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A Newsletter from Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois, Inc.
The Collie Nose
Spring 2016
In this issue:
Throughout this online newsletter, watch for clickable links to more
information! The text will be in color, and underlined.
Cathy Schroeder and Ky
Volunteer Spotlight: Cathy Schroeder - 1
Transporters Save Lives - 2
Cathy Ratliff Remembered - 5
Treat your Pet the Green Way– 6
Did You Know? - 7
Grunts and Groans - 8
Kyrie and Divine Intervention - 9
Frankie Finds his Happy Place - 11
Lucy’s Light Shines - 13
Kids’ Corner! - 14
See our events
calendar on
page 4!
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Volunteer Spotlight: Cathy Schroeder - by: Amy Zurita
Collie rescue wouldn’t get very far without foster homes to take care of its dogs, and thanks to
Cathy Schroeder, each incoming collie is sent to a great foster home!
Cathy has been involved with Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois since 2007, when her border collie
mix, Chance, found a favorite collie playmate at doggie daycare. As it so happened, Chance’s
collie friend, Dozer, needed a foster home, and he became Cathy’s first foster dog. Since then,
she has fostered several dogs for CRGI and some for
other organizations as well. She’s had a couple of
foster failures, adopting Nuelle, a lab mix, and Misty,
a CRGI collie. In early 2016, Cathy became the
Foster Home Coordinator for CRGI.
Since Cathy has taken on the Foster Home Coordina-
tor role, she has used her experience with fostering to
help build a foster team that works together until the
collies find their forever homes. Even in her current
role, Cathy continues to foster, as she explains that
she can’t be a good resource or leader if she isn’t
going through the same experiences her team mem-
bers are going through.
Cathy’s job begins with an alert about an incoming collie who will need a temporary place to call
home. Melanie Clawson, our Intake Coordinator, starts things off by getting Cathy the infor-
mation on the particular dog or dogs. Melanie explains, “Cathy and I keep in close contact about
any potential dogs coming in so she can start thinking about what open foster homes we have
and if they would be a match for the dog. Even if we don't know for sure the dog will end up with
us, I always give Cathy a heads-up. We work very well together.”
Cathy, often with the help of Kathy Stodgell, another of our
volunteers, contacts potential foster homes. They determine
which foster home would be the best situation for each dog,
taking into account the dog’s temperament, the makeup of the
family, and the fosterer’s skill and comfort level.
Kathy enjoys working with Cathy and shares, “When describ-
ing what Cathy does for the rescued dogs and the volunteers,
the word ‘hardworking’ is an understatement. Her commitment
to every aspect of our organization shows her dedication. She
is honest, respectful and supportive. Her plate is abundantly
full and busy with CRGI.”
Once a dog is placed in his or her foster home, Cathy works with the fosterer to help the dog get
ready for an appropriate and successful adoption. This includes helping to set up training and vet
visits when necessary. Cathy used Dharma, a rough-coated sable who recently came to us, as
an example of such a case. This collie had medical needs and behavioral issues that needed to
be addressed before she could be adopted. Dharma was a sad case. She had been abandoned
(Continued on page 3)
Cathy’s pack: Ky, Chance, and Misty
Nuelle learning to play with toys!
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Bill Briggs had finished his leg of the dog’s transport. Before getting back in his car, Bill looked at
the sweet collie-mix and reassured her with an affectionate farewell pet. He looked her in the eye
and said, “I promise, you’ll get a good home.” Bill handed off Lulu’s leash and headed back
home.
Shortly after that, Bill and his wife, Priscilla, set out for Alaska.
Seasoned travelers, they enjoyed traveling in their own RV, so
they were able to travel with their 4-legged kids, Nellie, a collie
and Jasper, a sheltie.
Nellie was 11, but still enjoyed traveling. On their way home,
however, they noticed Nellie was not her usual happy self and
continued to decline. Worried, they stopped in Wyoming for
some answers. Unfortunately, Nellie was diagnosed with
cancer of the spleen and there was nothing that could be
done. They made Nellie comfortable and drove straight home
so Nellie could spend her final days at home.
Jasper, a cute little sheltie who had been Nellie’s sidekick for years,
became depressed over the loss of his best friend, Nellie. Bill and
Priscilla sensed Jasper’s loneliness and knew he needed the
company of another dog, so they began their search.
