Volunteers from six states associated with Bark & Ride Transport saved 24 dogs from being put down in Bolivar, Tenn. Saturday. The dogs found refuge at rescue shelters or foster homes.
Sisters Ginna Moore, Shelley Porter and Erin Fulk started their volunteer work in dog rescue five years ago.
When Fulk lived in St. Louis, she fostered dogs until she started a family. When she moved back to Mahomet, she was told about dog transports from a co-worker. She learned that many rescues work to save shelter dogs in southern states where the overpopulation of dogs leads to overcrowded shelter conditions.
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The sisters began driving separately and interchangeably for different transport coordinators in Ind. and Ill.
When Moore received an email email in Feb 2010 about dogs dying in the Hardeman County Tennessee animal control shelter, she forwarded it to Fulk, who drove down with Porter to pick up three dogs during a major winter storm in the Midwest. The next week Fulk found rescue shelters in the Chicago area for all three dogs.
Soon after, Moore decided to become a transport coordinator for the Tenn. shelter, and eventually became known as Bark & Ride Transport. Transports are now scheduled about once every two or three weeks.
“We think we’ve contributed in saving about 1800 dogs’ lives since since early 2010,” Moore said. “Like many county animal control facilities, Hardeman County Tenn. Animal Control has limited space to hold stray and surrendered dogs. As soon as a transport leaves with 20 or more dogs, the empty kennels immediately fill up with more puppies and dogs.”
Moore hopes that increased public awareness on the importance of spaying and neutering pets will help reduce this problem.
Through the Bark & Ride Transport Facebook page, Moore looks for drivers and overnight hosts.
Saturday’s transport was unusual in that there were four dogs at risk which were brought to the Mahomet area to be fostered.
The response to a plea for monetary help for the transport vetting required to travel across state lines, dog food, and flea and tick medicine for the volunteer fosters made this week’s rescue possible. Eventually Moore would like to have a fundraiser to help provide gas cards for drivers.
This weekend’s transport left Bolivar, Tenn. at 8 a.m. The shelter provided safe transport to Mayfield, Ky. where the drivers were met by three more drivers who took the dogs to Marion, Ill. New drivers took the dogs to the Mt. Vernon area, where they met more drivers continuing onto Effingham. From Effingham the dogs came to Mahomet.
Along the way, one puppy was met by his new adoptive family in Arcola, Ill.
Four dogs will stay in four foster homes in the Mahomet area until Moore can find adoptive homes or rescue for them.
Two black puppies, Claudia and Scarlett, and an adult lab mix, Indy, were scheduled to be put down this week have made their way to PAWS of Wisconsin Rescue where they will receive care for their skin condition and stay with a foster family until they find their adoptive homes.
Another passenger, Jim, a 10-year old dog who has heart worm, will be treated at Casey’s Save Haven Rescue in Elburn, Ill. Once treatment is done, Casey’s will find a home for Jim.
A litter of 8 young puppies arrived Sunday afternoon at Puppy Breath Rescue in Grand Haven, Mich.
“There are several people just like us in the Champaign-Urbana area who do this,” Moore said. “A lot of dogs come through this area because it’s a crossroads from the south to the north.”
While Moore relies on her friends to help with the transport, she also relies on people from all over the Midwest who answer her requests for help almost every time she needs it.
“I don’t often get to meet these people, but I know them like they are my best friends,” she said. “Out of their own pocket, they drive dogs for an hour, two hours, three hours, just so the dogs can be saved and have a home.”
Moore said people can and should help in any way they can. While some commit to driving the dogs, or provide overnight accommodations, others help financially or by spreading the word.
Moore said she hopes to create awareness about the importance of spay and neutering and encourage prospective pet owners to adopt through shelters rather than through breeders.
Bark & Ride Transport walked in the Sangamon River Music Festival Parade to create awareness of the organization in the community. Some of the 35 rescue dogs who have found homes in Champaign County walked in the parade.
Moore keeps foster families and drivers updated on the whereabouts of the dogs on her Facebook page as they arrive at the rescue shelters or find homes.
“Once you’ve done it once or twice, it’s addictive,” she said.
The next transport will be from Hughes, Ark. Moore said the small town just outside of Memphis is overrun with about 200 stray dogs. Because there is no animal control there, many dogs get hit by cars or picked up by people running dog fighting rings.
Visit Bark & Ride Transport on Facebook to find out more about the organization.
