TOOT'S
STORYTOOT'S
STORYMiss Patootie is the Heartbandits NYC Official Mascot. Her rescue was the seed that grew into a tremendously effective rescue effort in New York. Toot was saved from the Center For Animal Care and Control in Manhattan, by her Auntie Beth Root. I had learned of Heartbandits through my participation in the Eskie Owners' List, and I voluteered to foster. Beth brought Patootie to me one evening in May of 1998, and she was so pitiful! She had a sad, sad face and a terrible flea infestation.
After
a few weeks she settled in with her family, Nikita and Nadia, and I knew that
she was here to stay! Six weeks later, she had come out of her shell enough
to win the "Best Puppy" prize at the Fun Match, hosted by the AEDCGNY. (Well,
she was the only puppy in the competition, but I couldn't have been prouder).
Not
wishing Toot rest on her show laurels (LOL), Toot, Nikita and Nadia were christened
"Angels From God" and subsequently drafted into hardcore rescue work. The transition
was iffy at first as they learned to share their home, toys and food. But, the
upside was extensive travel in New England, and adventures too exciting to behold!
One of the many highlights was this Maritime Rescue as Chuck Bruno drove the
Heartbandits Conversion Van onto the Cross Sound Ferry to cross the Long Island
Sound. It was a fantastic, sunny day, and the Angels from God proved themselves
to be quite the sailors as we took two ferries to pick up Shannon in Shelter
Island!!
Many foster eskies have passed through the portals of west 16th Street in Manhattan -- 400 square feet with as many as six Eskies at once. Hard to imagine doing rescue in a space that the dogs can barely turn around in, but we made it work somehow! And, for the most part, the Angels From God were very hospitable to their foster siblings (well a few bitch brawls here and there)! However, when little Prince (now Comet living in Virginia!) came to our house, my Patootie fell in LOVE!! The two of them were inseparable, and could not have made a cuter little Eskie couple!
Now, after a year and a half, Patootie is a strong-willed, confident eskie,
with with alot of love to give! She has made such a difference in my life...because
of her, I joined up with Beth (who now is one of my best friends on the planet!!)
to form the NYC Heartbandits Chapter.
-- Denise Gareau
Update: Toot Makes Her First Interstate Move
In
New York City, we Heart Bandits rescue fanatics shiver at the thought of the
"rescue jinx." The jinx consists of one over -confident person (usually Denise)
stating clearly and simply...mid rescue....that "this is going really well."
To Ann, that signifies the moment when "Little Lily" crapped a gallon of toxic
waste in her lap....right before we led a string of cars into a Manhattan street
that was blocked off at the other end by fire engines. So, we have learned to
keep our big mouths shut until the rescue deed is done. And, so I forgot about
the rescue jinx during my recent interstate move, from Manhattan to Boston.
The event was uneventful, and we arrived just before 5 pm in Boston with a packed
Uhaul, 3 tired movers, and 3 Angels from God. I sighed with relief and said..."We
made it! This went really smoothly!" And, so, I opened the Uhaul cab door, and
the Angels from God entangled me in their leashes, knocked me out of the truck,
minus one shoe...there I was trying to make a good impression in this rooty
tooty apartment complex...hopping around on one shoeless foot, with a tangled
bunch of eskies dragging me about....screaming at Nadia who had collapsed her
head out of her collar and was running circles around me. Once I regained my
composure, I put the Angels from God back in the Uhaul cab, where the driver
had considerately left on the air conditioning. I went into the Management Office
to sign my lease which took about 20 minutes. When I came out, the movers were
lounging on the grass in the shade....snickering at the Angels from God in disbelief.
Upon re-entering the truck, we discovered that the Angels from God had locked
not one, but both doors....with the motor running, and the only set of keys
in the ignition. My first friend in Quincy, MA, is Maynard, the 24 hour emergency
locksmith, who, now believes that he has seen everything.
Denise, Nikita, Nadia and Patootie in Quincy, MA,
Heart Bandits Northeast Alliance