Bill remembered that little dog, Lulu, he had transported for CRGI
back in May. Priscilla shared, “Bill remembered her well and remem-
bered she REALLY liked belly rubs. Bill also remembered the prom-
ise he had made to her that day and when we checked, we noticed
Lulu was still up for adoption on CRGI’s website. Little did Bill know,
when he made Lulu his promise back in May, that WE would be the
people keeping his promise.” Lulu had been placed with Ericka
Adams, fostering volunteer. Ericka and her family gave her lots of
(Continued on page 4)
Bill and Priscilla Briggs
Transporters Save Lives
on the side of the road, her matted coat was bonded to her skin and she was eating road kill to
survive. When Cathy set Dharma up with fosterer, Ericka Adams, things didn’t get off to a perfect
start, but after treating some medical issues and getting behavioral help from a trainer, Dharma
became a completely different dog!
Once a fostered collie is ready to be adopted, a bio is written about the dog to post on the web-
site. Cathy explains that she sometimes writes the bio depending on how well she knows the dog,
but usually the fosterer writes the dog’s bio. After all, they live with the dog and really get to know
it. Thanks to Cathy and her amazing team of volunteer fosterers, each dog is given personalized
care and an individualized assessment to get them ready for adoption!
We definitely appreciate having this wonderful woman, Cathy Schroeder, on our team. In turn,
Cathy says, “We have so many fostering heroes that help collies in need, I want to make sure
everyone knows how much they are appreciated.”
(Continued from page 2)
Melanie’s favorite quote
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belly rubs while Lulu waited for Bill to come back and pick her up.
Maybe the best part of volunteering with CRGI is the opportunity to
meet so many wonderful people, including Bill and Priscilla Briggs.
They have been helping CRGI transport collies for over 5 years, mostly
from the southern Missouri area. They’ve helped rescue about 25 col-
lies. The most recent was Buster, a blind senior, abandoned and left to
fend for himself. Because Bill and Priscilla stepped up to help him, he’s
living in a loving home today.
Priscilla shared their part of Frankie’s story, which is included in more
detail in a separate article in this newsletter. CRGI had been alerted
and in turn, alerted Priscilla and Bill to a situation where a fearful collie,
running for several weeks, was living under somebody’s porch. They
were ready to pick up and transport Frankie as soon as Melanie, the
CRGI Intake Coordinator, called for their help. Frankie came north that
day with Bill and Priscilla and once placed in one of our fostering
homes he learned to trust and made remarkable progress so that he
was adoptable. Be sure to read his story, made possible by the Briggs'
commitment to transporting even the most filthy, scared and emaciated
collies that CRGI rescues.
Frankie is one of many, but every rescued dog our transporters have
driven to safety have had a story to tell. We appreciate Bill and Priscilla’s
willingness to hit the road to save lives. And to these collies whose sal-
vation depended upon their kindness? They are superheroes!
(Continued from page 3)
Kathy Gouwens, another
dedicated transporter,
saved Buster over
Christmas and hands off
Buster to Bill in the
transport relay.
Mark your calendars now! We could use your help!
May 6
th
Tails on the Trails, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
July 22
nd
& 23
rd
Windy City Pet Expo, Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center,
Schaumburg, Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
September 9
th
Tails on the Trails, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
September 17
th
Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois, Inc. Annual Family Picnic –
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Private Party, Invitation Only
September 24
th
Barkapalooza, 1825 Short St., Lisle,
Nov. 11th & 12th Chicago Pet Show – Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
Contact Kim: events@collierescue.org
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Cathy Ratliff, Dedicated Volunteer
We’ve sadly lost a member of our CRGI family. This fine lady will
surely be missed by all who knew her, but nobody misses her more
than Ray, her husband of 50 years.
Ray and Cathy raised two kids and always had dogs. Their children,
now grown, share their mom and dad’s love for dogs and have dogs
of their own. It seems Cathy has successfully handed her interest in
dogs down to yet another generation too. Ray’s granddaughter visits
and helps him with his current collie, Tori.
Tori, who was very attached to Cathy, has become Ray’s devoted
companion now. “Cathy adopted girls so they would be MY dog, but
it didn’t always work out that way. But, with Cathy gone, Tori has be-
come mine. Maybe because she has no choice.”
Tori’s predecessors, Dusty, Lady, and Sandy, all lived full lives, having travelled all over the U.S. in a
motorhome. Cathy and Ray enjoyed being on the road and did not leave their dogs behind. Dusty trav-
eled through 36 states, including Alaska. Lady, who they raised from a young puppy, traveled to al-
most 35 states. Tori has seen Washington and Oregon. Ray jokingly likes to claim “My girls go places!”
