We have added our Text-to-Donate feature! It’s simple and secure. You can use any major credit card as well as Google Pay and PAYPAL! Text the number 44321 (how easy is THAT number to remember?!) and type the letters SPR ( all capitals) in the message area. A secure link will come up with simple instructions. After that, you can text a donation of any amount to Small Paws anytime without filling out your information again! We hope you enjoy the ease and security of Text-to-Donate, to help the Bichons!
Tuesday Afternoon, May 30, 2023
Gem Of The Day: “Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost.”
~ Jeffrey R. Holland ~
Dear Small Pawsers,
Something happened at our house 12 evenings ago. (It’s ok. You don’t have to see the pictures unless you want to click on the link, below. It’s ok. You are safe from graphic pictures.)
It’s something that I have read about happening to some of you over the past 25 years, but I never thought it would happen to us.
My beloved, precious, “would never hurt a fly” Bichon, 12 year old Reagan Pressnall, was attacked by a large dog while out for a walk in our neighborhood, with my husband, Dale, a week ago last Thursday evening around 5:30 p.m.
His Dad was walking him on a leash, in our neighborhood, as he did every evening, and was about five houses down from ours.
Dale was out at the curb in front of one of our long time neighbor’s houses, and he stopped to talk to her, since she was outside.
Dale had his back to her side fence and the next thing he knew, our 11 pound Reagan was screaming and her large, 75 pound dog, had Reagan in his mouth, clamped down tightly.
Dale is strong. He works out and lifts weights. Thank God for that, as he was able to physically pry her dog’s mouth open so that he let Reagan go.
Dale said the dog was very strong and he couldn’t believe how hard it was to get his mouth open.
I’ve since seen the dog and I think he is a Lab/Pit Bull/Great Dane mix of some sort.
Thank God, Dale wasn’t bitten, as the number one way that people are bitten by a dog is by breaking up a dog fight.
Dale was fine. Reagan was NOT FINE.
Guys, it was bad. Dale rushed him back home and we were on the way to the ER, literally within seconds.
Of course I turned to prayer. My God We need You, Now! Jesus! We NEED you!
It was rush hour traffic and Dale drove over on the highway’s shoulder to get Reagan there in time.
I called them and explained that we were on the way and that it was REAGAN! My God it was Reagan. And he was in shock.
He’d just been there at Oklahoma Veterinary Specialists that very morning for routine blood work.
They were waiting there with outstretched arms for him, one tech taking his little bloody body from me, while a vet that Reagan, Dale and I know well, told me she was getting pain meds started, IV.
Dr. Steven Hodges, who owns the hospital, and is Reagan’s Internist, was there. It was all hands on deck.
People were moving fast. He was in my arms, then he was in their arms.
It was a nightmare scenario unfolding before my eyes.
We always had what we thought was a plan if this should ever happen to one of our dogs.
Dale thought in an emergency, if he had too, that he could break the neck of any dog that was attacking one of ours, or me.
He was wrong.
It all happened so fast and everything that you think you would do, went right out the window. He had to get Reagan out of that monster’s mouth, and he did.
Reagan underwent two hours of emergency medicine including a lengthy surgery to put drains in and stitches.
Lots of stiches.
These are the pictures if you want to see them. GRAPHIC PICTURES.
Remember, he is doing well now and gets these stiches out on Wednesday. He’s going to make it.
This was truly a miracle that he survived and that Dale wasn’t attacked as well.
When we went down to speak with this neighbor, two days later, she told us that her dog had once KILLED another dog, before he attacked Reagan.
What in the world? Why was he still here? She said that workmen hadn’t fastened the gate enough to where her dog couldn’t get out.
Of course we filed a Police Report the night that it happened. She was ticketed at 11:30 that night for having a dog at large, but that was all the police could do.
Oh nooooo.
This dog has messed with the wrong Bichon Mama.
I contacted the Animal Control Office who sent the City Code Enforcement Officer out to our house.
