Saving Opal and Burdie

Today, we want to show how our VOLUNTEER support helped not only one, but two rescues find their way back home…
Opal was excited for her first volunteer sleepover and the chance to relax without hearing any other dogs bark.

Following her arrival at HSNEGA, Opal began showing signs of severe shelter anxiety and refused to even come out of her kennel to use the restroom. It took two weeks for Opal to feel comfortable enough with staff and volunteers to leave her first paw print in our Bark Park or play with another rescue.

Opal needed a little break from the shelter so she went home with one of our PAWsome fosters! But after arriving at the volunteer’s home, Opal accidentally slipped from her leash and did what most nervous animals would do… she ran.

HSNEGA’s volunteers immediately sprung into action. They grabbed all of Opal’s belongings with her scent and set off to find her because no rescue gets left behind. After a long day of searching, Opal was spotted coming out of the woods during the night and ate a little food of the food the volunteer left out on the porch. Finally, after three exhausting days, our volunteer was reunited with Opal.

While we wish this was the end of our Happy Tail, our volunteers were still unable to rest, because, during the search for Opal, something went terribly wrong.

Our amazing Volunteer, Janette, searched for Opal with her own dog, Burdie, in hopes an animal would help her feel comfortable enough to be approached.

Then, it happened. Just like Opal had done a day before, Burdie slipped out and ran.

Lost dog posters filled the streets for a week while Burdie was alone in the woods. Our volunteers desperately called out for him, left food on porches, and searched. Day seven was the first sighting and sign of hope that Burdie would make it home safe. Janette and a few of our volunteers sat in the rain waiting… praying for a miracle.

On day eleven the miracle occurred and Burdie was returned to Janette. The cloud of anxiety that lingered over HSNEGA’s volunteer community finally turned into blue skies.

“248 hours later. We’re going home. Enormously grateful for everyone’s support. You all made our reunion possible ❤🐾” ~HSNEGA Volunteer Janette.

Our hearts have all been touched by the immense effort put in by our volunteers to save these two lost souls. Our volunteers are truly the backbone of HSNEGA and we can’t thank them enough!