Dog Run from Durham, NC to South Hill, VA

Max takes another walk

Background:

Believing the Sarah McLaughlin song and advertisement, Max's wife and children are big on giving back.

Max's wife is rather partial to animals with four legs. Dogs and cats are her particular favorites.

The dog runs move dogs from places where they might not be adopted to places where people want them. In most cases they are matching up the needs and wants of people seeking pets. At least, that is the way Max understands it.

The last day of January Max was once more the designated driver for dogs. This weekend it was only three. Two puppies and Marley, a medium sized dog. Marley has become a favorite name with kennels and people who adopt dogs.

One of the puppies was a Collie mix with long fluffy hair. With puppies, the people who organize the dog runs ask that they not be placed on the ground. Max was informed this was to prevent worms. So, other than moving the puppies from one vehicle to another, there isn't much interaction with them during the trek north.

If you haven't read my previous pieces on dog runs, the process is to take a dog (or cat) from a shelter to a new home or a shelter that has room. Larger dogs on the runs often have a new home waiting for them. About half of the dogs we have transported have been larger dogs.

This week, one puppy and Marley were being moved to make room for two dogs at a no kill shelter south of us, as Max understands it. Brody, the other puppy, has a home waiting for him in Rhode Island.

Max and his wife picked the dogs up before noon and drove them straight to South Hill. It was one of the most uneventful trips. Max played oldies that kept the dogs soothed for the trip.

Unlike some weekends, the road did not have any active construction on it which made us early. Early isn't always a good thing as the person you are meeting could be some minutes or a lot of minutes late. This day we were in luck. There was only a small delay. We made sure the puppies and the dog had water. Max walked Marley, which proved the most difficult part of the trip. Marley turned out to be a wonderfully friendly, charming dog who quickly took to whoever had him in tow.

The best part of doing a dog run is the knowledge that the dogs are heading for homes where they are wanted.

Like the dogs, Max needs a treat when he has done something right.

Max's wife took him to the Down Home Buffet just past Denny's Restaurant.

Located at:

Down Home Buffet

807 E Atlantic St

South Hill, VA 23970

(434) 447-7800

This is an excellent value in eating. And Max loves to eat excellent food. As a buffet it offers many of the specialties of a Chinese buffet and many items from an American buffet. For dessert, and who doesn't like dessert, they have a table of cake and cookies; separately they have blackberry and peach cobblers.

It was only twelve dollars for two, with water. It would be more with another drink.

Of course Max doesn't do the dog runs just for a free meal, even though his wife pays. He believes that we all need to do what we can to help animals and people live their lives to their best potential.

Marley lived up to his name with the young woman who volunteered to take him north to Baltimore. He chewed through her nice new leash that is designed to keep a dog safe in the front passenger seat. She was very proud when she showed us the cool leash and harness. Marley must have thought it was a chew toy. I don't think he did it out of spite. He wasn't that kind of dog.

The dogs arrived at their destinations without too much difficulty, aside from Marley's youthful exploration of the bounds of behavior.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.