HIS SIZE and gentle demeanor were those of a Labrador retriever, but the shape of his muzzle resembled a hound’s. Like most of the dogs at New Destiny Dog Rescue (NDDR), he was a mystery. His coat was the shade of dark chocolate, and a bristly layer of white hair covered his eyebrows, oversized paws, and rounded chin. Severely undernourished, his ribs and backbone protruded from his midsection, and he had several lumps festering beneath his dingy fur.
Temperatures last December hovered near freezing each night, but someone abandoned him on a country road in Bedford County to fend for himself. He was in rough shape. The place where his left eye used to be was shriveled and hollow, and due to cataracts, only a remnant of brown encircled what looked like a glazed marble inside his other eye. But there was more — oh, so much more.
He had only three legs and had never been neutered.
On Christmas Day, NDDR took him in and named him William. Though someone had obviously abandoned and neglected him, the constant wagging of his tail proved he was still willing to be “man’s best friend.”
“He was old — at least 10,” co-founder of NDDR Donna Clanton said. “He was great with other dogs, and he was just a big lug. But somebody gave up on him.
Why would they pay to have his leg amputated, but not care enough to have him neutered?”
This and other questions plagued Clanton as she settled William into a portable building at the NDDR property on East Highland Avenue, affectionately dubbed “Hotel Bow Wow” by the team of volunteers.
“He’s got the biggest feet,” Clanton chuckled. “We had him neutered at Northpoint Animal Hospital. After we had him for months and got him healthy, William was chosen by Albert’s Dog Lounge. We met their vehicle in Murfreesboro, and they transported him to Wisconsin.”
NDDR was a temporary placement for “Sir William the Tri-paw’d Wonder” — as he is now lovingly referred to by the rescue in Wisconsin — but a very necessary pit stop.
Clanton started NDDR alongside Kelly Skelton-Weise in 2016. She had previously helped open the Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter Clinic to stop the overpopulation of unwanted cat and dog litters, but she longed to make an even greater difference.
“I wanted to start a rescue that just focused on Bedford County because we have so much need here. By focusing on a smaller area, we can see if we are gaining ground. We can make a positive impact right here within our own community,” Clanton said.
One hundred percent of every donation to NDDR, along with the proceeds from items sold at the Upscale Indoor Yard Sale thrift store at 912 N. Main St., goes toward housing, transporting, and caring for dogs.
One by one, the nonprofit purchased portable buildings. Kasey Cartwright Parsons worked out every detail, from finding the buildings to scheduling their arrival and lining up plumbers and electricians.
There’s an office complete with doggy doors. One building houses older dogs such as Peter and Pops. These two were the first to settle in, so they named it “Peter’s Place.” Though Peter has passed over the “Rainbow Bridge,” Pops lounges in the climate-controlled interior.
Another building houses food donations, squeaky toys, fresh blankets, and other necessities. Volunteers visit twice daily to feed everyone and clean individual kennels, outdoor runs, and communal areas.
“We needed a transition spot to house dogs while we wait for foster placements, locate their fur-ever families, or while we schedule transportation to an out-of-state rescue,” Clanton said. “Jersey Shore Animal Center in Brick, New Jersey, was the first receiving rescue we partnered with. They have accepted dogs from NDDR since the beginning. We typically send dogs to them every two weeks. We are so thankful for this partnership that has been such a consistent help with the number of homeless dogs we deal with every week.”
Our local animal shelters provide most of the dogs to NDDR. “Shelbyville Animal Care & Control and Bedford County Animal Control (BCAC) handle the legalities of how long an animal should be held according to the law. The BCAC performs tests and checks for heartworms, so they complete a lot of the initial vetting of the dogs.”
Many times in life, we celebrate a victorious milestone while simultaneously grieving a profound loss. Clanton said, “Brownie came to us at 6 months old in December 2022. He has been with us longer than any other rescued dog. After waiting nearly three years, he was officially adopted on Aug. 13. The night before, Marvell Jacob, who was one of our most dedicated volunteers, who most knew as the lady behind the counter at the thrift store, passed away, leaving behind five dearly loved rescues. All of which, we will find homes for.” GN
How can you help dogs like Sir William, Brownie, and Marvell Jacob’s recently orphaned companions?
- Volunteer
- Foster
- Spay and neuter your pets
- Donate gently used furniture and household items to the thrift store
- Drop off pet supplies at the thrift store
*For a list, go to their website: www.newdestinydogrescue.org
