Dumpster Diving

When Best Friends staffer Lorraine Homer saw an adult dog dancing and prancing around a group of dumpsters, she didn’t know what he was trying to tell her at first. But she knew he did have something to say. So she walked a bit closer. The dog beckoned her to check beneath one of the dumpsters, where she saw a little head poking out.

That head was attached to one tiny, scared little puppy. One of six, as it turns out, who were crammed under there together trying to get some refuge from the desert sun. Four of them were more or less stuck, so Lorraine got help and it took several people quite a long time to get the pups out from beneath the dumpsters. Once they were freed, it was off to the Fredonia Humane Society in Fredonia, Arizona, for some food, water, and recovery.

During those first couple of days, the puppies were terrified of people. But then, they suddenly decided that humans weren’t so bad after all and would bounce with excitement whenever somebody entered their play areas. What a turnaround!

They soon came up to Best Friends for more medical treatment and to get ready for spaying and neutering. The puppies had ticks down in their ears, but were otherwise in good shape. After a stint in the Best Friends puppy class, all six have been placed in permanent homes…a long way from a smelly old dumpster out in the middle of nowhere.

Our Summer Vacation

My wife Glenda first learned of Best Friends Animal Society when an animal rescue group she had been volunteering with moved out of the area. She had been donating to Best Friends through her office for a couple of years when we realized we’d be driving within a few miles of their sanctuary in Angel Canyon on a summer vacation.

We made it a point to stop in and take a tour of the Best Friends sanctuary. Wow, were we impressed! On any given day, there are about 2,000 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and other animals, and they’re all safe, secure, well fed, and cared for by people with huge hearts. Because we just dropped in, we honestly thought we would be "intruding," but we were wrong; a very nice young man and a cheerful dog gave us a personalized tour. We visited Dog Town – lots of happy dogs running around! We went into several buildings and watched as “gourmet” meals were created and medications prepared. Glenda and I are “cat people” so we saved Cat World for last. Kitties of all colors, ages, and sizes came up for attention and we enjoyed the chance to pet them all.

We continue to donate to Best Friends Animal Society, advocate for their No More Homeless Pets and spay/neuter goals, and have had a link to their website on ours for years. Recently we listed our first eBay Giving Works auction that designated 100% of the proceeds to go to Best Friends.

When I was selected to be a member of the eBay Community Hall of Fame, I was thrilled to learn that eBay Foundation would be making a donation to the charity of my choice. Right away I knew which charity I wanted to support—it was Best Friends Animal Society, of course! 

Bob Miller
(eBay user ID: bobmill)