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Q: Wouldyou like to include a requestfor<br />
volunteers in your area?<br />
A: YES! The Northwest region is<br />
desperately seeking volunteers. Foster<br />
Homes, Rescue Representatives and other<br />
volunteers are all needed. We receive<br />
calls about far more dogs than we can<br />
help because of our limited manpower.<br />
Visit http://www.aussierescuenw.org for<br />
information about how to volunteer.<br />
Hilary Hines, The Dalles, OR<br />
Q: What is your title within ARPH, how<br />
long have you had this title and how long<br />
with have you been an ARPH volunteer?<br />
A: I am the ARC for the Northwest Region,<br />
and have been with ARPH forfour years.<br />
Q: What is yourprofession?<br />
A: Museum Manager<br />
Q: What you enjoy about being an RC or<br />
ARC?<br />
A: I really enjoy working with my fellow<br />
volunteers and having the chance to meet<br />
interesting people on a daily basis.<br />
Q: What you dislike, if anything, about<br />
being an RC or ARC?<br />
A: It is difficult being involved with<br />
decisions thatcanbelife ordeathforAussies<br />
in question. Also, it can be frustrating<br />
working with potential volunteers, putting<br />
out the time and thought into answering<br />
all questions, screening, interviews, only to<br />
find out they aren't serious about following<br />
through with their offer ofhelp.<br />
Q: Most all of us have a story, dog or<br />
event that is the reason we do rescue.<br />
What's yours?<br />
A: Our first Aussie was a pound puppy<br />
with attitude plus. Oh, what an AWFUL<br />
puppyshe was,especiallyforsomeonewho<br />
wasn't familiar with Australian Shepherds,<br />
such as us. We met her 12 years ago, at<br />
six weeks of age in the local shelter with<br />
her siblings. We knew very little about her<br />
except that she had been bom in a bam.<br />
Even at her tender age, looking into her<br />
eyes we could see the wheels spinning.<br />
This little girl would nip at our face<br />
and ears when we wanted a cuddle, scratch<br />
and yip when not happy, and pretty much<br />
did whatever she wanted. In desperation<br />
I asked the vet what to do. One word<br />
answered it all: "Obedience!" We got<br />
84 AUSSIE TIMES I <strong>July</strong>-<strong>Aug</strong>ust <strong>2005</strong><br />
ARPH<br />
her into classes and that helped channel<br />
some of her creative juices. 1 attempted<br />
obedience fun matches with her, but her<br />
willful ways and my ignorance made me<br />
realize that probably wasn't for me. We also<br />
drove three hours every weekend to work<br />
her on sheep, and although she gained the<br />
nickname of "Headhunter" she improved<br />
enough to trial.<br />
At close to two years of age, during a<br />
nasty winter of ice, Mattie started limping,<br />
favoring a rear leg. At first we thought it<br />
was a nasty slip on the slick surfaces that<br />
caused a muscle sprain or ligament tear, but<br />
by spring it was no better. Off we went to<br />
the vet, where x-rays were taken. I had my<br />
first introduction to hip dysplasia. The vet's<br />
prognosis was grim, and we started her on a<br />
regimen ofsupplements. This was when we<br />
leamed how tough Aussies are, especially<br />
Mattie. She wasn't going to slow down!<br />
Her life then revolved around walks<br />
through the cherry orchards, limited Frisbee<br />
playing, smiling and greeting neighbors,<br />
and cuddling on the couch. Despite her<br />
hips, she was a Frisbee fanatic, purposely<br />
droppng the Frisbee in the creek, burying it<br />
and then having to root it out while enjoying<br />
a brisk dip in the mountain runoff.<br />
We were sold on Aussies by then. We<br />
wanted to help others in need and<br />
contacted rescue. In error I was given an<br />
ARPH Rescue RepresentativeApplication,<br />
when all I intended on doing was fostering. I<br />
thought the questions we intensive, but filled<br />
it out, and shortly thereafter was approved<br />
as an ARPH Rescue Representative. Since<br />
then Mattie has been indirectly responsible<br />
for saving hundreds of other Aussies, just<br />
like herself, that were in need of a new<br />
home. Mattie has had to tolerate countless<br />
Aussies coming and going out of her home,<br />
and although not always thrilled with the<br />
prospect, grudgingly puts up with them.<br />
Mattie's life continued in a happy<br />
cycle with others, accompanying me to<br />
work at a museum, greeting visitors. I had<br />
gained more confidencein my competition<br />
obedience with other Aussies that became<br />
permanent residents in our household. I<br />
offered my services as a 4-H dog leader<br />
and a young man, 12 years old, wanted to<br />
join the club, but had no dog. I invited to<br />
come over to my house, meet our dogs and<br />
see if he would like to work with one of<br />
them. Guess who he picked? Our Mattie<br />
Long Tail. She managed to get him a<br />
championship ribbon in obedience, and a<br />
Reserve in showmanship.<br />
I realized that Mattie had matured<br />
sinceourfirst introduction to obedienceand<br />
proceeded to enter in trials. Three times,<br />
and she had her CD, doing a beautiful flip<br />
finish on her recalls, bad hips and all.<br />
Mattie Long Tail enjoyed her<br />
retirement, casually helping with the farm<br />
chores, sleeping longer hours, getting fussy<br />
about her meals, but at that age she could<br />
eat whatever she pleased. Sadly, Mattie<br />
crossed the rainbow bridge recently, but<br />
her legacy ofsaving dogs continues in our<br />
household.<br />
Mattie, we love you, you make us<br />
laugh, you make us proud, and you are<br />
responsible for a lot of what our life has<br />
become.<br />
Q: Ifyou could change one thing about<br />
your RC position or ARPH in general,<br />
what would it be?<br />
A: I wish I had more time!<br />
Q: What do you lookforward to in ARPH's<br />
future?<br />
A: I hope there won't be a need for an Aussie<br />
Rescue in the future. In the meantime, I am<br />
glad we can be there to help those Aussies<br />
in need. ARPH is a very strong, supportive<br />
organization, and we all have so much to<br />
learn from each other. And, of course, I<br />
would like to see more volunteers.<br />
Q: Wouldyou like to include a requestfor<br />
volunteers in your area?<br />
A: Yes. Any volunteer who can offer<br />
their time and talents in all fields, from<br />
fostering, evaluating dogs and applicants,<br />
transporting, writing, photography, fund<br />
raising—thelist is endless.The dogs would<br />
benefit from more Northwest volunteers.<br />
Q: Is there anything else you wish to<br />
include?<br />
A: Although I can't help as many dogs as<br />
I would like, I am just glad I can help the<br />
few that I do. I am thankful for the devotion<br />
of so many caring individuals to helping<br />
our Australian Shepherds in need. I have<br />
leamed there are some tme saints out there<br />
doing breed rescue.<br />
Annette M. Jaeger<br />
Jacksonville, FL<br />
Q: What is your title within ARPH, how<br />
long have you had this title and how long<br />
with have you been an ARPH volunteer?
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