Monday May 17, 2010

Camp 16: private property after the “animal rescue shelter”  

Last night we didn't sleep well in the bitter cold above 9,000 feet.  We fed Wolf some tuna and tortillas, he scarfed it up in an instant.  We walked through dry and dusty terrain, mostly on old roads beneath the power lines.  As the day wore on it continued to get hotter and Wolf had a tough time keeping up.  He would run ahead and quickly dig a hole in shade of trees and bushes.  As we hiked past he would follow and then run ahead and dig another hole.  On the map we saw that there was an animal rescue shelter on the same road we were walking on!  Convinced we had found a solution we found the place and it had a cooler of water at the end of the driveway for hikers with a note that said, “Enjoy, but don't linger too long as the dogs will run down and may try to follow you.” We walked down the lane leading to the house and were immediately surrounded by about 50 barking, growling dogs.  That wasn't even including the ones locked in the pen beside us that were following us along the fence line and going nuts!  It was disgusting and terrifying!  Wolf turned around and high tailed it back toward the road as several dogs chased him.  Eric turned around to go retrieve him and not really knowing what to do, I continued toward the house.  A man came out to meet me, seeing that I was quite intimidated and a woman followed, obviously upset that I was there.  It was feeding time apparently and they let 50 some dogs out during feeding time.  Don't ask why,  I have no idea, I'm actually quite frustrated as I sit and write this.  Cats sat in the windows and covered the couch that sat outside on their porch.  Appalled, I explained that we had found a dog and were hoping to drop him by as we are hiking the CDT and couldn't take him along.  The man asked if I thought I could catch him and I reply that I have no idea as he was scared off by the barking dogs who chased him back down the driveway.  He gave me a leash and said to go ahead and walk back and he would drive and find us in 15 minutes and take the dog if we could catch him.  I took the leash with no intention whatsoever of giving these people my dog.  Yes, by now I am quite fond of our little companion and although the man was nice enough, I was not leaving this cool mellow dog with these people and their 300 animals.  I turned and walked back, the dogs nipping at my heals, throwing out my trekking pole on occasion to ward off the growling mutts.  By the time I got to Eric and Wolfie I was so mad I could have spit nails!  These people should have been on an animal hoarders show.  It was an absolute nightmare.  So here I lay, after dinner, with a very hungry doggie companion, wondering what we're going to do with him once we reach Pie Town.  Hopefully we'll find some help.