I fell in love with a hound. As many of you know I have loved and spent time with a gorgeous Treeing Walker Coonhound named Mister Jackson at Eleventh Hour Rescue for many years now. My true dream was to get him into a home of his own. With the help of EHR and other volunteers we did a lot for my boy over the years but sometimes the dream we have for a rescue dog we love just does not fit their needs and what will truly make them happiest. Despite all our efforts over the years, Mister Jackson just could not adjust to sharing an inside space with his human friends. Don’t misunderstand, he likes people and other dogs but also needs his space and when closed indoors or feeling trapped he gets severe anxiety. When this happens he does not want anyone near him at all. Once outdoors he can relax and get back to the goofy hound we all know and love. Outdoors is where he truly thrives. So, as you can imagine kennel life is especially hard on him. We have tried meds with the help of EHR’s vet but that did not help, as one very important factor we could not change was he was still living his days feeling trapped in his kennel run. Although some other volunteers and I would get him out for walks, trips to the park, and other outings a majority of his time was being spent in his kennel run. A couple years ago when kennel life had really started to break him down we had the wonderful opportunity to send him to train and board facility thanks to large a donation by one of his really generous volunteer friends. Jackson spent a year there and he was doing better there. Even though he was still living in a kennel they were able to provide him a lot more free time outdoors than we could at EHR. With their help we were able to wean him off the anxiety meds which was better for his overall health and state of mind. Our hope was, with him feeling a bit better with the extra outdoor activity, the trainer there could help to assimilate him into sharing a home environment and even help us adopt him out. Unfortunately after spending a whole year there it did not come to fruition. Another opportunity here in NJ presented itself. A boarding/doggie adventure day camp would give fostering him a try. There the dogs spend their days enjoying the outdoors with the owner on the 12+ fenced acres- hiking, running, playing and basking in the sun. But no kennel, they live in the home with the owner. Unfortunately, even with days loaded with outdoor fun, he just could not adjust to living inside and being closed in with others. So long and behold, despite our best efforts, Jackson was back at our kennel. We have managed to keep him of the meds but could see he was starting to break down again, he really needed out. As much as it breaks my heart not to see my dream for him come true, I have realized that my dream is just that, mine. It is no dream for him. A few months ago EHR sent a couple other hounds to a sanctuary. Over the past year something like this had also been in talks for Mister Jackson. His hound buddies are doing very well there, I knew my boy deserved this too. He should not spend his entire life stressed out in a kennel. Yesterday, along with Anne (my dear friend and fellow volunteer), we brought Mister Jackson to Spirit Animal Sanctuary. Spirit, is a home for life animal sanctuary for dogs that have a hard time adjusting to a human world. Jackson will live with a group of other dogs and will have 24 hour access to a large play yard. He will never feel trapped indoors again. He can roll, dig and hound about with his buddies until to his heart is content. This has been very hard on me, I cannot even type this without a stream of tears. Although I plan to visit, I will miss spending time with him on a regular basis and will miss being his person. He is in good hands though and was happily reunited with and welcomed by his hound buddy EHR’s Gage. When it was time to walk away to leave I went back for one more peek and he looked back at me with his big goofy hound grin and then calmly walked off with his buddy Gage. It was at that moment, despite my aching heart, I truly knew he was home.

Now I could use your help! It cost a one-time fee of $5,000 for Mister Jackson to live his life happily at his new home. I am so beyond thankful to dear friends who immediatley stepped up to pay half for my boy, such huge hearts! I hope you can reach in to your heart to help out too! From Mister Jackson and I, we can't THANK YOU enough!