Saving Goldie The Dog

I have a story to share that’s not about teaching. It’s about dogs. Actually one dog in particular - Goldie.

Back in July, I was on Facebook reading the status updates. Mary, my friend from Lake Tahoe, Ca. posted a photo of Goldie, a dog up for adoption at the Rhea County Animal Shelter in Tennessee.
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Goldie’s face in the photo captured my heart. I went to the site, Save a Dog and posted Goldie’s information to my Facebook page. The shelter had to euthanize dogs because they had too many. Goldie’s time was limited. She had a family that loved her, but they lost their house and had nowhere to live. They sadly left Goldie at the shelter.

Two months later, Mary again posted Goldie’s photo on her Facebook page with the caption,

“Goldie’s still here! Hurry, someone get her before it's too late!”

I reposted Goldie to my Facebook page. This time, my sister in Southern California and my friend Paige in Lake Tahoe, both saw it.

My sister,("B." I'll call her), and her family decided they had to have Goldie. Through phone calls and e-mails, dog lovers from California to Tennessee plotted how to get Goldie to California. My flight attendant friend, Paige, contacted B. through Facebook. (They’d never met before) and offered help in getting Goldie to California. She provided valuable information and offered to fly to Tennessee, get Goldie on a plane and fly to Orange County with her! (Paige is now on the dog-sitting list.)

The Rhea County Animal Shelter’s volunteers and veterinarian, Ashley, worked with B. and got Goldie ready. They picked up a traveling crate, made sure she had food and water for her flight, had her travel papers ready and drove three hours to the Atlanta Airport to put Goldie on a Delta flight to Orange County, CA.

The day Goldie flew to California, I was so excited I couldn't think of anything else. I called Mary, my mom, and my sister. I texted my nieces at school. (I'm so sorry teachers!) I tracked her flight online. My sister, my brother-in-law, my two nieces and my parents met Goldie at the airport.

A scared Goldie hid under the table when she arrived at her new home, but she slowly let my nieces (ages 12 and 14) pet her. They sat very still on the sofa and quietly waited for Goldie to come to them.

Goldie has a new home and was saved from euthanasia!

Thank you Facebook, Save A Dog, my animal-loving friends, the Rhea County Animal Shelter, Delta Airlines and my sister!

Goldie’s new name is Emma. Here she is hiding under the table that first night.