After seeing Reagan, and the vet bills and the pictures, the other dog’s owner was subpoenaed to appear in court on June 22.
They are trying to have this dog deemed to be a “dangerous dog”( ya think?) and if the Judge agrees, she will have 24 hours to rehome the dog, outside of the city limits, or relinquish him to the Police.
She says that the dog is 14 years old and only has five teeth. I don’t see how that could be with the amount of damage that was done.
If this is true, I wouldn’t have wanted to run upon him in his hay day.
Our neighbors have given witness statements that when this dog is being walked on a leash, he lunges at adults and children. They have said he is very aggressive.
I am so grateful there wasn’t a toddler out walking with their family, and the family dog.
I wish I could tell you a link of a way to protect your dogs while out on a walk. But I can’t.
Pepper spray wouldn’t have helped. It was too late. Reagan would have been sprayed. I just don’t know a safe way to walk your dogs, after this happened to Reagan.
Please pray for us. As you can tell, we are still processing this.
Which brings me to the upcoming 25th Anniversary Midwest Bichon Bash to be held in Terre Haute, Indiana on July 1, 2023. In about a month.
With this happening to our family it really reminded me that we are never guaranteed tomorrow.
We’ve been doing this work now for 25 years. Wow. 25 years of rescuing and placing over 17,000 Bichons and Bichon Mixes.
Some of you have been with us the entire time. We’ve laughed together and yes, we’ve cried together.
I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, when I was 41 years old, back in 1998, that my life would be so filled with more love than I can describe.
The places He’s taken me. The Miracles we’ve all seen. The Bichons who were healed, though there seemed to be no way in the natural world.
One of our amazing volunteers. Mary Jo Barnett at mjbarnett@ma.rr.com has put something together that no one else in 25 years has been able to do.
She has gotten the City of Terre Haute and prominent businesses in town to SPONSOR every aspect of our Bash!
From the park rental, to drinks and paper goods, to new beautiful banners, and it just keeps on going.
None of the proceeds from our Bash will be going to PAY for the Bash expenses, and yes, there are always expenses. But this year, they are covered.
This is just amazing to me. I never even thought of trying to get the cities of our various Bash locations to help us. Well, Mary Jo did!
She is also COOKING for all of us. I really can’t believe all of this.
If I hadn’t seen the checks coming in from the city and businesses, I don’t know if I would have believed it.
So because tomorrow is never guaranteed, and I don’t know when I may get the chance to see you again, please, please, if you can come, then do come! And bring your dogs!
There is a list of dog friendly hotels and the venue where we are having dinner the night before, on June 30, will let us have our dogs with us.
Pet Friendly Hotels in Terre Haute, IN
Editor’s Note: The Holiday Inn listed above is no longer accepting pets.
The restaurant we were going to use, Bandanas BBQ , is remodeling their outdoor space, so we are going to be going to a beautiful nearby outdoor venue, which will be catered by Bandanas BBQ!
Early birds arriving on Friday, June 30, will have dinner together on Friday evening, June 30, at 6:30 P.M. and of course you can bring your dogs!
The venue and price for dinner will be announced closer to time.
There are 19 pet friendly hotels in Terre Haute.
Maybe I’m feeling extra emotional, after what happened to Reagan, but I’m really needing to see you, and you don’t hear me say that very often.
You have been my family now, for 25 years. We’ve been through so much together. And I hope that if there is a way for you to be there, that you will make the trip.
And for those of you whom I haven’t met yet, I can’t wait to meet you, too.
I’m just a normal (Ok, I heard that) person who has been so very blessed to work with all of you.
It’s so very important to me for us to celebrate these milestones, together.
We are one month out.
Can you be there with me to celebrate 25 years of the Magnificent Obsession that we call Small Paws Rescue?
Thank you for praying for our family. Each of you is so very special to Dale and I.
Love, Dale, Robin, Reagan, Pipper, and Romance Pressnall.