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Recent Updates

August 31, 2006

We are continuing to get medical attention for all the dogs in our care. A variety of health issues have arisen and we have provided what they need ranging from emergency surgery to Ehrlichea to bladder infections. Most of the dogs have skin issues and are in dire need of dental work and cleaning. Some of the dogs are rallying to human touch and care while others remain so scared and skittish that they almost panic when humans are near. Our foster homes are working hard to change this around.

Many contributors have assisted us in helping these poor dogs. We would like to thank Bayer for their donation of Advantage. Additionally, we would like to thank Oma's Pride who donated not only financially but also with bottles and bottles of Salmon Oil to help with their overall health and to restore their skin/coats to a healthy condition.

Everyone who has contributed has made it possible for us to continue to obtain care and treatment for the Texas rescue. We thank each and every one of you!

We will continue to update you as information is available.

August 26, 2006

Most of the TX dogs have reached their final foster destinations across the country. There are some short transports left yet but they will happen very soon. There are so many good things to say about everyone who stood up and helped in this situation! Everyone who has helped make this possible will have a special place in heaven. Now that the first step of transporting them is done, their foster homes will take over helping these poor, poor dogs. The dogs' medical and mental conditions are for the most part deplorable but they are rallying as best they can. We have seen some of them quickly responding to human touch and care, almost becoming different dogs within a week. We are getting them the vet care they need and our foster homes are giving them the love and attention they have never experienced in their lifetimes. They are going to need that love and attention for awhile until they can be placed into their forever homes.

We thank everyone who has helped us with donations for these dogs. Without your help, we would not have been able to save as many as we did. Donations are still greatly needed as almost every dog has needed veterinary care; some have required expensive emergency care and surgery. Please continue your support of Operation Texas!

We will update you when we have more information.

August 24, 2006

By Brian Knox (Wise County Messenger - WCMessenger.com)

A Jack Russell Terrier rescue group has been given approximately 50 dogs seized from the home of Sherri Jo Berend last month.

On July 26, Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Jan Morrow awarded custody of 247 of the 271 dogs seized from Berend’s home to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

On Friday, the SPCA transferred about 50 of those dogs to Russell Rescue Incorporated for foster placement. Another 118 more have been adopted, according to the SPCA.

According to Russell Rescue’s Web site, www.russellrescue.com, the organization is “a national network of volunteers dedicated to placing unwanted, displaced or abandoned Jack Russell Terriers into permanent homes.” They have even given a name to the rescue, “Operation Texas,” which it calls its “biggest rescue operation in its history.”

Robyn Reed, senior Texas representative for Russell Rescue, Inc., said the dogs were placed in foster homes in 14 states over the weekend, and some were placed in foster homes in the North Texas area.

She said many will not be ready for adoption for several months. Some have skin conditions that need time to heal.

When the dogs are available for adoption, Reed said the group follows strict guidelines to make sure the dogs do not end up back in a pound or in a bad situation.

“We ask for an application, review it, and we try to do a home visit,” Reed said. “We ask the adopter to sign a legal contract. We do follow-ups, and if it doesn’t work out, we will always take the dogs back into the rescue.”

Adoption applications can be found on the rescue group’s Web site, www.russellrescue.com.

On July 17, Wise County animal control officers, assisted by the SPCA, seized 271 dogs from Berend’s home northeast of Decatur. SPCA of Texas President James Bias toured the property and said dead animals were found, and the dogs were living in cramped, dirty conditions.

One of the dogs was returned to Berend, while 13 more were returned to the county.

Under the agreement, if Berend successfully completes her counseling for compulsion for accumulating dogs, she can own as many as six dogs before she must apply for a kennel license.

Ten of the seized dogs Berend was keeping for other people were returned to their owners.