Maybe this is why he easily envisions Cathy “up there, having crossed the Rainbow Bridge, surround-
ed by at least 15 dogs.”
Susie Moncek, former board president, had a special relationship with Cathy and shares, “Cathy was a
wonderful person. Ray and Cathy have been great supporters of CRGI.” Remembering the bittersweet
matchup, Susie added, “Coincidentally, Tori’s previous owner had sadly passed away. During her bat-
tle with cancer, Tori did not leave her side. When Tori came to CRGI, we knew this dog needed a spe-
cial home. I knew Cathy and Ray’s Dusty had recently passed away and did not need to think twice.
Tori was THE perfect dog for the Ratliffs. I remember the day they met well. It had snowed and we
shoveled a pathway to their RV. Tori jumped right in and seemed at home. She had passed the test
and a happy adoption was made. When Cathy was diagnosed with cancer, Tori once again had a job
to do and easily fell into her role as a loving, comfort dog. I am sure this was Tori’s purpose. Her job
did not end with Cathy’s passing. Now Tori gives Ray comfort and company. It shows just what our
dogs can do.”
Tori, the dog pictured with Cathy, is the last in a line of 4 collies, 3 adopted from CRGI. It’s no surprise,
Tori has become “Ray’s girl.” She understands he’s the one who needs her now. Cathy would agree.
Cathy and Tori
In our last edition we shared
information about the Lizzy’s
Fund Foundation. Sophie,
best friends are forever is a
wonderful book about a
wonderful collie. When you
purchase the book, you help
a senior dog. Misha and
Sally would like to thank
Lizzy’s Fund,
https://www.lizzysfund.org
for helping cover their
medical treatments. Big
collie tail wags to Bernie and
Ted Slupik!
Misha, thanks Lizzy’s Fund
for helping her get well!
Sally thanks Lizzy’s Fund
for helping her have eye
surgery!
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Treat Your Pet the Green Way - Kym McNabney
Many people today are making the switch to organic, and going green/natural. Why not incorpo-
rate the same lifestyle for our pets?
There are several ways we can protect and care for our pets the green way.
1. Organic bathing.
Use safe and natural cleaning products, all-natural plant based cleansers, never harsh soaps,
phosphates, artificial dyes/fragrances, or toxins so you won’t have to worry about what might
be left behind on your pets.
A typical recipe for homemade shampoos for dogs with sensitive skin:
2. Environmentally safe house cleaners.
Seek environment-friendly ways to clean your house with natural disinfectants and cleansing
abrasives that are also antibacterial, like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. A much healthier
and safer choice for your pets and family.
3. Biodegradable compost and green pooper-scooper.
Not picking up your dog’s poop is unlawful in most towns, and adds to one of the leading
sources of ground water contamination. Using non-biodegradable plastic bags to pick up your
dog’s waste is adding to a huge problem in the landfills, where waste sits in non-degradable
bags and becomes a pollutant. Consider using a flushable and biodegradable poop bag. Use a
pooper scooper while in your yard, and consider composting your dog’s waste. When com-
posted correctly, it destroys pathogens and produces compost that can improve soil quality.
4. Food in bulk and recyclable packaging.
When possible purchase food in bulk reducing the amount of trips to the store, saving in gas
and in the price of the product. Purchasing larger quantities means less packaging. Look for
products that use recyclable packaging.
5. Natural flea-repellant.
Flea collars emit a constant toxic cloud around your pet’s neck. Every time you hug your pet,
you get a dose of it yourself. Avoid shampoos that are guaranteed to kill fleas. Instead, use
herbal shampoos for animals. Plain soap and water will kill fleas if left on for 5 to 8 minutes.
(Continued on page 7)
• 1 quart of water
• 1 cup of baby shampoo or nontoxic dish soap
• 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup of glycerine
• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
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An environmentally friendly alternative is to slice up two lemons and pour nearly boiling water
over them, and soak overnight. The next day, strain the liquid and pour into a spray bottle. Spray
your dog daily with the solution and rub it into the coat, spraying their bedding, too. You can add
garlic and brewer’s yeast to your pet’s food. Vacuuming, bathing, and brushing frequently can
help prevent fleas.
