Bruce is oblivious, but the Labrador retriever-mix dog was spared from a slow, lonely and painful death under the most cruel of circumstances.
Currently in the care of Kelly and Chris Beatty at their Ruff Start New Beginnings Dog Rescue in the Colborne area, Bruce received divine intervention that saved his life on a blazing-hot summer day and brought him to be rehabilitated at Ruff Start.
“He was abandoned in the middle of nowhere, in a crate with a box beside the crate with a muzzle and a shock collar. Thankfully, the team from Team Chelsea was out searching for a lost dog and somebody just happened down this old country road where they found him in the middle of summer. It was 40-degrees celsius that day and I don’t know how long he was out there and I don’t know how long he would have survived,” said Kelly.
Bruce is one of many strays that have landed at Ruff Start New Beginnings. Sad stories abound in the rescue world, but there are many more positive, hopeful ones, too. In fact, Ruff Start marked a happy milestone this week of 1,700 formerly unwanted dogs receiving love, care and attention and eventually being adopted out to loving families over the past 11 years.
The Beattys started Ruff Start 11 years ago after first providing foster care for dogs in rescue situations at their former home in Bowmanville. They moved seven years ago to their three-acre country property in Cramahe Township that features a heated kennel and storage facility, as well as a completely fenced compound for its canine residents.
It’s a source of pride for the Beattys that their quiet perseverance and steadfast devotion to dogs — many coming into the rescue with checkered pasts and behavioural issues such as biting and food guarding — has been rewarded with 1,700 put on a new and better path.
Kelly said it’s her ‘payday’ when one of her dogs finds its forever home.
“Well it’s not only a new beginning for them, but it’s a new beginning for the families that they join. Just the idea that we get these updates that they changed our life, that’s we’re getting out more, we’re more active, the love that we feel from these animals. That’s the part that is our payday by a long stretch,” said Kelly who transmits a gentle yet firm demeanour around her canine clients.
Make no mistake, Ruff Start is a last-chance refuge for many dogs with behaviour issues. In fact, the reason the rescue was started was because so many unwanted dogs were being euthanized without first being given an opportunity to be rehabilitated.
“We saw the number of dogs that were being put down in shelters. Even no-kill shelters have to have some sort of policy that they can’t adopt out a dog with a bite history. Other rescues were formed that have foster homes and they can’t take the dogs that we’re taking in because typically they may have small children, they may have other dogs, or they have cats. So we decided to move out here to Colborne, have this dedicated spot so we can work with these dogs,” said Kelly.
Fortunately, the vast majority of the dogs that come to Ruff Start are successfully rehabilitated. There are a few, however, that can’t. Seven of those dogs are permanent residents of the rescue. In the 11-year history of Ruff Start, only three dogs were euthanized due to behavioural issues that couldn’t be overcome.
“These dogs that are here with us, that live with us, are like our own until the day they leave,” said Kelly. “If a dog is deemed unadoptable, as long as they don’t pose a danger to our health and safety, then they will stay (here) for their lives.”
The intake of the dogs is the first step in the process toward their rehabilitation. Ruff Start receives dogs from a variety of sources, including Oshawa Animal Services, the Kingston Humane Society and the Trenton Humane Society to name a few. Kelly said dogs also come to Ruff Start from local shelters where the dogs aren’t doing well in that environment.
The dogs receive veterinary care (spay/neuter, microchip, etc.) along with basic training. And, all the while, Kelly keeps a journal on each dog, with the information mostly aimed at what type of home would be most appropriate for the dog.
“We match the people with the dogs. For most of the dogs in our care we’re looking for specific homes. Sometimes they need more dog experience, sometimes they need to be in an active home, sometimes they can’t be with children or other dogs or maybe cats. The idea is then to get to know the individual dogs and place them in the appropriate homes for them. Otherwise, we would fail at our mission. Our motto is the Right Dog for the Right Home,” said Kelly.
Moreover, Kelly said Ruff Start arranges for visits with the dog at its Colborne facility for potential adopters. The rescue insists on a 24-hour cooling off period after their visit to the rescue in order for potential adopters to re-examine if the dog fits into their lifestyle. Literature on the dog is also sent home with potential adopters who are also required by the rescue to fill out an application.
Ruff Start can take in up to six dogs at a time. At present, three dogs are currently being rehabilitated and receiving daily training, including Bruce. Kelly doesn’t view herself as a trainer, but merely as someone with a large palette of experience who’s come to know what works — and what doesn’t.
“We’re not professional dog trainers, that’s for sure. I think the experience of having 2,000 dogs through our home has given us a leg up when understanding what their needs are, how to complete basic training if you will. They’re not perfect dogs when they leave here but the people who are adopting the dogs aren’t perfect either,” she said.
Kelly said she’s always amazed at the level of support from the community for Ruff Start. She points to a recently held community Bottle Drive that raised $2,000 for the rescue. She also noted the recent Betty White Challenge also brought in $1,675 to Ruff Start. The community has also responded to a series of other fundraisers over the last two years that has allowed the rescue to make their facilities better for the dogs in its care.
“Having those sponsors and those relationships make our job that much easier so we don’t have to worry how we’re going to feed these dogs… The community has been so overwhelmingly supportive,” she said.
Kelly is pleased with Ruff Start’s successes over the years in placing dogs into homes, but running a rescue is not for the faint of heart. Every day brings its own set of challenges, she noted.
“I think people may glamourize it a bit too much. I mean there have been setbacks all of the time. Fundraising, especially in these last couple of years, has been very tough. But we just keep at it one day at a time, hoping we’re making a difference in the lives of the dogs and the people who are adopting them,” said Kelly.
To the 1,700 dogs who’ve gone on to forever homes through Ruff Start over the past 11 years, you’ve made a difference.
For more information about Ruff Start New Beginnings Dog Rescue, log on to www.ruffstartnewbeginnings.com or the rescue’s Facebook page at Ruff Start New Beginnings.
