08/29/2026
Try this again (sorry guys. *error corrected* Thank you for pointing it out so it could be.)
No post yesterday. YES it was FRIDAY and my thanks to the 2 of you who shared a hug on Fundraiser Friday ... ❤ thank you thank you for that love and support ... emt [email protected]
I was up and out the door here at 6am yesterday. Headed out and drove out to Grassy Narrows to assist the Animoosh ladies with a day of dog wrangling ... LOT of dogs sent out on the Bark Bus yesterday. One person was counting heads, another thought there should be a crate counts - Don't ask me how many we worked with and sorted but we're SURE there was 13 between 2 moms and pups, Gunner makes for 14 - There had to of been well over 30 dogs rounded up. We did lose one - The 2nd one we almost lost I managed to grab a hold of and not let go of despite her active efforts to get me to let go of her ... Among the madness Gunner stood out as the sane one of the lot which - amuses me greatly.
Everyone was wonderful, dogs were decent and I got to teach the Bark Bus guys the "this dog refuses to load" trick of - If the dog WILL NOT go into the car, crate etc - Flip them around backwards and insert - BUM FIRST - way less of a fight to do it that way - SPCA taught me that trick and yes, it gets used fairly often around here. Once that was sorted and established the loading went a LOT faster. A LOT, a lot ...
Spent a lot of the drive home thinking of the many people who have shared bits of wisdom like that, who helped me with a tips or tricks and how most times it was so casual I never knew their name, but their wisdom and help continues to live on and yes it may be a decade or even 2 before I share it with someone or it comes up and is wanted - and yet - when it's needed I have it, and can say "hey if he's fighting that hard we should just rear load him, it's a lot easier to do it that way."
Turns out - "yeah I should of thought of that" he says ... "We load problem horses the same way actually, butt first" So once we had established that, the loading went a LOT faster, and no other dogs slipped collars - Only the first one.
Took ALL the blankets and bedding you guys have recently donated - When I walked in with the multiple arm loads I got "oh we won't need that we have lots" I chuckled and said "we'll see, I suspect it will be wanted but if not I'll just take it home with me." 3/4 of the way through the work end of the day I get asked "hey where did all those sheets and linens go that you brought in for us? - Answer: In/ON the crates, it's all been used. 🙂
Brought most of the fabrics back home with me and will need to do that laundry but my hand is damaged at the moment thanks to Gunner's insanity the other day. TODAY after using it so much yesterday wow does that hurt ... but HA! I held onto that freakin dog though, didn't I! NO escaping on MY shift!
ALL good ... If anyone might be inclined to unload the vehicle and laundromat it though it's be MUCH MUCH appreciated and you could help out that way, there is still work to be done and chased for THIS end, for assisting with that yesterday, on that end. No rest for the wicked after all ... 😉
Got yelled at yesterday as well because I was wearing one of the REZ DOGS MATTER shirts and as such was definitely visible in the crowd and assumed to be "staff" .. Which amused me because - um - well, I am, but likely not who you are looking for - I'm just a helper BUT, What can I help you with?
Bark Bus guy took a shirt though, and the lady who will be doing the sorting and managing of the many many lives also took a shirt home ❤ Northern Reach Network sent up a mess of food for the Rez which was fabulous, if they see this (HI!) and should we do the Grassy Narrows "thing" again and if you are inclined to load up like 30 big bags for us with RuffCue, the communities out this end would be very appreciative for that.
People who were upset - I can fully understand that upset. for some of them we are very likely triggering "60's Scoop" trauma and upsets and - we don't want to do that, but we don't want to see these sweet animals shot either, and when the options are "scoop or shoot" - we're going to try to scoop as many as we can so we save them from the being shot side of the matter.
Might however be an idea to consider Healing ceremonies, discussions of some sort, some drums, some dancers ... Some self forgiveness, some sharing of love and - Using these moments as catalysts for change, opening of doors for discussions, sharing of medicines - I'll mention this and we'll see if we can work on that ... but it broke my heart to see people so very upset by/with the whole thing and knowing "this isn't about the dogs - the dogs are the trauma trigger here" ... But that would be amazing if it could be coordinated and done at the same time.
Someone did come smudge the area which - ❤ We all bring something to the table and walking in and smelling that medicine was amazing. THANK YOU to the soul who ran home, got a smudge bowl and did that.
Took the amazing team up with Animoosh (I so wish FB would let me tag them - don't know why it never does) weeks of prep, of collecting crates, of gathering dogs, of communications with both the Bark BUS (Northern Reach Network) and the team in Sudbury who is ultimately taking on all the dogs, of vetting as many of them as they could, of collecting fabrics and p*e pads and chasing bowls and collars and leads - Speaking of leads - SOMEONE donated a slip lead here a few months ago, may even have been a "random door drop" but YOU were our savior yesterday and that lead - got used A LOT for like EVERY DOG we used that slip lead - DONATE SLIP LEADS TO RUFFCUE, turns out there IS a need, we started the day with 3 of them by the time we were packing up there were NONE of them, don't know if they were ever found but the community members may have taken them home so they can keep up the dog catching part 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 We WILl however need at least 3 of them for the next round- OUR community and what gets donated here gets used here if it's needed and if it's not used or needed here it is always used and needed somewhere in the process/network. So YES the "carload of crap" I took up was great, the previous loads I've sent out there of crates and fabrics and such MUCH appreciated, MUCH needed, and MUCH used ...
Was a LONG day.
I was up and out of here 6am ... Didn't get back home until 10:30 or so ...