All it takes is a little focus on how to shift your shopping and regular practices to develop new habits
that will be a better choice for the environment, your family and your pets.
Works cited:
https://earthbath.com/cat/5-eco-friendly-ways-to-green-up-your-pets/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/02/07/top-10-green-pet-tips.aspx
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/care-for-your-pets
https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/living-with-your-dog/10-ways-green-pet/
http://intentblog.com/protect-care-your-pet-green-way/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/protect-and-care-for-your-pet-the-green-way.html
http://www.treehugger.com/green-home/21-natural-home-remedies-pets.html
(Continued from page 6)
Did You Know? - Dale Mohr
?
?
?
?
?
There are a number of
different types of Collies,
including Scotch Collies
(smooth and rough),
Bearded Collies, Border
Collies, Shetland Sheep-
dogs (originally called the
Shetland Collie), and
Welsh Collies.
The "smell" center of a
dog's brain is 40 times
larger than yours.
No two dog noses are
the same.
A dog's nose is the
equivalent of a human
Fingerprint, with each
having a unique pattern of
ridges and creases.
An interesting "fact" about
Scotch Collies is that they
apparently originated in
Scotland as early as 350 years
ago. However, among its
ancestors were undoubtedly
Roman Cattle Dogs, native
Celtic Dogs and Viking Herding
Spitzes. We know from
accounts that by the late 1700s
the Collie existed in Scotland
in a form very similar to those
today. Back then they were
mostly used as herding
animals. Today they are still
used by some farmers for
herding as well as being
beloved household pets.
Dogs can smell thousands of
times better than humans.
Their noses have millions
more scent receptors. For
example, a human nose
averages 5 million, while a
Dachshund's has 125 million,
making them useful in sniffing
out drugs, dead bodies, bed
bugs, explosives, cancer and
more.
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Hey Annie where’s Roxy? I want to read both of you a nice little story. Sully’s forever mom, Kathy
Hayes, wrote this and we want to share it with everyone.
Woof, WOOF…GRRR…
You’re right, we met Sully at our meet ’n greets. And
you talked to each other at the CRGI picnics the last
few years.
Mrs. Hayes sent us a picture also, even though it was
so hard to find one of him alone, as he is such a
popular friend. Sully’s always with someone.
Groan…
No Roxy, Kathy is not your aunt, no not your cousin -
we're not related!
Grrrrrrr…
No Roxy, as much as I’d like to, we cannot adopt her or Sully.
Bark…BARK…
Roxy, hush now here’s what Kathy says…
Sully is a beautiful tri-color collie that came to us as a foster in November of 2012. Our tri-
color, K’Liss was not doing well at the time and Sully immediately befriended her. He laid
by her, licked her face and encouraged her. After she crossed the Rainbow Bridge,
Smokey (our blue merle) and I decided it was time to sing Sully’s praises in a bio for Collie
Rescue so others could read about him and he could possibly find his forever home.
He was a younger dog than what I usually have as I like to give the older ones the
opportunity of a forever home. With Smokey at my feet, I sent the email to tell Suzie, the
adoption coordinator at the time, to list him as available. Then I turned to see Sully lying
under the Christmas tree. That was it. Once again, I was a Foster Failure. I immediately
phoned Suzie to say Sully was in his forever home!!!
Since that time, Sully has welcomed fosters Grace, Misha, Silver, Trotter, Reggie and Kota
… and even hosted a three-day weekend with April. By the way, Silver and Kota also
found their forever home here.
Sully celebrated his 7th birthday in January ’17 and eagerly walks at least a quarter mile to
a mile each day before I go to work. We have a park and pond across the street and he is
known to steal the puck to get the little boys off the ice…or tug at their coats to get them
back on solid ground. What a herder!
Sully was once a breeder’s dog and sired a litter of puppies before he was given to the
breeder’s best friend where he often went to daycare. However, when the owner became
ill, Sully came to CRGI. He is an amazing ambassador of the collie breed and we are so
happy to have him.
I asked God for a best friend … And He gave me a collie.
Woooof! woof!
Yes, Roxy she said her best friend is a Collie … and I agree!
