OK - I need sleep!! This new "fuzzy" is driving me crazy.

As some of you know - Melissa, her friend Mindy and I did a trip of almost 700 miles this past week to pick up Bandit, drop off 4 from OH who were to meet their next connection to continue on to MS and pick up several FL shelter ferrets who were to come to Louisville.

The meeting point for much of this was at Lisa's Grape Tail rescue in Nashville.

On the way home, at the last of many rest stops we visited, we saw a little stray Beagle shivering out in the rain. It was obvious she was either ready to give birth or had very recently done so. She was very skinny, looked like she had mange and was clearly exhausted and miserable.

We couldn't leave her. I asked a couple ferrets to double up in their travel carriers and slipped the Beagle into a dry carrier with soft blankets. We didn't hear a peep out of her the whole way home.

I will not go into all details right now as I am hoping to get a little more sleep this AM!! But after 2 vet visits, lots of meds, medicated baths, an e-collar and lots of kisses & cuddles later - "Ellie" in her new forever home. It seems that they have some sort of radar when it comes to the people with the soft hearts. I had been on-line looking for Beagle rescues but Ron quickly fell in love with the 22 pound peanut who is as cute as a bug.

She's in rough condition. Although skin scrapings did not show mange, Doc believes she has it or scabies - neither are desirable! Every inch of her body is covered in scabs and dry skin which she is scratching and biting at whenever she is awake (thus my lack of sleep tonight). Although as I now type this - guess who's sleeping away here on the love seat?!!! Grrrrrrrr.

We'll get her all cleared up and healthy. It was confirmed she had given birth within 2-3 days of our finding her. I sure wish she could tell us her story - how she came to be at a rest stop between Glasgow & E-Town, what happened to her puppies and what her life used to be like as she has clearly lived in a home before.

She does have some very special skills - such as being able to remove a Big Mac form a McDonalds bag with surgical precision while leaving the burger carton IN the bag!! And she uses her little head like a snow plow to push at things like the door, when she wants to follow the greyhounds on their walk!! Mostly though, she's just good at winning our hearts.....that took all of about a minute. I knew the minute that Ron named her that we had acquired a 3rd dog in the household!!

I think I'll go see if I can get some more sleep like she's getting now!! She was scratching herself relentlessly, then asked to go outside (doing absolutely nothing in the 15 minutes I was out there in my robe & slippers) and now while she's sleeping peacefully on the love seat - here I am typing!! Grrrrrrrrrr.....the things we do for our animals!!! (no, really, I'm thankful - it seems the anti-itch meds I had given her have kicked in)

Sleep tight little Ellie - we'll help you get better. I bet it's been a very long time since you've been a healthy little girl who didn't itch on every inch of your little Beagle body. Gee.....you sure are cute when you're sleeping.

Mom..... (hmm, we need a Beagle icon I guess)

Ellie has found a very loving home.

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Mommy to Belle,Leo,Sherman,Sephy,Chubs,Fergie,Grim,Brutus,
Winston,Gideon,Zeus, Nemo & Bandit
Waiting for me: Mia & Sammy

Ang