88 Counties in Ohio

There are 88 counties in Ohio with each one having at least one dogs kill shelter. Some counties have more then one! OBW has taken dogs from about 90% of the counties. It is hard trying to balance all the requests... 88 counties with dogs in need, 88 counties emailing asking me to take a dog or 2 or 3 or 5, 100's of faces are emailed to me every week. It is not easy trying to decide who you can help and who you can't. Especially when you know that by saying no you just killed a dog. It is even harder when you walk into the shelter knowing you can only take 1 or 2 and the dog warden is walking behind you telling you "this one is scheduled to die today, and that one tomorrow". Making deals with the dog warden "if I take 3 will you give him another week". "What if I promise to come get him next week?". Then scrambling to find a place to put him and you think a week is enough time but it isn't enough time. Especially when adoptions are down and volunteers are limited and foster homes are on breaks. And you think to yourself, when do I get a break? To me a break is a weekend away.

Balancing family, work and dog rescue while trying not let the stress and pressure of making life and death decisions get to you. Knowing that the number that just came up on your phone is the dog warden but you can't answer because you are in a meeting at work. You know that you not answering probably means a dog will loose their life because you know that as soon as you call back the warden will say to you "oh you didn't answer and no one would take the dog so we put him to sleep". Trying to make sure that your friends, your family and your wife know that you do love them and that you are there for them if they need you but yet the dogs are always pulling you in 100 directions at the same time. Spending finally a nice dinner with your wife but your phone rings and it is an emergency situation with a dog in need... what do you do? Help the dog and risk making your wife mad again? Or say you can't help and the dog will die. Balance. Dog rescue is all about balance... taking the most urgent dogs and praying that the other pound that is full will hold off putting anyone down just a few days longer because maybe just maybe you will be able to figure out something in a few days.