Sully, Kathy, Nemo, Reggie and Silver
Grunts and Groans - George Hayes
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Kyrie and Divine Intervention - Gail Diedrichsen
After going through lifesaving surgery, and barely out of puppyhood, Kyrie, a young collie, was re-
linquished to a shelter by her owners. She was alone and frightened. Thankfully CRGI was con-
tacted and Kyrie was placed in the perfect foster home with Dian Chapman, and later found her
perfect forever home with Mark Majewski. Her story’s happy ending can only be attributed to the
stars being aligned perfectly! In fact, Mark's sister claims what brought this dog and this man to-
gether was definitely heaven-sent.
According to Dian “At the end of October, I was thinking of
adopting a collie, so I found Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois
and inquired about available dogs. Maureen asked if I would
be interested in fostering, and I was. Once Cathy Schroeder
did a home visit, approving us, we had the opportunity to foster
Kyrie, a cancer survivor. Her particular cancer was rare. In fact
so rare, she was one of only ten known cases in the country.”
On November 12th, Dian remembers meeting Kyrie for the first
time, “Her right bottom jaw had been removed, causing her
tongue to hang out...and it was adorable!” Dian said, “Kyrie
was very scared during the ride home...nervous and panting
for nearly the entire ride. It appeared that she hadn't been in a
vehicle much, or maybe too often her rides involved trips to the Vet.”
Once home and out of the scary car, however, Dian described a very different dog. “We have two
friendly goldens, so there was no issue with her joining our family. Our girl, Deja, took to her new
playmate right away. They would romp every morning around the house. Our boy, Tango, was a
little unsure, but by the time Kyrie left us, he was playing with her too. It was as hard for Tango to
say goodbye to Kyrie as it was for the rest of us.”
Not only was this Dian’s first fostering ex-
perience, but she never had a dog with a
deformity like this and didn’t know what to
expect. Dian learned quickly that the
missing jaw did NOT hold Kyrie back. “At
first I was concerned about her tongue
and whether it would drag around getting
dirty and collect germs, but she was pretty
good about controlling it. When relaxed, it
would hang out, but she could control it
somewhat most of the time. Eating took
her a little longer because she’d “toss” the
food up into her mouth before chewing.
When she drank, she “snorkeled"...
shoving her snout into the water and
gulping.”
Other than adaptations during eating, Dian described a perfectly normal, full of the dickens, young
collie. “Kyrie LOVED to bark at squirrels and chase them, so she had lots of fun in our back yard.
Thankfully, she also LOVED fetching tennis balls and flew after them like a racehorse!”
(Continued on page 10)
Kyrie doesn’t let her jaw slow her
down!
Kyrie with her foster siblings
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Kyrie needed a special home with a special kind of person and Dian said, “We were thrilled
Mark Majewski and his big, sweet merle collie, “Stosh" found us.” Dian described a man who
she bonded with right away. “Coincidentally, he was from my old neighborhood in Chicago.”
Dian felt the stars aligning and that adoption was meant to be, for only the best would do for her
Kyrie.
Dian was so right about Mark. He’s as comfortable as an old pair of shoes, and while he never
had a dog when he was a young boy, he became attached to two collies living down the block in
his old neighborhood. They greeted him every morning on his way to school, as Mark always
stopped to pet them. When he was 30 he FINALLY got his first collie. He described how he
picked the dog up and on the way home had a mini panic attack caused by the overwhelming
realization that he was responsible for another living thing. “I named him “Rigby” after Steve
Martin’s character in the movie, ‘Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.’ When he died with heart prob-
lems at only 10, it devastated me.”
“Spencer” was his next collie and he lived to be 13 1/2. Next a German Shepherd named,
“Aries,” joined his family when some friends needed to re-home him. They called Mark first and
Mark could not say no. “My elderly father could not understand his name the night I brought him
home. Even when I explained it, he had no clue as to what
astrology was. So I quickly changed his name to “Harry,” that
first night, knowing my father wouldn’t have any problems
with “Harry” as in “Harry Caray.” Harry and Spencer were
friends, for a while, but old Spencer had a stroke and passed
away. Harry had hip-dysplasia and I took him for walks with a
sling. He was so smart…his head was there, but his body
was not. I lost him the day before Thanksgiving and I was SO
down.”
After two lonesome years, Mark decided he needed another
collie. At the same time a man listed his daughter's collie on
Craig’s List. Fortunately, Mark answered the ad and brought
home an unruly, skinny, tall collie who was so wild, Mark had
difficulties corralling him into his car. Mark’s new collie then
knocked his mother over and was a handful. Mark proudly
said, “With a steady dose of love, Stosh came around and
now he means everything to me. I just love him to death!”
