Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I was about to give up in frustration. Once again the flakey owners of an Aussie that was listed to give away on Craigslist had told me they weren’t going to be around so I could come get the Aussie in question. I had seen the ad for her a few days before. It read “Free 1 year old Aussie female”. A few key strokes later I had launched an inquiry. At first I was told someone else wanted her. Then she sent me this picture of the dog in the snow. The dog looks like she could be an Aussie. I pursued. The next message was if I wanted her I better hurry. Then they were willing to bring her to Missoula to meet me but that fell through. They said I could come get her on Wednesday morning…nope morning won’t work…not afternoon either. Then Thursday afternoon was possible and then not. Friday late morning looked like it was going to work. I had once again shifted my schedule around and was set to go. Thursday night late I got an email telling me not to come but maybe Monday. So I wrote back and told them Monday I was swamped and I was really disappointed but to call if anything changed and Friday could be worked out. I don’t know why I was so determined but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that this little Aussie was in trouble.




Friday morning about 8 AM my phone rang it was the owner. At last I could talk to a real person and try to work it out. She was in a hurry and said she would not be home BUT would leave the dog in the back of their old truck parked out front and if I wanted the dog I could come get her from there. Visions of trying to get a protective Aussie out of their truck while it alarmed barked “Stranger Danger!!” danced in my head. When I asked the owner if that would scare the dog she said “I don’t think so”. So hoping I wouldn’t get shot by the neighbors or bit by the dog I was rescuing I agreed to give it a try. I was able to get in a few questions before she hung up. No the dog never had any shots, yes she just has a litter of pups which were weaned and placed when they were a month old, the Aussie came from a guy up in Misson and her name well after some thought the owner said “ahhh I think the kids called her Tiffany”. So armed with directions I was on my way. Darrin was of course completely against this whole idea. Although I said “It will be fine Dear” inside I had to kind of wonder.

Almost 2 hours of singing Paul Simon at the top of my lungs and a cinnamon roll later I was nearing the address. I kept telling myself if it looked weird I would just keep going. I prayed my guardian angels were near. I voiced a special prayer for my recently departed friend, Queen of Aussie and BC rescue Mary Ann Lindsay, and told her I was tuned in and to warn me. Somehow I knew she would and I felt safe. I pulled into the driveway next to the truck. The house was about 40 feet off a busy road. The fences were flat in places and I laughed remembering the owners comment that the dang dog wouldn’t stay in their fence. I sat in the van for a moment and looked around. No one was around and I could see no dog in the truck. I rolled down the window and gave a little whistle and called “Hey Tiffany?” Through the tinted windows a head appeared. So I got out with my phone in one hand and a slip lead in the other. A sweet blue merle face greeted me at the back window. I opened the truck and got a quick picture. She made it clear she was ready to GO. When she hopped out her tail followed her. Now sometimes Aussies have tails but more often Border Collies have tails, and that slight build and those flank marks. Out loud I said “Oh very funny Mary Ann…you know I don’t do Border Collie rescue!”. Knowing I could not live with myself if I left her I loaded her up. I gave out a big sigh of relief when I was a couple miles from the pickup spot. It had all worked out and she was safe.

On the way home she sang at the top of her lungs with Paul Simon. Thankfully she quieted after about 3 songs. I had to often roll down the windows to get some fresh air. She was filthy and that night she got what I am sure was her first bath. I had to go pretty slow to convince her she would survive her bath and nail clipping. Once her coat was free from the ground in poop and clean as I could get it. We started the naming process. She never responded to her name and honestly who knows if she even had one. A fresh start deserved a fresh name. I had a list of about 6 I liked but when I stumbled on Lark when reading a Nat Geo site. It said

“The larks are very interesting and hardworking birds. Admired for their camouflage and courage with which they defend their nests and raise their young against all odds. Even though they are not colorful, the patterns are beautiful.”

Well that certainly fit. She raised those pups against all odds. Looking in the dictionary it said

“Something done for fun. Verb - Enjoy oneself by behaving in a playful and mischievous way."

That fit too. I thought of her as Mary Ann’s joke on me. Going for an Aussie and coming home with a BC. Lark is settling in very well and has meshed with my pack seamlessly. The process of the light coming on in a dog is awesome. You see them realize they are safe and wanted. You see them asking tentatively at first to connect with you then like a wave crashing over them they can’t get enough. She will push herself into my hands wanting long overdue affection. She is learning her name, sit and down and trying so hard to make me happy. Already her face seems to have changed the stress is melting away. She grows more and more lovely every day. The story will unfold….