In 2010, fans banded together on Facebook in a campaign to have beloved actress Betty White host “Saturday Night Live.” On May 8 of that year, Ms. White stepped onto the hallowed stage to deliver her opening monologue. In greeting the crowd, she thanked Facebook for the support and admitted that she hadn’t previously known what Facebook was.
Now that I do know what it is,” White said, “it sounds like a huge waste of time.” Her good-natured jab at social media was, of course, met with laughter and applause from the audience. Admittedly, there are times when I think we’re all inclined to agree with dear Betty, who happens to be one of my heroes. But I’m going to take this opportunity to change Betty’s mind. You see, a dog named Bella and I don’t think it’s a waste of time at all.
Let’s hop from Betty’s stint on “SNL” in 2010 to June 9, 2019. It was about 10 a.m., and I popped on Facebook to see what my friends were up to. One of the first things I saw was a heart-tugging post from Paige Bodden,
founder and president of Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue (SPACAR). Her post featured photos of a big, beautiful dog with soulful eyes and white fur adorned with rosy tan patches of color.
The dog’s story was heartbreaking. Bella, as the dog was known, had been home alone with her owner when he passed away. Neighbors, noticing the too-quiet house—no sign of Bella in the yard, no human coming or going—called for help, and the loyal dog was discovered guarding her deceased owner. Unfortunately, no family members came forward to claim the dog, so Paige was contacted to see if SPACAR might be able to find Bella a new home.
Summer in Oklahoma, when rescue groups and shelters are already bursting at the seams with homeless dogs and puppies, is a tough time to try to find placement for a mature dog. SPACAR did find Bella a temporary foster home, listed her on their website and showed her for adoption, but the sweet girl did not receive any applications or inquiries.
With time running out with her foster family, Bella needed a plan B. Paige arranged for Bella to join a transport of dogs heading out of Oklahoma to Maine, where pet overpopulation is not an issue. Our homeless Oklahoma dogs would be showcased by the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (ARLGP) and quickly placed in loving homes.
Paige took Bella into her own home for the few days before the transport van would be loaded and pointed northeast toward Maine. In that short time, the veteran animal rescuer fell head over heels for the spotted hound. Paige poured her heart out in her Facebook post about Bella.
“I hardly ever get emotional after fostering. … but after only three days, this dog was extremely bonded to me and I to her.” Paige went on to describe Bella as the perfect dog— sweet, housetrained, friendly with other dogs, respectful of cats, goofy and funny.
And then I read the lines that grabbed my heart and gave it a hard squeeze: “I hope whoever is meant to have her in Maine will let her go on lots of car rides, and let her sleep in their bed, and I hope they love her as much as I do.” Then, at the end of the post, Paige wrote, “I hope there are a million families lined up for her when she arrives at Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland because dogs like her don’t come along very often.”
After reading Paige’s story about Bella and the tears that fell as she loaded the confused dog onto the transport van—trust me, turning a beloved foster dog over with no way to explain what is happening is a heartwrenching experience—I knew I wanted to help Bella find her perfect new home. A home that would put a checkmark by every one of Paige’s wishes for her and then some.
While I couldn’t pop over to Maine to personally see Bella through to her happilyever-after, I could send out a little nudge. As luck would have it, I have a great dog-loving friend who lives in Maine, a relatively short distance from the shelter where Bella was headed. Instead of blasting a post out to be shared all over the country, I could send a targeted, personal message to someone who could help spread the word in the immediate area.
I typed the name Lisa Dingle in the “To:” field of Facebook Messenger. I sent the link to the post about Bella so Lisa could read Paige’s passionate plea herself. Maybe Lisa would know of a neighbor who needed a new best friend with an Okie twang to her bark. Perhaps together we could play matchmaker.
Or maybe, on some level, I hoped Lisa might need this pretty girl herself. Lisa had recently lost a beloved German Shepherd, and I knew her heart was still healing. I also knew her other Shepherd could be a bit
choosy about who she would accept as a four-legged friend. But maybe. A little nudge couldn’t hurt, right?