One day Mark decided, out of the blue, that Stosh needed a playmate. Why then? AND why
was he attracted to Kyrie? According to Mark, he’s not sure he even has the answers. He insists
his sister claims there was “divine intervention” happening the day Mark looked at CRGI’s web-
site to see who needed a home. He admits, “I don’t know why I was attracted to Kyrie and it did-
n’t occur to me until much later that maybe it was due to my father and what he had been
through.
"He was only 52 when he had parts of his mouth removed and part of the muscle that controlled
the tongue. A muscle from his chest was implanted in his mouth. His mouth was wired shut and
(Continued from page 9)
(Continued on page 11)
Kyrie and her new brother, Stosh
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he needed a tracheotomy-tube while he healed. He had problems swallowing for the rest of his
life, but lived for 25 more years.” As the CRGI family hoped, Mark, like Dian, saw Kyrie's crooked
mouth and cute hanging tongue to be irresistibly charming too.
Kyrie is one lucky dog. Mark says, “Kyrie had an easier
time adjusting than Stosh, who was a little jealous at first.
They both want to be with me and are in my face all the
time. It’s so awesome…I saw Stosh kiss her on the nose
one day, so I knew things were better between them. I
am the luckiest person to have picked these two dogs,
who I didn’t know much about. They crawl right into your
heart…and, that’s IT, it’s over!”
Kyrie is lucky to find care by her foster mom, Dian, and
now love by her new dad, Mark. As to whether or not
“divine influences” brought Dian, Mark, and Kyrie togeth-
er as Mark’s sister thinks? We will never know, and
Kyrie sure doesn’t seem to care.
(Continued from page 10)
Stosh, Mark, and Kyrie
Frankie, a.k.a Mr. Finnegan, Finds his Happy Place - Gail Diedrichsen
Nothing gives us greater satisfaction than a story with a happy ending. Bill and Priscilla Briggs
have transported many memorable dogs, but one in particular stuck with them.
Melanie Bush Clawson, our intake coordinator,
alerted Priscilla and Bill of a situation not 20 miles
away from their home. A collie had been on the
run for several weeks. So fearful and shy, nobody
was able to lure him to them. Finally, dirty and
starved he had found a dark spot under a porch
where he curled up in the dirt to give up.
Melanie recalled, “Almost Home Collie Rescue
contacted me about a woman who had been
watching a collie on the run for about a month.
One very hot day the dog crawled under a porch
and was not moving. There was a strong possibil-
ity the dog was injured. After blocking the dog un-
der the porch, the same woman who had been
watching him all those months, was finally able to
capture him. I called Priscilla and told her to go get
him and take him to her own veterinarian immediately.”
After those weeks of waiting, Bill and Priscilla were relieved when they finally got Melanie’s call
reporting the good news that the phantom collie had finally been corralled! Our loyal transporters
picked the dog up and took him to their vet, with plans to bring him north after his medical needs
were met.
(Continued on page 12)
up...What a face!
Frankie crawled under a porch and gave
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Thankfully, the collie was not injured, although he was dangerously dehydrated, needing fluids.
Melanie felt he had given up and was done running because he was simply too worn out and
weak to take another step. He did have a terrible hotspot on his hip needing immediate care, but
otherwise he was miraculously sound with no broken bones.
Priscilla said, “When we put him in the car to drive him north, Bill and I almost just turned our car
around and headed home with THAT one. He was sad, frightened and thin, but SO sweet.”
Frankie, in fact, needed a special foster home and that’s when Robin, a seasoned dog owner,
stepped up to care for him. She shared, “I do remember what a mess he was, but he was very
sweet and the adopters fell in love the minute they sat down with him.”
Tom’s extended family adopted Frankie that day and admits it was a done deal the minute they
met. Tom has adopted several collies and loves the breed. His family had lost their collie,
Laddie, and yearned for another collie to become part of the clan. They selected Frankie,
renaming him, “Mr. Finnegan.”
Tom laughed and shared, “Our little Maltese,
Pliny, has helped Mr. Finnegan learn how to be
a dog.” Tom described the first few days when
Mr. Finnegan was out in the yard, refusing to
come in when called. “Pliny went out there and
really gave him hell. Pliny ran back into the
house without the collie following, so Pliny
turned around, ran back out there and gave it to
him again. Finally, Mr. Finnegan followed and
came in. These two are like Mutt and Jeff.”
