. grabbed advil and kept going.. I needed to just get home. My husband was less than thrilled- wanting me to get checked out- NOPE just get the puggers home!
Saturday was the longest day of my entire life!:) We stopped at a cracker barrel to have breakfast and get sandwiches to go for lunch and the waitress brought me out a bag of ice for the shoulder to lean up against while resting in the van. How sweet.. People sure looked at me though with my black eye. Should have played it up for sympathy and someone to cover our bill:) lol
Anyhow we got into Herkimer NY around 3am and just pottied the pugs and put them back in the car and went to bed and slept till 6 and got up to do it all over again and GET HOME! We pottied the pugs- fed the ones that would eat a tiny breakfast and away we went. We arrived in Albany at our first stop around 1:30 pm and after getting lost a bit, we connected up with April and Nancy to take the first 5 pugs. whew that was a relief!! Onwards to Brattleboro and up to White River!!
On the way we talked about how we never got chinese- and we all wanted it and our tom tom directional gps showed us many of them - all closed for the nights:)LOL so we happened to find one in hoosick falls ny. We stopped to eat- met a nice town cop who thought we were selling the pugs:) ( great convo had after that once he realized what all we had done). Chinese was delicious and just what we needed for the last stretch home.
We arrived into White River around 5:45 pm and the mcdonalds crew all started looking as they know we use that for pug runs and fosters pick up their puggers there. Foster homes Mary and Gayle came for their pugs and Mike Seaver came and took away all the extra crates so I could load up the last 4 pugs and head north. Dropping Buggs off in Barnet, and bringing to lyndonville april, ginger and Kami.
As soon as we got the two fosters home around 8pm at my house April had diareah from stress and change in diet and Ginger went into full blown heat! WOW lucky me. It was a messy few days till April got better and was adopted out Thursday. Ginger got spayed yesterday in rutland vet hosp ( one we trust with our lives in these cases). She will go to her new foster today and be adopted early next week I am sure. she is a social butterfly and won't be here long.
Bernie- the 8 yr old from MO was in SEPRA's rescue for almost 9 mos and no interest in him- has tons of people asking for him now:) yuppers I knew he would not last long here!
So this is the end of this story- we are tired and happy that we saved and brought home 12 lucky puggers.
Our next trip in August will see NO RENTAL VAN FEE!! Our website owner Walt is donating it to us to use his suburban! Plenty of room for 10-12 pugs and this time I will drive just into MO and meet at one location and get all the pugs at once and drive back- saving about 9-11 hours!!
Thanks for reading this- oh- yeah me- here is a pic of my eye anyhow. the leg/thigh/butt hematoma was the largest the dr had seen and is slowly healing. Shoulder is not broken but will take weeks to heal:) but you have the idea- I will suck it up and get through day by day..
I am off to burlington today for another fundraiser for us. 2 hours drive one way- the life I lead:) xxoo
Karen
Founder
gmpr
Many thanks to all who donated to get the van & trip expenses covered. The van rental ended up being over 1000.00 alone.. so live and learn and dont rent from thrifty EVER!!!!!! unlimited is not unlimited!!! they refused to allow that many miles.. hence the donation of the suburban being crucial next time!
