St. Francis Rescue Nacogdoches is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit, no-kill animal rescue organization. We are committed to providing the animals in our care with any and all necessary veterinary treatment, training, and socialization.
From our Facebook Page
One of our favorites from times past: O'Gus in his "Quiet Man" hat. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
You should have seen him run.
Watching Charlie Brown run was like watching fireworks, a burst of pure happiness in every jump. His two best friends were a black Lab named Scout and a pit bull named Beau, and when they played he ran circles around them until they all looked like a giant red, black and white pinwheel; then he would streak away, always in the lead in the game of chase. He was a joy rocket; he was sunshine in motion.
On the day we took him in for a routine dental, he jumped into the van and bounded into the clinic wagging his tail. Two hours later our veterinarian called us. She had run routine blood work and had been so shocked by the results that she ran it again. She sent a blood sample to another veterinarian in town to confirm. The results were the same; Charlie was in renal failure.
He held on for a year. His veterinarian sent Charlie to a specialist, and both worked to manage his case. It was a matter of repeated lab work, constantly adjusting medications and trying new ones, watching his diet, watching the numbers get worse. And still, Charlie ran. He ran with his head up like a colt in spring, grabbing a rope toy and tossing it over his head as he charged by.
Then one day he didn’t. To most people he didn’t look sick, but we could see that his spark was fading. We had always known that this day was coming, but it still seemed brutally unfair. All of us—his veterinarians, the volunteers, and especially Charlie--fought hard for another week, trying to buy him a little more quality time. In the end, we had to send him on his way. He went gently, surrounded by love through his last heartbeat. His veterinarian wept. The neighborhood children left a bouquet of wildflowers at the gate.
Those of us in rescue spend a great deal of time picking up the pieces of broken promises. We work to mend the damage done when what should have been a lifetime commitment of love and care turns out to be “until”: until the puppy chews a shoe; until she gets too big; until the next move, the next job, the next boyfriend; until the next new puppy doesn’t leave time for an aging dog. People often ask us why we devote so much time, effort and financial resources to these throwaway dogs, especially dogs like Charlie, who are too ill to recover or to be adopted. When we respond, we usually talk about making good on those shattered promises; about commitment; about fulfilling our mission. All of these things apply to Charlie, but with him there is a much simpler explanation.
We saw him run.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to Dr. Kelly Koinm, Dr. Wendy Blount and Dr. Michael Connolly for their compassionate care.
Oh my....bless you for loving him. Truly an angel who got his wings back. He's running at the beautiful Bridge now. Charlie Brown, you were loved. You were love.🐕❤🌈
So so hard to lose a member of the family. Your email made me cry for Charlie and those that loved him.
R.I.P. Charlie Brown💙🐶♥️💋God bless those that make a Lifetime Commitment to their Furbabies🙏🏽 Rescuers are Angels here on Earth♥️🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
So sorry for your loss. ♥️
¡Un gran abrazo!
So sorry.
KEEP THEM SAFE ALL YEAR! Protection for outdoor dogs is particularly on our minds when we experience extreme temperatures, but remains important year round. The Texas Humane Legislation Network asks for your support of HB 873/SB 474, which addresses issues critical to the safety of outdoor dogs and of the public. Please have a look at the flyers about the bill, which offers a vast improvement over the current law. The proposed legislation clearly targets inhumane restraint, and does not apply to temporary tethering for working dogs, hunting dogs, or dogs camping with their owners. Please share this important information.
Well, yes, we did notice she isn’t a pit bull; but how could we not help her?
She turned up in a yard on a high-traffic, high-speed street, filthy, matted, crawling with fleas, shivering in the cold. Fortunately, she picked the right yard. Her kind-hearted finder texted us for help in finding where she belonged. No one claimed her. The rescue took her in. The first two pictures are from the day she was found; the last one shows her in her foster home.
Currently she is safe in foster care, clean, parasite-free and recovering from a respiratory infection. Once she recovers we will spay her and evaluate her with other dogs. She will be available for adoption.
She can both see and hear, but because she is an albino, we are classifying her as a special needs dog.
We are determined to give this little one the life she deserves. Please share; please consider donating toward her recovery and care while in rescue, either through the donation button at the top of the page or through our website, stfrancisrescuenac.com/donate/.