The Musings of a Minnesota girl: Black Dog

This has been a long time coming... And I should have known it from the minute I met Cj. But I didnt. She is black dog crazy. And honestly, this was more her idea than mine, and I am pumped to jump on board! Cj is always full of good ideas. I mean brillient ideas.
My feelings were only strengthened this morning by the arrival of an update and a photo of a past rescue dog. I rescued Manny, a 4yo Black Lab, back in February of 2007. He was adopted the following month by a fantastic family. Today, they sent me a photo of him taken this past weekend on a family camping trip. And the emotions I felt from looking at this new photo of Manny is what pushed me to write about black dogs today.
Here is Manny:

I love endings like Mannys. Well, it was a rescue ending. For Manny, it was a brand new beginning.

I am excited to annouce the beginning of a new dog rescue in Minnesota. And while I dont anticipate us flopping anytime soon, I am nervous about how it will do in the ever nasty world of animal rescue. Those of you who have never experienced the insides of rescue, you'd be surprised to learn how mean and petty most rescuers can be. And this doesnt include them all. Many are very good natured, kind hearted human beings who are only trying to save lives, no matter what the cost. But most rescues are way too caught up in the money aspect of things. And its not the costs of vetting and supplies and transports and dog food that I'm talking about. Yeah, all that adds up. But I'm talking about those rescues who will only take the 'good dogs'.. They will only pull young, perfect, shiny dogs who've been vetted and housebroken already. Did you know that rescues actually fight over who gets to pull a certain dog from a kill shelter? Multiple dog rescues, fighting over who gets that pretty, young purebred dog. While there are dozens of dingy, sad, mixed breed mutts cowering in the back of their kennels because they know that they are not wanted.
I still have trouble understanding why these petty, bickering people who call themselves rescues can live with themselves, fighting and knashing over one dog, when there are hundreds of thousands of other dogs who need a haven. Now. Not later on when those rescues finally realize defeat and decide to 'settle' on something else. It bums me out to know this about so many of the people I thought were my friends, working side by side with me for what I thought was a common goal.
So, after resigning from the first rescue I've ever been with, Cj and I have decided to start a Black Dog rescue. Which despite the name, is going to be for those sad, dingy mutts who nobody else will give a second glance. Because they deserve a chance too! Because those are the dogs who really shine once they realize they havent been left for dead. Some of our greatest successes have been mixed breed black dogs that nobody else had ever even considered. I think Cj would agree with me.
So without further ado (adu? adue?) I would like to introduce our very first BDRMN dog, Drifus. This dog is currently sitting in a kill shelter. Hes been there the longest, because none of the other rescues would give him a chance. Those same rescues who were quick to pull the chocolate labs and the purebreds, regardless of their behaviors.
Drifus is an 80lb Black Labby boy... He was found as a stray in Iowa. He has proven to be excellent with dogs, kids and cats. I cannot wait for him to arrive. Drifus will be fostering with Cj, and I know she cant wait. Can ya, Cj.
Meet Drifus!