Got me hand "lightly munched" on a bit by that momma who was trying to escape and found Devia has a THOU SHALL NOT PASS card ... but otherwise - no injuries which is rather shocking given all the unloading, crate building, dog wrangling, cleaning ... So much work and effort. SEE you guys thought I was funning with you when I said I need a set of those anti-bite gloves ... wasn't joking.
ALSO found out my "cleaning hacks" - Are the exact same way/thing they're doing on the other end of this chain which was an ODD connection and yet somehow so very cool.
Nature's Miracle - in a pump canister with spray wand. Turns out I'm NOT the only "weirdo" doing it that way! 😃 ❤ Made the cleaning of the messed crates a LOT faster and easier though than any other alternative. They can deal with the sanitizing on another shift.
GREAT day - If you'd like to join the team on one of these you're welcome to participate. Be prepared to be up and out of here at a ridiculous hour tho and then it's a long day of hurry up and wait, search and rescue, and document and chase info's for the dogs.
House is quiet at the moment.
I will be recovering today (got a whole 2 hours sleep Thursday night before heading out to do that Friday so I'm BURNT man - crispy fried - COOKED ... ) But it was a great day, fabulous effort, much much needed intervention and getting them out before winter even bats an eye - Is a big bonus for the dogs, the drivers and even the humans "running the racket" ... I didn't fall down even ONCE yesterday! LOOKIT ME MOM I stayed upright! Woohoo!!!!
SO - If you skipped out on Fundraiser Friday and you thought I didn't notice - I DID! But I was out in "No cell service" zones, working me tail off and helping out the Animoosh team, the Northern Reach Network effort and the Pet Save I think it was people from Sudbury to make the day roll through just that bit smoother, because if even one body shows up from RuffCue to assist with these things, then Fort Frances has been there to help, and if it's Rainy River District "stuff" and I know about it and I CAN help, then Fort is going to be there - with bells on - TO help.
Someone with a MINI VAN needs to recruit a few buddies though and I'll load up the "crap" and we should have a team cause - We could do that for them, and if we HAVE that team I bet you it'd be called on more often than you'd think.
So - this is why there was no post put up yesterday, I could of scheduled one but in the lead up time to doing this I honestly didn't have time to chase it, so you get this update today. RuffCue was up at Grassy Narrows assisting the hecka crazy busy day - Ensuring it went smoothly, making sure things were in prep, cleaning up as things were moved and done with, helping load and unload supplies ... there was no "sitting for a minute" - the sitting was only during the drive. ALSO can I say here Kenora is a nightmare to navigate, and I can't be the only person for whom Kenora - is confounding. Shout out to GOOGLE MAPS for navigational assistance.
Ok I'm going to go make a coffee
I need to deal with the house here and cleaning and prepping for the next "can you help?" - There is an entire trunk of laundry in the truck to b chased. If you're inclined o assist and have some time to do, now would be a great time to pop around and offer to mop, take some laundry for me, do a round of "yard picking" - helping out.
If you are inclined to assist on the other end however the emt for those donations is [email protected] - you won't need a phone number or security question, just the email is ample ...
OH and if you want a dog, but aren't sure about a dog, or maybe want a "part time" dog, or have a spouse who says "no dogs" but you're looking for a loophole - FOSTERING with RuffCue would be a great "hack" for those situations you know and would both meet the need for fur baby but also allow for the freedom and ability to say, go on vacation. Think about it. Fostering with RuffCue might just be the very solution you're looking for.
Donations can be left at 335 Nelson St in Fort Frances
Cheques should be made out to RuffCue and can be brought by or mailed to RuffCue - 335 Nelson St - Fort Frances Ont
Helpers can stop around if you have a bit of time, and some energy - Laundry can be taken out and done or done on site here.
Hope your weekend is active, productive, and reminds you - Your help and skills are always wanted and needed and if that's not the case in where you are, and what you are doing - stop looking in that area/spot - And find your community.
THANK YOU for being a part of this community - For all the support and help we are able to share with every corner of T3 and Rainy River District we are able to provide.
We might be a small community but it's a pretty big impact - Your help changes lives and makes the entire region a safer, happier and better place - because YOU are in it, and care. That impact matters and is changing the region - THANK YOU ALL so very much for being a part of the project, for all the support, donations, words of encouragement, connections with people and places that need help and stepping up to be there for those interventions - those crates were you, the piles of collars and leads were you, YOU were there. PS whoever it was donated the "skeletal bat" costume in roughly pug size like LAST YEAR couple years ago maybe? - YOU MADE someone's day yesterday - she screeched with glee SO LOUD when she found that in the piles it was funny - EVERYONE came running - what what what!!!! 😃 She's holding up and waving that little costume jumping around OMG OMG!!!!!! Apparently she has JUST THE DOG for that particular look - EVERYTHING you guys donate - gets to where it needs to be - EVEN IF/when it feels like it's "dumping" it's not - so KEEP sending the 'weird stuff" along with the "sane stuff" - That lil costume went to every Community sale and didn't find a home - yesterday however - you FULLY made that woman's day and *I* got to see it happen. THANK YOU for all you do for RuffCue, for Fort Frances animals, for Rainy River region, for T3 area - OUR being here and sharing that love, sunshine and hugs - IS reaching hearts in need of that support.
Keep up the amazing work Team RuffCue! ❤
[email protected] - flip a donation in on that and PLEASE order a mess of slip leads 😃 See less
*photo is Gunner who is officially in the south, and the TShirts on offer.
