Anatomy Of A Miracle

For those of you who missed it, this is a "happily ever after" story about Waylon (formerly Spot) from Indiana-PAW's Rushville Project.

You can read Waylon's story online (with PICTURES) at http://www.indiana-paw.com/news/newsletter10-14-07.htm

Anatomy Of A Miracle: Waylon’s Story
Hoosiers Join Forces To Save Dog Slated For Euthanasia
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Indiana (October 14, 2007) – “Impossible situations can become possible miracles,” said Robert Schuller, an American minister. Recently, citizens across the State of Indiana came together to turn an impossible situation into a miracle for a dog named Waylon, along with his friends at an Indiana animal shelter. Now, his unlikely story is serving as a hopeful inspiration of the power Hoosiers have to bring about a day when no healthy animal has to die in Indiana due to a lack of a home.

July 2007: The Rushville Animal Shelter in Rushville, Indiana. Despite a dedicated and well-meaning manager, the shelter is forced to euthanize 93% of the animals there, due to a lack of resources and support.

July 2007: Waylon (listed at the shelter as Spot), is found wandering the streets as a stray, and is transported to the Rushville Animal Shelter. He is a middle-aged, docile, friendly Pit Bull. The shelter finds out who owns Waylon, and shelter staff leave a note on the man’s door, asking him to come reclaim Waylon, so that he won’t be euthanized. The man never calls or comes in. Waylon is abandoned. He remains at the shelter, until he is finally scheduled to be euthanized.

July 8, 2007: Marilyn Thorson, a Shelbyville resident, visits the Rushville Animal Shelter in connection with her work for Corgi Rescue, and leaves concerned about the conditions and apparent lack of resources. She contacts Indiana-PAW, a Carmel-based animal welfare group, and asks if they can offer any assistance. Thorson says, “After leaving the Rushville shelter, I knew they needed major help, and my first thought was Indiana-PAW, as I’d heard about the fantastic work they’ve done for shelters.”

July 9, 2007: A donor sends an unexpected check to Indiana-PAW, whose Board decides to use a portion of it to fund a project with the Rushville shelter, including pulling animals slated for euthanasia, having them spayed/neutered, vaccinated, placed into foster homes, and adopted. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, says, “When we try to do good things, they often take on a life of their own, and the benefits are exponential." Today, she’s pleased with how her donation is being used, and says “With the Rushville project, many results can be seen, from adoptions, to education, to awareness. What more can anyone making a donation hope for?”

July 28, 2007: Amy Van Ostrand, Founder & Executive Director of Indiana-PAW, travels to the Rushville shelter, and, with the shelter manager, makes a list of the lucky animals who will be part of the special Indiana-PAW/Rushville shelter project. After a tour of the shelter, Van Ostrand makes a beeline back to Waylon. She asks about his adoption prospects, and is informed he will be euthanized. Van Ostrand says, “That was it for me. Waylon’s name went into the #1 spot on my list. I was struck by the incongruity between the joy he exhibited and my knowledge that his fate in a matter of days would be death. I knew we had to find another way for him, and I promised him we would.”

July 29, 2007: Jaime Glandon, Manager of the Rushville Animal Shelter, works closely with Van Ostrand to organize the pull of Waylon and 16 other animals from the shelter for a one-day spay/neuter, vaccination extravaganza, along with future collaborative projects. Of Waylon, Glandon says, “Waylon came to our shelter with nothing to look forward to, and, I suspect no happy memories of his past. Thanks to Indiana-PAW and everyone involved in this project, he’s found his special spot in life, and will never look back again.”

July 29, 2007: Indiana-PAW volunteers Megan Carroll, Audrey Lenz, Amy Van Ostrand, Ash Lewin, Carolyn Valachovic-Monroe, Hope Sinclair, and Jim and Betsy Cannon help Rushville shelter manager Jaime Glandon transport car loads of Rushville shelter animals to the Franklin Animal Clinic to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and transported across the State to Indiana-PAW foster parents whom Indiana-PAW’s board of directors lined up. Waylon, per the promise made to him, is the #1 dog on the list that day.

July 29, 2007: Dr. Andrew Mills of the Franklin Animal Clinic generously provides thorough exams, vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgery for all of the Rushville shelter animals, including Waylon. He gives Indiana-PAW an extreme discount on the cost, and is unfailingly generous and helpful throughout the process, and willing to helping with future similar projects.

August 2007: Waylon thrives in his foster home with Angela and Scott Bickler. Angela and Scott dote on Waylon, fatten and clean him up, love him, and introduce him to a Chicago-based dog trainer who specializes in helping socialize Pit Bulls. The trainer is impressed, and Waylon passes his introductions with other animals and people with flying colors. Angela and Scott describe him as a “poster dog for good behavior.” Waylon’s friends from the Rushville shelter also enjoy their homes with Indiana-PAW foster parent heroes Ash Lewin, Audrey Lenz, Billie Jo Butts, Jennifer Williamson, Sabrina Dawber, Tammy Fraser, and Karen Spikes.

August 2007: A number of businesses jump in to support Indiana-PAW’s collaboration with the Rushville shelter, and encourage citizens to adopt Waylon and his friends, including: Lucky Dog Retreat; Pet Supplies ”PLUS”; Lori Jacobs of Petlane; Pierson Bark Park; Brad Phifer, Certified Dog Trainer; Indianapolis Pet Quarterly; The Pet Company; Wipe Your Pawz!; Jan Myer, groomer; Sew Many Paws; and Dr. Anthony Buzzetti and Dr. Sheryl Johnson of Companion Animal Hospital.

August 31, 2007: Waylon is adopted by Gretchen and Jon, after they read about Waylon’s story on the internet, and arrange with his Indiana-PAW foster parents to spend a weekend with him. Waylon did beautifully with the family, and it was a fit. Gretchen says, “We’d been toying with the idea of adopting another dog, and sometimes you just know that this animal is supposed to be in your life.” Waylon happily settles into his bright new life with the his new family, joining a canine “sister” named Dixie and a feline “brother” named Cooter. When asked what loving Waylon means to her family, Gretchen replies, “I am the lucky one . . . I get to spend the rest of Waylon's and Dixie's time on earth being the center of their world . . the lucky recipients of endless cold-nosed wet kisses, and unconditional love.”

To read Gretchen’s full interview about Waylon, along with interview of the adoptive families of other animals from this project, visit: http://www.indiana-paw.com/rushvilleadopters.htm

If you want to learn how you can help bring about miracles for dogs like Waylon, and support future project of this nature, visit Indiana-PAW’s website: www.indiana-paw.com. Indiana-PAW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to using education and advocacy to reduce the number of companion animals who are euthanized in Indiana.