Friends of Lebanon Animals

12/12/2023

“Kristina? You’ll stay with me the whole time, right?” He asked.

“I’ll stay with you the whole time, Sweet Boy. I’ll go with you as far as I can.” I honestly replied.

“Does it hurt when you go to Heaven?”, Sweet Boy asked. “No, it won’t hurt. You’re going to get sleepy when you go. When you wake up I won’t be there anymore, but there will be a tiny piece of you that stays here with me in my heart.” I told him.

“Will I ever see you again? Sweet Boy whimpered. “One day. I really believe that I’ll be there one day with your friends from the shelter.” I answered.

“I never meant to be mean. It was just for 512 nights I heard the shelter doors lock. I was in my kennel and it began to feel so small. The other dogs would bark, I didn’t sleep well, I wasn’t myself. That one home I went to, I tried, I really tried, but I was scared in their new home. They didn’t give me time, they made me come back to the shelter, then no one was coming and that’s when I got depressed. That’s when the spinning started, that’s when I stopped eating, and that’s when the guy with the white coat said I had kennel neurosis. Kristina, what’s kennel neurosis.” Sweet Boy stammered.

“It’s your mind, Sweet Boy.” You were never meant to be at the shelter for 500 days. Dogs are meant to be free, but your beautiful brain, it’s dying from being here so long, it happens in every shelter no matter how wonderful the place is. No one is coming and your brain is dying.” I admitted.

Sweet Boy looked at me like he understood. He knew he was declining. He knew he stopped eating. Stopped playing. He knew the drooling in his kennel, the spinning, it was all getting worse and despite how many volunteers loved him, he knew he didn’t love life anymore. He knew that in over 500 days no one was coming.

“So I never got a home? I failed you? I failed my trainers?” Sweet Boy asked as if he needed reassurance before he left. So, I told him the truth. “Oh Sweet Boy, you got a home. You got the most permanent home. Your home will always be in my heart. You didn’t fail. Humans failed you. The person who bred you to sell you, the person who hit you, the person who returned you after 48 hours without letting you decompress. They failed you. And maybe I failed you too, Sweet Boy. In a perfect world there would be room for all of you at the edge of my bed, but as you know, humans are incapable of being perfect.” I added.

“So, I want you to sit with me, with your head in my lap and try to sleep. I want you to know that your home is in my heart. It always will be. When you get sleepy don’t be scared. I’m with you as far as I can go. When you get there check back every few years and one day, I promise I’ll meet you at the Rainbow Bridge, because even though I know no one is coming in this life, I promise I’ll come for you one day. One day I’ll show up. I promise. Meet me at the Rainbow Bridge. For now rest and go to sleep. I’ll go with you as far as I can go.

Kristina Millman -Rinaldi

**Shelters across the country are FULL tonight. Please stop breeding and consider donating, fostering, adopting and advocating. DetroitDogRescue.com

11/20/2022

12/25/2017

Merry Christmas to everyone and every fur baby out there.

08/19/2017

Please remember to keep your animals in safe quarters, preferably inside, during the hours of the eclipse. The changes/events we will encounter as fascinating can be disorienting for animals. Better to be safe than sorry with your pets!!

07/14/2017

Hank is missing. There is a reward for his return!!!

10/22/2016

Thanks to Bless the Bullies rescue, it's National Pit Bull Awareness Day! Please educate yourselves on the various bully breeds and consider giving one of these fabulous dogs a place in your home and hearts!!

09/26/2016

For 4 ½ years many of you have helped Friends of Lebanon Animals save animals who, for various reasons, found themselves at Lebanon (Tennessee) Animal Control. You forwarded, posted, shared, sponsored, fostered, transported, rescued, phoned, adopted, prayed for the animals and encouraged us as local volunteers along the way. Because of our combined efforts, volunteers from Friends of Lebanon Animals working in collaboration with the staff at Lebanon Animal Control, hundreds of dogs (and cats) that once faced the possibility of euthanasia are now beloved family members in loving homes in our community, as well as hundreds of miles away. So it is with very heavy hearts that we must announce that Friends of Lebanon Animals has recently been notified by Lebanon city officials that because of Lebanon city policies we will no longer be allowed to do the work that we have done for the animals in the past.

As you might imagine, this was unexpected news--so we have decided that our best course of action is to take some time to regroup and determine if, how, and where we can continue to contribute to the much-needed work of saving animals in Lebanon, TN and surrounding Wilson County. When we have made that decision, we will let you know so that you can continue to receive notification of the animals we will try to help, if you so choose. In the meantime, please continue to support the incredible rescue organizations and city/county animal control organizations across the country that work with them to save the lost/stray animals.

Thank you for all that you have done. It did not go unnoticed, and it did a world of good.

09/12/2016

Who wants to rescue/adopt a feline friend? These very friendly kitties are tired of living at the shelter and would like to find their purrfect homes right meow.

09/11/2016

Needing EXPERIENCED fosters for bully breed dogs who have rescues but need fosters. One will need at least a 6 week commitment while she undergoes heartworm treatment. This volunteer and her daughter will even commit to helping walk one, Cocoa. She will be transported to rescue in Colorado after heartworm treatment. Please message us here...thank you!

09/10/2016

Please keep sharing! Sally, Rosie, Cocoa and Vinny need your help!

Despite moving to our new facility, our large animal kennels are full! All of these dogs are still available, and will only be given so much time! PLEASE help us find homes for these babies!!! To schedule a time to meet them, call 615-444-2323. An adoption application can be sent to them by emailing us at [email protected] . Adoption fees are $75 and include rabies vaccination.

09/03/2016

A couple of wonderful groups we would like to recognize for their recent assistance: 1) New Leash on Life - our ACO's responded to a call and brought 10 felines back to the shelter. New Leash on Life immediately stepped up to help and took FIVE into their program (five are still in need!). NLOL also saved little miss Lady Bug too! 2) Critter Calvary Rescue - for rescuing and networking Journey and Jake. 3) Adopt-A-Golden (Middle TN Golden Rescue) - for committing to and rescuing our precious Golden Retriever friend. 4) Bless the Bullies for pulling/saving Hawk and Bishop 5) A donor that wishes to remain anonymous - who has graciously paid for Cooper and Vinny's vet bills AND found Cooper a wonderful home (Vinny still available for adoption). Also, to those who have been donating/pledging/sponsoring our four legged friends - every bit of assistance helps save these animals and it is much appreciated!!

08/31/2016

UPDATE: Many thanks to Courtney, Marcie and Rebecca for helping us arrange to get photos of all of our dogs! We are good for this week!!

Desperately in need of one of my photography friends to take photos of dogs at Lebanon Animal Control for me this week as soon as possible. Our officer will work with you to get those and if you can email them to me that would be fabulous. If you can do that please call 615-947-8468 to schedule a time with the officer and please let me know because I'm going to continue to try to work something out remotely. Thank you!