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California family opens home to 'Hope'
McCOOK, Neb. -- Dixie, an 18-month-old boxer-greyhound mix, left the McCook, Nebraska, Humane Society animal shelter Friday about 3 p.m., en route to a new home 1,500 miles away, in sunny San Jose, California.
With her new family, Dixie feels "like she is home."
Shelter director Lorie Prestes said Dixie has been adopted out twice and brought back twice by families unwilling or unable to cope with or adjust to her separation anxiety and high-energy personality.
However, a 12-year-old girl in California, and her mother discovered Dixie on the McCook animal shelter's website and Frieda called to talk to Lorie about her mother's and her family's very unique situation.
Frieda told Lorie that her mother is fighting brain cancer and she rarely leaves home except to go for doctor appointments and for treatments. Frieda knew that some cancer treatment centers have "puppy petting rooms" because the companionship of puppies and dogs can help make treatments easier on patients. Could Dixie fill the position of constant companion and comforter for her mother?
After many conversations via phone and texting with Frieda and her parents over the next three weeks, Lorie became convinced that Dixie and Frieda's family were a match made in heaven. Lorie said, "After about the third phone call with Frieda, I fell in love with her. I went on a mission to get this dog to her mother."
Lorie became determined to somehow unite the two.
Lorie checked into "Pilots N Paws," a flight service that provides airplane rides for rescue, shelter and foster dogs en route to new homes. Dixie's trip from McCook to San Jose would entail four "legs," with four changes of airplanes.
That greatly concerned Lorie, especially for a dog with anxiety issues. And it was a concern to one of the pilots as well. Jackie Gaerdner, and her husband Chris, both pilots for Pilots N Paws and pilots who would have flown one of the four legs, solved the problem by personally paying for a non-stop ticket for Dixie from Denver to San Jose. Lorie was absolutely speechless. (And for those who know Lorie -- that's really saying something!)
Now, all Lorie had to do was get Dixie to Denver. After posting on several rescue dog transport sites, Lorie found Stephanie Whipps in Max, who was going to Denver Saturday, and Stephanie volunteered to relay Dixie from Max to the airport in Denver.
Dixie, Lorie and shelter groomer Carol Kottwitz left the McCook shelter at 3 p.m., Friday, to take Dixie to Stephanie, who would then deliver Dixie to the Denver airport by 9 a.m, Saturday.
Dixie's flight left Denver at 11 a.m., and she landed in San Jose -- and into the waiting arms of her new family -- just two hours later.
As evidenced by photographs shared by the Gaerdners -- who delayed a flight of their own to meet Dixie and her new family at the airport in San Jose -- Dixie's flight went well. As did her first meeting with the Kimball family -- Paul, Laura, Frieda and 14-year-old Milo.
Lorie talked to the Kimballs after they got home from the airport. Paul told Lorie that Dixie -- whom they've renamed "Hope" -- "is doing wonderfully. Laura said she acts like she is home."
Lorie said, "I asked Laura if she was having a good day and she said, "Oh, yes, I am.'"
Why spend so much time and effort on one dog?
Lorie said simply, "Look into her eyes." She added, "I would do this for any one of the dogs at the shelter. Each dog deserves a chance. They all need homes and families."
Lorie has learned that as she and her shelter crew find new homes for their dogs, and cats, "We help humans too. We save humans as well. It all goes back to that question, 'Who rescued who?'."