Within moments of hitting send, Lisa replied. Apparently, the story and the photos hit Lisa’s heart even harder than they did my own. A talented writer, Lisa described the moment she saw the post in her blog, “Truly it was as if I was electrified. Goosebumps from head to toe.”
“I sat in my chair stunned,” she wrote. “That’s my dog!”
Lisa shared the story with her husband, and, in their mutual excitement, I think they totally missed the key part of the story that mentioned Maine. Lisa started messaging me that her husband John immediately said, “Go get her! She’s beautiful!” Then they discussed something about where the midway point between Maine and Oklahoma might be.
That’s when I executed the last tiny part of my nudge. “Uh, you do realize that Bella is coming to Maine, right? She will probably be there tomorrow.”
At this point all I had to do was pop some popcorn and sit back to enjoy watching the fairytale unfold. Paige had done her part; Bella was on her way. I nudged. And now, Lisa was on it.
She became Facebook friends with Paige and followed the SPACAR page so she could track the progress of the van headed her way with very precious cargo. She contacted ARLGP to see how things would unfold once the transport arrived at the shelter. She made anyone and everyone who might have anything to do with Bella’s arrival in Maine aware of her interest in meeting and hopefully adopting the dog.
I munched on my popcorn and followed along. Go, Lisa, go!
Finally, we received word that the dogs had arrived safely at the shelter in Portland and were receiving health checks while the staff got to know each dog better. Once listed on the rescue’s website, they would be available for adoption. The way it was described to Lisa made it feel a bit like a challenge on the reality show, “The Amazing Race.” When the dogs were posted on the website, the checkered flag would wave. Let the adoptions begin! May the best humans win!
A sign-up sheet would be tacked on the shelter door the morning the dogs became available. Interested contestants … um … people were to sign the sheet and list the name of the animal they wanted to meet. The first name on the list to specify Bella would be the first to meet her and be able to apply to adopt her. Tales of long lines of starry-eyed potential adopters were told.
Lisa was determined she would be the first person to meet Bella from Oklahoma. She was up and out the door of her home at some painful hour we’ll just call 4-you’ve-got-to-bekidding-me in the morning and arrived at her destination by 6:10 a.m.
Of course, the shelter didn’t open until 11 a.m. But no matter, Lisa was the early bird and first on the list to meet Bella. In fact, Lisa was first on the list period. First challenge conquered!
When I stirred to consciousness, way back over here in Oklahoma, I hopped online to chat with Lisa while she waited. … and waited. Then Lisa typed that volunteers were there exercising the dogs and yes! There was Bella out for a walk!Lisa’s gut feelings about the dog were confirmed when Bella seemed to pull straight to her and then jumped right in Lisa’s car. It seemed Bella was just as convinced about this match as Lisa and her online cheerleaders were. A tad premature though, darling Bella. The volunteer gently convinced her she still needed to go potty and have breakfast before any adopting could commence.Once the shelter finally opened, Lisa was the first to cross the threshold and was soon more formally introduced to a very waggy Bella. I’m very pleased to report this story does have the happy ending you all hope it does. Lisa was approved to adopt Bella, loaded her up for the car ride home, introduced her to husband John and resident dog Blaze, and now they are enjoying the adventure of getting to know each other.And all it took was a little nudge. And an amazing rescuer. And some very dedicated volunteers willing to drive the distance. And a wonderful partner rescue group in a faraway land able to offer a huge second chance. And a great family, named Dingle, who knew the minute they spotted her on Facebook that the Okie dog named Bella was somehow meant to be their girl. Just stir in some magic, sprinkle a pinch of fairy dust, and POOF! It all came to be.So, you see Betty, Facebook really isn’t always a huge waste of time at all. In fact, in animal rescue circles, it can be a pretty powerful tool. Ms. White, who is a longtime animal welfare advocate, would most certainly have to agree.As for Paige’s wish list for Bella? Let’s see. Lots of car rides, check. Sleep in the bed, check. Love her as much as Paige does, check and then some. Live happily-everafter? That’s the checkmark heard from Maine all the way back to Oklahoma.