August 13, 2006

The plans are finally coming together and we are getting ready to move the dogs out of Texas. Part of doing that required purchasing travel worthy crates, water/food pails and other items needed for their trip. We would like to thank www.dogs.com for their help, especially Jaime and Heather. And, we need to tell you that www.dogs.com has really come through for us in this rescue effort. They were happy to help us and made sure that all of our needs were met. They donated some of the crates and X-pens, arranged for in-time shipping and gave us a great discount on what we needed to purchase and the cost of shipping.

We will update you when we have further information.

August 9, 2006

On Sunday, Aug. 6, our Texas reps arrived at the shelter for a long, hot and emotional day, faced with the daunting task of evaluating, cataloging and taking pictures of many dogs. This will be a day forever burned into their memory. While we are still waiting for an exact count, Russell Rescue will be taking approximately 45-50 JRTs out of the shelter in the next couple of weeks. They still need to be vetted but we are looking at removal tentatively the weekend of August 18th.

Some of the dogs will remain in TX in our foster care. Our tentative plans at this point are to drive the majority of dogs out of Texas to the East Coast, stopping along the way meeting fosters in the southern states with the trip culminating in Maryland, where other volunteers will drive the dogs out to surrounding states. We will be in need of assistance along the route to help walk and care for the estimated 35 dogs that will make the trip. If needed, some will be flown to foster care (in airconditioning) into Western states that can assist.

As soon as we have the route and stops established, we will post an update to the website. If you can volunteer to meet us along the way to help, please let us know. We are still in need of foster homes/volunteers. We are also still in need of donations as our estimated costs are already in the thousands, not counting any additional veterinary care that may be needed when the JRTs arrive in their foster homes. Every dog that we are removing will get whatever it needs it the way of additional care and lots of TLC from our fosters on the journey to their new homes.

While we understand this number seems low, the SPCA of TX had placed over 70 dogs in their adoption weekend and still have over 50 more in their own foster care that they will place. We continue to work in partnership with the SPCA to assist those who adopted from the SPCA in any way needed.

August 4, 2006

On Sunday, August 6, 2006, RRI representatives will be going into the holding facility of the TX SPCA. The Jack Russells that are available to RRI will be evaluated, cataloged, photographed and counted. They will not be removed from the facility until they are fully vetted, heartworm tested and spayed/neutered.

On Monday, we hope to have a definitive count of how many dogs will need to be vetted yet before their release to us and those that will need transported to foster homes. We thank everyone that has stepped forward to help! A reminder though, we are still in need of transport assistance and foster homes. Please read below if you are interested. Through your help and support, Operation Texas will be successful and every Jack Russell we can help will get that help and ultimately a new home.

Foster Homes Needed

There are two areas of immediate need to assist an estimated 100 Jack Russells. One is foster homes. Unfortunately, our fosters are staggering under the amount of dogs in rescue but they have stepped up to the plate to take in more. We estimate 50+ foster homes are still needed at this time. If you feel you can help by fostering, please fill out our online volunteer form. According to the rules of the SPCA of Texas, all volunteers in this effort must have volunteer paperwork/agreement on file. Even if you are considering fostering for this one time only, we do need you to fill out the paperwork. Please put in the comments "Operation Texas".

Transportation Needed

The second immediate need is transport - short and long distance. We are gathering our list of homes and their locations. As it is too hot to fly the dogs out of Texas, road transportation is necessary. If you are a long distance truck driver and can help transport several dogs to one area, please help! If you live in Texas and are going out of state to attend a terrier trial, can you fit in one or two more? Transportation is crucial - we have foster homes that can take dogs, especially in the North East but we must get them there. If you can help, when you fill out our online application, please note that you can transport, the amount of dogs in crates you can carry and the distance that you will go.

Donations Needed

If you can't help with fostering or transportation, donations for these dogs are greatly needed for their care. If you can donate, all monies will be earmarked for these dogs. You can donate online via Paypal or Credit Card. Please note in the comments: Operation Texas.

If you wish to mail a donation, please send your donation to:

Each and every rescue dog thanks you! There is nothing more rewarding than looking into the eyes of a rescue dog, happy and healthy in his/her new home.