Hospice nurse finds homes for 17 dogs

It started last February with just a picture of a dog on Facebook, but it led to a whole new calling for Dawn Mitchell.

The picture was of a pit bull about to be put down in a shelter in California. She doesn't know how the picture showed up on her Facebook feed, but she couldn't get that dog out of her mind. She adopted the dog, now named Cali for where she came from, and decided not to stop there.

There are so many dogs that need homes, she thought. Maybe she could help.

"Now it's kind of out of control," said Mitchell, a Harrington-based home health nurse. "Between patients and rescues my phone is going nonstop."

People call her and message her on Facebook about abandoned and abused dogs, as well as dogs about to be euthanized in shelters. Although she can't save them all, she figures a little bit is better than nothing.

"We appreciate the help," said Brittany Anthony of Faithful Friends shelter in Wilmington. It's about saving animals, not who does it, she said. Faithful Friends even has a "Rehoming" button on its website that links to independent rescuers who have animals that need adopting.

Mitchell set a goal to rescue 12 dogs last year, but ended up saving 17. The number could have been higher, but Mitchell knows her limits. She will only take on a dog if she has someone to adopt or foster it. The limit of four dogs at her house is already reached, she said.

"You can't help them all," she said sadly. "I can only take one at a time."

Isabel, a 3-year-old foxhound, is such a story. Her family was moving, but Isabel was not. Through friends Mitchell learned of the situation and was able to find her a new home.

"Independent rescuers are absolutely amazing," said Melinda Santiago, Isabel's new owner. Since learning of Mitchell's efforts, Santiago started posting pictures on Facebook of abandoned dogs and those she learns of needing homes to try to help the cause. Santiago wishes more people would take up the torch as Mitchell does, but realizes it takes a special person to be a full-blown dog rescuer.

Mitchell has rescued dogs abandoned by owners, dogs whose owners just couldn't keep them any more and dogs about to be euthanized in shelters. She takes the dogs to the vet, gets them spayed or neutered, updated on shots and basically checked out before taking them to the foster or adoptive home. If possible, she asks the adopting family to reimburse the vet costs as an adoption fee, but nine times out of 10, she bears the cost alone.

"I just need to know the dogs are safe and in a warm place," said Mitchell. She even makes follow-up calls to families and veterinarians to make sure the dogs receive follow-up care as needed.

Seeing so many dogs and people so happy together is a great boost to her, she said.

Eric Torbert is part of one of the happy families who adopted one of Mitchell's rescues. His wife, and Mitchell are friends on Facebook, where the picture of the dog was first posted. Abandoned after a divorce, the brindle pit bull was left tied to a tree in the couple's former backyard. A family member of the couple found the dog and got word to Mitchell – who posted the information on Facebook.

"We became instantly in love with him," said Torbert of the first meeting with the dog.

But they couldn't afford the medical care the dog needed to clear up worms and other problems. Mitchell made them a deal, if they would take the dog and love him, she would pay for the care. Torbert didn't want to say how much the bills were, only that they were significant. They named the dog Mitchell in honor of his rescuer and benefactor.

"She does it the right way," said Torbert. "She's very businesslike."

Not being businesslike and realistic is the downfall of many a well-intentioned rescuer, according to the dog website, canismajor.com. People who fill their homes to unhealthy levels with rescued animals, those who don't get them to the vet or have them spayed and neutered, and those the writer categorized as, "idiots," – people who just place animals and often give false information about them, can actually do damage. Their lack of a realistic approach can lead to animals being euthanized and/or people being hurt.

Mitchell works to keep harm from happening. That's why she only takes on a small amount and isn't afraid to pay to help a dog.

"It's only money" is Mitchell's response to what she's paid out of pocket for the rescues, although she admits with a laugh that she hasn't discussed it with her husband. She even gives money to shelters to keep dogs from being put to sleep. Friends have tried to talk her into holding some kind of fundraiser to help pay her back, but she fears the organization of such an event would take too much of her time away from the rescue work that needs to be done.

She started "Doggone Happy Animal Rescue" Facebook page for her rescue efforts, to cut back on the traffic she was getting on her personal page. She's constantly looking for suitable homes for her present and future rescues. So far every one she's rescued has gone to either someone she knew or a relative of a friend. Giving a dog to a complete stranger is not going to happen, she said.

"I know if you aren't a dog lover it sounds totally crazy," said Mitchell. "I know there are tons of dogs to rescue here. If I could save them all, I would."