Tom continued, however his tone became
serious. “Somebody really scared the heck out
of this poor dog. One day he saw my son
remove his belt, and he became so frightened, he took off into the other room cowering.”
Tom’s daughter, Margaret, affectionately calls the mis-
matched Maltese/collie duo “DeVito and Schwarzenegger.”
She loves the way the two dogs entertain one another,
romping in the yard. Pliny has also taught Mr. Finnegan the
game “watch and bark” at the front window.
Margaret added, “Mr. Finnegan has a story to tell. He wasn’t
shown much kindness in his past. We gave him a dog bed
and I could tell he was unsure of accepting that luxury. He’s
not afraid of thunder, but the sound of my phone receiving a
text can freak him out. But, he loves it when I sing to him.
When we got him, he was nothing but skin and bones, and he
had been shaved down. He’s 82 lbs. now, and has a
(Continued from page 11)
(Continued on page 13)
Frankie getting better in foster
Mr. Finnegan learning to watch and
bark
13
beautiful, thick coat. He loves to be cuddled, but it was difficult for
him. He didn’t always give himself permission to relax.”
Enrolled in agility classes, Margaret and Mr. Finnegan are working
with a trainer. He loves watching the other dogs perform and the
classes are building his confidence.
Knowing the importance of being patient while building bonds with
a shy dog, Margaret shared, “When we first adopted him, he would
shrink and cower, but we saw a dog with such a sweet nature.
He’s comfortable with other dogs right away. He lies down like The
Sphinx and allows Pliny to crawl all over him. When he plays with a
tennis ball and lets it go, he thinks it’s magic when it bounces. His
eyes are so beautifully expressive and when he runs, he’s just
beautiful. Watching him play with Pliny is so fun. The Maltese eggs
the collie on to chase him. But he’s small enough to get into nooks
and crannies where Mr. Finnegan cannot fit. It’s part of the game.
Mr. Finnegan has a great spirit. I think in his past life, he may have
seen an opening to escape and he just took off. Everyday Mr.
Finnegan does something new as he embraces being a spoiled
house dog! He’s getting more brave about meeting new people. I
know he still has a lot to let go of, and learn, but everyday there is something new to smile about.”
(Continued from page 12)
Frankie and his new dad
Lucy’s Light
Shines
A young smooth collie found herself
abandoned in a shelter over the holidays.
When the shelter’s heat went on the fritz,
many homeless pets needed an emergency
placement fast. This girl made her way to our
rescue. Kathy Stodgell, her foster mom,
knew she was a special girl the minute they
met, describing her as having “a wonderful
temperament to match her beautiful looks.”
According to Kathy, her outgoing personality
made her a “real people-dog who wanted to
be the life of the party.” For a bit of holiday
fun, Kathy ran a “name that dog” contest.
From the many submissions, Kathy chose
the Zandstras’ suggestion. So… “Lucy,”
meaning “light,” it was!
Adopted, Lucy is living up to her name. She’s
certainly lighting up her adopters’ lives! This
lucky couple reports, “Lucy has found her
home here. We just love her.” Lucy pulls a
bit on her leash when walked, so she has
obedience training in her future. But other
than this, her adopters claim, “Lucy is
perfect!”
14
Kids’ Corner
Juliana won big in the
Valentine's Day photo
contest...she wrote her own
book! Pictured to the left
sharing her wins with her
brother.
Nolan showing off his prizes -
he sent in the most phots of
all!
15
Collie Nose Newsletter
Volunteers:
Gail Diedrichsen, George Hayes,
Ellen Keirnan, Kym McNabney,
Dale Mohr, Amy Zurita
CRGI, Inc. Board Members:
Tina Kiselka – President
Caroline Lewis – Secretary
Mary Warsey – Treasurer
Melanie Clawson – Intake Coordinator
John Juris – IT Developer
Maureen Joyce – Adoption Coordinator
Cathy Schroeder – Foster Home Coordinator
Ewa Jankowski – Administrator
John Cymerman – Administrator
Thanks to West Suburban Humane Society for inviting us to
participate in their seminar for new adopters. We had a blast!
Four peas in a pod! Nancy, Maureen,
Sally, and Jameson (above)
Finn (above) was a hit with the
kids!
Two brave hearts (above)
Brodie (left)
loves the
limelight!
Publication date 3.20.2017
We are lucky
to have such
a great turn-
out at the
St. Patrick’s
Day parade!