I have lived in Old Chatham on the same farm, for 37 yrs. I grew up in Chatham and attended Central College in Iowa. Ive been doing the same thing forever. The local police even knew me in Pella, IA and called me when stray puppies were picked up and owners couldnt be found. Dogs were gassed at that time in a neighboring town. I took out many from there who were on their last day. I would drive over with my station wagon, pick them up, illegally house them in my dorm room and then move them to another students room when I was caught. At one point, the basement of a fraternity house had 5 of them. The cats were a little easier because they didnt have to be smuggled out throughout the day/night to be walked. I had a network of friends to help. Although I found homes for most of them, almost every time I made the drive back to NY, I had a dog or cat in the car that hadnt been placed. (Only once did I buy a horse out there, however.) I was a playground supervisor as part of my work study. I met a little 6 yr. old girl whose parents were professors at the college. They would let her visit me at my dorm room and even at 6, kept my secrets, quietly sitting on the floor with whatever puppy was there. For years, Lisas parents would bring her to visit me in NY during the summer and at 10, she began spending her summers at the farm. She ultimately moved in with me and then went to college, got married and now has 2 little daughters. She is fostering a cat with kittens for us, fosters dogs, has a dog of her own, 2 cats and a house bunny. She literally grew up with Andria, Nick and Jodi (Summer came along after Lisa had her own home.). Her daughters take riding lessons and attend summer camp here! I met Lisa in 1973.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 13:38:18 +0000