Day 1 - Introduction Day

Hey there! For those that do not know who I am, my name is Daniele Summerfield, and I am the president of a sportbike club called the Dragoneez. Just like most motorcycle clubs, we enjoy giving back to the communities in which we ride. One of the ways we do this is through a program called Mutts-in-Rutts.

Mutts-in-Rutts 2015 

For the past 5 years, we have been collecting food, leashes, collars, bedding, towels, flea and tick supplies, as well as a plethora of other forms of donations from all over Gaston, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg counties to help out Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement. I am a volunteer there as well. This time around, as the club was delivering this mid-summers donations, I was advised of a feral pup that was taken in earlier that morning and was extremely frightened. Of course, they know me well, and I had to see how far gone this pup was and if there was any way I could help it.

Quiet Please 

 It was clear this pup was so frightened that he wanted to run, but his muscles froze in fear. The poor thing hadn't a clue how to react. So he, like a baby fawn, stayed frozen hoping the scary thing will go away... I didn't. He showed no signs of aggression just confusion, so before going into the pen, I made a little sign... "Quiet please I'm scared"... For an hour and a half I sat in run M1, a little 4'x5' space, on a thin blanket...not moving.... quiet... non threatening... observing....

One extremely frightened 3 1/2 month old puppy

He was always watching me with one eye, but to dared not move away from his protective little corner. He could have ran into the outside run, but he didn't. He just sat and bowed his head in mental exhaustion. When it was time to go for the day and let the volunteers go enjoy the rest of their Saturday, I asked to be put on the schedule to go back the next day to be with him again....