Dawn Kairns and Maggie the Dog: Dog Rescued Near Border is Adopt-a-Pet's Pet of the Day: Update on Marky

Marky, the dog we rescued near the US/Mexican border 2 and 1/2 weeks ago, did not make it to

his scheduled vet appointment to be neutered or vaccinated on February 9 that I wrote about in my last update about him, unfortunately. Nor was his foster mom able to take him to PetSmart last Saturday for adoption exposure due to health issues she was having. I learned he could be in PetSmart without being neutered, but of course he had to have his rabies vaccination, which he did not.

Laura from the BSPCA gives me the phone number of 2 vets they work with to take Marky to for his rabies vaccine before he can enter PetSmart for possible adoption through BSPCA, and tells me they are open on Saturdays.

So last Saturday, Tom and I race for the second time to try to find the foster home in the country, about 40 minutes away from where we are staying. With more specific directions from a BSPCA board member, we find it this time. I can't reach the foster mom by phone as her cell number is disconnected. We can only park at the locked gate to their driveway and honk. No response. As we begin to drive away, a familiar white pick up truck comes up the street and pulls up to their gate. It's 2 of her teen kids. Thank Heavens! After explaining to the daughter that we are there to pick up Marky for the BSPCA to take him to PetSmart, she goes into the house to tell her mom. Several minutes later we see Marky trotting with the daughter towards the gate. It is really good to see him again.

Wow, he has changed already! His tail is up. He looks happy. He grew! And is filling out -- his ribs are less prominent. That makes me really happy! He clearly recognizes us and greets us with his chin licks, but is just as hesitant to get in the truck. Tom lifts him in to me.

I ask the daughter & son about his "aggression" with dogs.

"He's never attacked another dog, he just barks," says the boy. "And it's just with the male dogs."

I bet neutering will help that significantly! Now the 45 minute drive now to Brownsville to find the vet. Once again, Tom's GPS phone helps. We still get lost, and when we call at 12:05 p.m., the vet's receptionist tells us they closed at noon. I tell her Marky's story and what we are trying to do, and beg her to take us for his vaccination.

"The vet has already left," she says. We call the second number and get only an answering service. They were already closed. We are crushed to think Marky will miss a day of seeing potential adopters.

I call Sybil, another BSPCA board member, who is also on her way to PetSmart. Luckily, I get her, and luckily she has the phone number of 2 more potential vets. " We don't use them because they are too expensive," she warns us. Had we gotten in with one of the first 2 vets, the cost would have only been $10.00. We don't care -- we just want this first crucial stumbling block out of his way.

We dial the closest vet. It's 12:22 p.m. "We close to walk-ins at 12:30 p.m.," she tells me. Again, I tell her the story.

"Please, I beg you to see him! We are on our way & so close!" But the traffic is too much, and we are crawling, it seems.

We walk in their door at 12:30 p.m. He weighs 47.5 pounds. We pay the $35.00 for his rabies vaccine and are on our way to PetSmart, where we spent the next several hours with Marky before driving him back to his foster home in Bay View, Texas. What a sweet and precious little soul. So responsive & loving. Maybe next week end will be the one when Marky finds his forever home.

These are pictures of Marky in PetSmart that my husband took so BSPCA can place him on Petfinder.com and AdoptaPet.com. Here are the respective links to Marky's page on each of these sites:

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15760101

http://www.adoptapet.com/pet3466815.html

And I am just notified as I am writing this post that Adoptapet.com just made Marky their Pet of the Day! Thank you! Ironically, Adoptapet.com also posted my guest post about MAGGIE the dog who changed my life A Story of Love today on their blog ... http://blog.adoptapet.com/maggie-the-dog-who-changed-my-life/

If you missed the first 2 posts about Marky, the dog we rescued in S. Texas, here are the links: