Category: Tales with Tails

Clark Grable

“Clark Grable is starting to shed his old coat and beautiful healthy fur is coming in.  He has gained a significant amount of weight but he isn’t quite as plump as our other kitty yet (we’re sure he will get there eventually).  Salmon (our other cat) and he are tolerating each other well after a bit of a rocky start. 
Clark Grable has successfully won the battle of the electronic train set we put up for Christmas (he hated it and as soon as it was off attacked every component😊).  The work you do is probably thankless but very important and we appreciate it.” 
Merry Christmas!
Sean and Heather

Hopper Finds a Home

Hopper lived at Lucky’s Place for over three years before he found his forever home in June 2020.   Though it took quite a while for Hopper to choose his new dad, we think he couldn’t have made a better choice!  Below is what his new dad had to say about this special guy.

“Since the day he came to his new home, Hopper has gone on so many different adventures and has made even more friends.  While some know him as a rescue dog that is troubled from his past… I now know him, as many other people do, as the sweetest and most loving companion a person could ever know.”

Hopper had the type of past that you would see on the animal rescue commercials. But that’s not who he is anymore, at least not to the average person he meets. Hopper has gained a lot since becoming a member of my family.   He’s made countless friends with dogs and people alike.  Whenever a guest comes over he likes to introduce himself right away and he’s still shy when people try to touch him, but he is almost unrecognizable from who he was back in June. He might have stayed in the shelter for 75% of his life, but he’s far from being a shelter dog anymore. I have plenty of pictures of him doing cute things, but instead here’s a picture of him today, an average Sunday.”

“We have a long journey to go with each other, but I know I speak for Hopper when I say that I can’t wait to do it with him.”

Trapped No More

Last fall we received a message that a Great Pyrenees was found up the Greys River Mountains, caught in a trap and badly injured.  He was scared and starving to death, weighing only 50 pounds.

The poor boy had been up there for many days.  A couple of heroic hunters managed to free him from the trap, get him out of the wilderness, and to the amazing vets at Bridger Animal Hospital.  Miraculously the dog made it through the night and, under the care of Bridger Animal Hospital, continued to improve.  Unfortunately, he did lose a foot due to his injuries.

He was adopted by a family who named him Trap (“Trapper”) and received a prosthesis to replace his lost foot.  Trap’s new dad, Ed, says that he is amazingly fast playing with their other dog in spite of the lost foot. 

“Overall, the prosthesis has been a real success and I want to thank you and all the people involved for arranging to get it for him.”

Trap is very happy with his new family and his bed, which is in front of the television.  Ed says, “It amuses me to see him lounging in his bed watching TV with my wife and I in the evening, and he is particularly happy if we make popcorn.”

Trap seems to consider himself to be the roving ambassador of good will for the house.  “He is Mr. Personality and greets all visitors and assumes everyone comes to see him.  Maybe he’s right.”

Dog Gone – Darn Near

Ten month old Dale, a 35 pound Airedale Terrier mix, and his litter-mates had made Lucky’s Place their temporary home. Fortunately, Dale was deemed a match and quickly adopted by a wonderful family from Seattle, Washington.

All was well until the first break of their long journey home. During a quick stop for gas, Dale decided an open window was his invitation for a walkabout – much to the dismay of his new family. Out of sight before they could replace the nozzle on the fuel pump, Dale took off to explore the town of Alpine on his own. Fraught with worry and on a tight schedule, the family was forced to give up their search and proceed home without their new family member.

Social media postings, radio classifieds, posters and word of mouth all served to quickly put Dale “on the milk carton” in Star Valley. A few days later, sightings began to come in and numerous attempts to capture Dale were undertaken by the caring folks of Alpine. Dale, still dragging his leash, proved to be too skittish to even be approached, let alone caught, by strangers. After two very frustrating days of missed capture attempts, a decision was made to take Mickie, Dale’s brother, to Alpine and attempt to lure this very frightened puppy to safety.

Mary Ann, Director of Lucky’s Place, Susan, and Mickie searched the neighborhoods around the Alpine airport for hours. Determined to find him, they finally received a break from a neighbor who alerted them that Dale was last seen hiding in the woodpile in their backyard. Utilizing Mickie as bait, and being very, very patient, the group waited for Dale to appear. Having finally recognized his brother and seeing other familiar faces, for the first time in days Dale eagerly ran toward a human being. With a wagging tail and jumping for joy, Dale and the group were successfully reunited hence the stressful adventure came to an end. The Seattle family had already returned home, but family member Matt, living in Idaho Falls, was in touch with Lucky’s Place and happily fetched Dale the afternoon of his rescue.

Lucky’s Place is committed to the animals and the communities of Star Valley. We want to sincerely thank everyone who helped in Dale’s rescue.

Turn the Crank

After 3 years of waiting, she’d let herself go. Her hair was greasy and if someone tried to touch her, she shrank away as though the risk of someone breaking her heart again was simply too painful. Months of volunteer time later, I finally conceded that no one else was likely to adopt cranky old Pauline, so I brought this ‘sad sack’ home. Her sudden turn-around took everyone by surprise. With a self-assured grin, she immediately stretched out in a sunny window. Within days, her coat began to shine, and so did her mischievous personality. The little imp now cavorts along the couch, gallops after other cats, and purrs contentedly in laps whenever a coffee break is called. Such happiness is contagious. May it infect many others with the unexplainable urge to adopt.

A New Leash on Life for Bon Jovi

When a skinny adult Border Collie with a filthy matted coat and sore feet arrived at Lucky’s, it seemed the usual routine of easing fears and addressing basic care would ready him to meet potential adopters. Despite his rough start, the young guy we called Bon Jovi sparked right up and revealed a happy nature. As I worked with him, however, we discovered he was deaf. That narrowed his adoption options, because a lot of people aren’t willing to try to understand the particular needs of animals that are in some way different than the norm. I could only release him to someone who would be willing, or else Bon Jovi would just be lost and lonely again.

After several false starts, a family arrived to see him. They requested paper and a pen to begin our “match-making” interview. The entire family – like Bon Jovi – was deaf! When Bon Jovi came out to meet them, it was pure magic. Will, his new owner, sends progress emails and pictures of their life together. Moments like these are truly what keep volunteers like me excited about our ongoing efforts at Lucky’s place. It is tough to say who gained the most from this: Bon Jovi for a new family, Will for his new canine partner, or me, for playing my part in bringing them together.