Faithed Love: A volunteer's unexpected day!
As an open-admission shelter, we always need the support of kind-hearted volunteers for various areas of the shelter. From dog walking and cat socializing to transporting animals, assisting in the laundry and kitchen, and engaging in enrichment activities—your support matters. We also welcome specialized pet skills, like pet grooming. The following Happy Tail is one that we are particularly proud to highlight.
Tracee and Maddy are two volunteers who have been helping BARCS with a very frequent and often urgent issue: severe, often life-threatening, matting. A fellow volunteer spotted a dog desperately in need, and without hesitation, they called on Tracee and Maddy. The pup was Busta Rhymes, a large dog with severe fur matting.
What unfolded was more than a rescue—it was destiny. Tracee not only transformed Busta Rhymes' coat but also found love in the process. Read on for Tracee's firsthand account of this heartwarming encounter:
“On December 1st, Maddy and I (groomers) visited BARCS to see if any pups needed our help. While we were trimming the nails of a little pup, Mary, a volunteer dog walker, informed us about a dog named Busta Rhymes, in bad shape, having difficulty going to the bathroom due to severe matting —quite a project. We went to assess the situation and indeed, he was in horrible shape. We took him to the groom room and started the process of gently removing the matting. Mary was right there, witnessing it all with understandable disgust at the condition he was in. He was so severely matted and very thin. The process is not easy for dogs, but this boy was a trooper, standing there and allowing us to do what was necessary to get through all the matting.
“It was quite a process, and I kept thinking about the sweet temperament of this dog. The only concern I had as a groomer was that I wasn't really looking for a dog I would have to groom, but other than that, he was perfect. I had lost my lab about two weeks earlier, who was my late mom's dog, so I wasn't really looking to get another so soon. The more we groomed, and the longer I was around him, the more I fell in love with this little pup. With very little convincing from Maddy and Mary, I went ahead and started the adoption process immediately. I was so happy and excited, and so was he; it's like we were meant to be.
“This boy is thriving; he sticks right by my side and is definitely a momma's boy but is happy to steal love from anyone around. We named him GOOSE, and it’s very fitting. He is housebroken, loves to fetch, doesn’t chew up anything in the house, and is friendly to everyone he meets. I do believe we found each other for a reason. He definitely made this Christmas easier for me after losing my late mom's dog, and I know he is happy to be my little boy. He has a huge yard to run around and play fetch, three fur brothers, one human brother, and lots of extended family. Just want to say thank you to Maddy, Mary, and BARCS for making this happen. Goose and I couldn't be happier and are looking forward to our adventures together ahead. Get ready for picture overload!”
Tracee and Maddy, everyone at BARCS is incredibly thankful for all you do for our shelter animals. Goose couldn't be luckier to have found a loving family, and there are no more grooming problems in his future! 
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