UPDATE 1/9/03 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt

*Permission to crosspost*

The majority of the Shelby, MT, collies are gaining weight and looking and feeling much better now, Undersheriff Don Hale of the Toole County Sheriff’s Office told me today.  We made arrangements for another delivery of dog food, graciously donated by Science Diet.  Certain individual dogs continue to require hospitalization, others still require medication, and some remain traumatized by their ordeal.  Undersheriff Hale explained that those that will not walk continue to soil themselves and their pens, therefore, the AWCA professional groomers will teach local volunteers how to rebathe those individuals when necessary.

Re:  **Stuff**

All of the dogs are now not only the proud owners of their own personal Nylabones, they own a custom-fitted Premier martingale collar as well!...red, white, and blue with USA in gold metallic thread, no less!!  When the animals began to feel stronger, the plastic noose leads used for walking were inappropriate.  What to do???  I called Premier Pet Products, of course, the manufacturers of an excellent martingale collar always worn by my service dog.  When I explained the situation in Shelby to Premier, they graciously donated all of the USA collars they had left and 17 reflective purple collars.  They included 25 matching USA leashes.  AWCA purchased, wholesale, 34 more collars in cranberry red to round out the total.  Thank you, Premier!

Beth Nemoff, RN, the captain of one of the AWCA support teams, and her team members custom-fitted each dog with his or her own collar.  When the dogs are in pens, their custom-fitted collar is removed.  It hangs over the top of the pen.  Volunteer dog walkers were taught how to slip them on and position them for each walk.

The AWCA Winter edition of our newsletter, Collie Connection, is being prepared now.  A gracious thank you and an up-to-date list of donors will be published, and also presented on the AWCA web site.

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, AWCA Director AWCA Rescue

Officers and Members of AWCA