By Pat Lawrence
Some people are driven, some people drive. Karen Vincent fits both
descriptions. Originally from northern Virginia, Karen now works full
time in Parkersburg as a personnel specialist for the Bureau of Public
Debt. Her weekends, however, are often spent on the road.
Karen rescues, fosters and transports dogs all across West Virginia
and adjoining states. All major breeds have rescue organizations that
help save and find homes for specific breeds. Karen first became active
in breed rescue for borders, collies and Australian Shepherds. “But
when I see small dogs, I can’t leave them!” So, often,
she takes them home. She arranges for veterinary care, grooms them,
and gets them ‘adoptable’. “It usually takes about
a month.” Then, working with humane societies, pet shelters
and a variety of animal rescue groups, she finds them homes. Sometimes,
her home is as far as they get, like the little bow legged Lhasa Apso
that spent one month, then two and who now reigns over the household.
Always an animal lover, Karen got into the rescue habit when she
was at the Marietta Shelter taking pictures for a friend who was looking
for a dog. “One little dog was such a mess! I took him home,
got him cleaned and took him to the vet. I posted him on one of the
shelter websites and he found a wonderful home in Florida. Now he
has his own swimming pool and waterbed.
After three year, Karen has developed a network of shelters and individuals
to help in her mission. “Most shelters allow courtesy postings
on their websites.” She visits shelters in counties that may
be under funded or lack the resources or staff to handle the many
animals that are brought in. Roane, Ritchie, Pleasants and Meigs county
are regular stops.
Now along with transporting border collies and Australian shepherds
for the national societies, she transports dog of almost every kind.
She travels regularly from Parkersburg to Morgantown, Charleston,
Cambridge, Ohio and Cumberland and Hagerstown, Maryland with her precious
cargo. Her little car has been filled with beagles, cockers and mixed
breeds of every description. Sometimes they go to the rescue organizations,
sometimes directly to a new home.
When Karen finds homes for her rescued animals, “I use the
same procedures the shelters use, including a completed application,
references and a home visit. Sometimes the shelter director makes
the contact; sometimes I do.” She says its best when she works
with an established shelter. “Otherwise, I end up paying all
the vet bills myself. But, I can’t not do it.”
She says she probably averages a new home for a rescued pet once
a month, but she has had ten puppies and three grown dogs since November
and has six more waiting for transport right now. “So, maybe
it’s a little more than that.”
Her long time sweetheart has quit asking “How long is this
one going to stay?” He, and the three cats and five dogs that
live with her, have adapted to her numerous foster pets.
“The only thing is, foster dogs aren’t allowed to sleep
on the bed.”
What keeps Karen so dedicated to these abandoned animals is “They
are so grateful, so appreciative of anything you do for them. They
are so willing to accept whatever comes their way, so ready to welcome
whatever attention you can spare. It breaks my heart when owners turn
in a pup because they don’t want to deal with his skin problems,
or because it’s too much trouble to have a cyst removed or a
bladder infection treated. I have to do what I can.”
She says there is always a need for transporting animals and for
fostering them until they can get transported. “Other cities,
and other places are not inundated with unwanted animals because they
have strictly enforced spay and neuter laws. People will adopt our
animals if we can get them there.” What Karen does is a lot
of driving. What she gets in return is the inarticulate but boundless
love of those she rescues.
