She lamented over a puppy she had given to a lady who lives on the Mille Lacs Reservation. The puppy now has a large bulge on the gut and I told her perhaps it was a hernia. I began to ask her about her animals. She shared she has an unspayed small breed dog named Baby Girl. The she asked if I could spay her, and of course I said yes. I shared the vet phone number.
I told her further about the dangers of giving people puppies as they would perhaps not get good care and live a bad life. To put it bluntly, I told her we drag small breeds out of the garbage dump regularly. She shared nothing about having a litter of puppies at home.
Then first thing Monday morning I began to get calls regarding a litter of 5 puppies that needed rescue from Rose's residence in Oklee, so I responded and got the puppies. Rose had already set up an appointment to spay Baby girl so I was off to the vet.
By Tuesday morning Dee Dee had gotten Twin City Pet Rescue committed to taking the litter as well as a ride out Thursday. Tuesday I picked up the now spayed Baby Girl and returned her to Rose in Oklee.
Some people may wonder why RLRR would drive 88 miles 2 days in a row over a litter of puppies and an unspayed dog? The Indian community, you see is not limited to geographical boundaries. Our people live all over the map and they all seem to know about Red Lake Rosie's and call on us.A wise woman, Joan Lawson, told me once when we first started rescuing puppies back in 2005. She asked "Why don't you spay and neuter to get to the root of the problem?" Well at that time I thought that was an insurmountable task to think we could actually neuter and spay on the level that we could actually change the companion animal population on the reservation, and the more vast Indian community.
Well now I am a believer and together with the team of supporters who also believe and high volume neuter spay clinics and the ongoing use of vouchers at the vet when clinics are not available are making the impossible--possible.
Sincerely, Karen
God bless you, Karen. I really don't know what we'd do without you. I've noticed a change in the animal population on the reservation from the days when I was a kid until the present day, and also from the time when I moved back to the reservation, 7 years ago, until now. I know you feel tired, exhausted, defeated a lot and it's such a huge amount of work, but you're doing it - it's your work, Polly's work, and Carol's work! When I moved here, Nokomis and Sonoma were helping out so much while they still lived here. You're doing it, Karen! And you continue to amaze me! ^_^ I'd also like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to the Sullivans, Joan Lawson, Dee Dee and our metro team. All of you bring tears to my eyes when I think about you!
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