Update 12-20-2-13: Here is an update from Pearl’s new mommy in Fredrick, MD:

Hi Christina -We are approaching 1 week of having Pearl with us… It’s been an adventure!

 The kids renamed her (Lightning) McQueen and they call her Mickey for short. The other dogs are slowly getting used to her – Mickey likes to win Maudie over by giving her doggie kisses all over her face. Marble hasn’t gotten used to having Mickey around and is usually found hiding under the Christmas tree to enjoy the peace and quiet although he’s deaf too!

Maudie (brindle- she used to live with Brutus … The two were posted on Dead Dogs Rock back in August), Marble (rescued, deaf through New Hope Cattledogs in Colorado) and our newest furkid, McQueen

 

Two weeks ago I shared an image of a young boxer mix female named Pearl on our Deaf Dogs Rock Facebook page. Pearl was pulled from a high kill shelter and a college student named Stephanie was fostering her. Stephanie needed to find Pearl a loving forever home so we shared Pearl’s information and listing on our FB page. After Pearl’s photo appeared we had lots of our wonderful followers share Pearl’s information.

 

Pearl’s photo that appeared on our Deaf Dogs Rock Facebook page. 

The following week I got a message from a girl named Katie Hoheusle saying she wanted to give Pearl a loving forever home and she asked if I could possibly help her with Pearl’s transport. I took a look at a map and decided Pearl would need to come right through Salem, VA (where DDR is headquartered) on her way to Fredrick, MD so I decided I would put a transport team together (although I usually leave this up to the professionals).

I got on our Deaf Dogs Rock Facebook page and asked our followers about transporting Pearl from Chattanooga to Kingsport. I was so surprised when one person named Lisa emailed me saying she would drive from Georgia, pick up Pearl in Chattanooga, and get her to Kingsport, TN, if we could take the transport  from there. Well God Bless Lisa Padgett for stepping up and getting Pearl’s transport started on Friday morning December 13, 2013.

Left: Lisa Padgett and Pearl  Right: Sharon Spencer with her dog Oliver in Kingsport, TN.

I contacted my friends that live outside of Kingsport and they agreed to help us out. My friends Sharon and Ben Spencer transported Pearl to me after connecting with Lisa in Kingsport on Friday. Sharon fell so in love with Pearl on the transport she even mentioned if for any reason Pearl’s new family didn’t work out, she would love to have Pearl. Sharon was traveling with her two dogs and they also took to Pearl immediately. Pearl is still very much a boxer puppy at 9 to 10 months of age.

Pearl and Sharon starting their leg of the transport. 

I met the Spencer’s just off I 81 on Friday Decemeber 13, at 2:30pm. After I took a few photos of rescue deaf dog Pearl, Sharon and Ben, I put Pearl in a crate in the back of my car with a treat filled Kong to keep her occupied.

Sharon and Ben saying goodbye to Pearl as I get ready to load her up in our DDR Transport vehicle.

Pearl was such a good sport. She slept most of the way to Harrisonburg, VA. It was starting to get dark by the time I pulled into our transport meeting place at the Cracker Barrel in Harrisonburg so I had to hurry so I could get a final photo of Pearl with her new mommy. Katie, Pearl’s new mommy had gotten there a few minutes earlier and she greeted us with a huge smile on her face.

When Katie saw how petite and how beautiful Pearl was, I could tell it was love at first sight. I was nervous about communicating with Katie because she is deaf and because my ASL is very week but it was a breeze. Katie is very good at reading lips and with a few signs mixed in we had no problems communicating.

Katie also mentioned that Pearl is her second Deaf Dogs Rock Facebook Rescue she has adopted. I was beyond thrilled to hear this news! I get letters every day from deaf dog lovers in our deaf community telling me they keep getting turned down by rescues just because they are deaf. I will always do my very best to help the deaf community find and rescue the deaf dogs they are looking for as long as they are committed to give each dog a loving and patient home. It also gives me great pleasure knowing Pearl is going to go to a home with Katie and knowing she will always do what is right by her.

Welcome home Pearl baby, welcome home. Because of our awesome DDR community and their generous donations, Deaf Dogs Rock can literally  jump in the DDR transport vehicle on a moments notice and deliver a deaf dog to it’s new home. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind consideration and support to our mission to save as many deaf dogs as we can.

I would also like to give a big thanks to Stephanie Gagnon for fostering Pearl and finding her a loving home. A HUGE thank you to Julie Padgett for driving from Georgia to Kingsport, TN to help Deaf Dogs Rock get Pearl well on her way to her transport up North. A heart felt thank you to Sharon and Ben Spencer for hopping in the car and bringing Pearl to me here in Salem, VA. Last but not least, to Katie Hoheusle for stepping up and giving Pearl a loving forever home in Fredrick, MD. According to my deaf dogs Nitro, Bud and myself, you all totally ROCK!

~ Christina Lee – Deaf Dogs Rock