Casey's Special Day

Casey - April 2011

Today's a special day for our Casey Boy.  It was nine years ago that Casey was adopted from the Spalding Shelter.  The old saying that "it was destiny which brought us together" applies to how Casey and I met. 

I had made the long drive to Spalding's infamous "gassing" shelter after reading a post about a basset girl who "would only be available until May 9th - 4:30 PM.  I always despised the shelters "signature line" because I knew what it meant was that at 4:31 PM the doors to the shelter would be locked and any of the pets left standing would be loaded up into the shelter's "home made" gas chamber and killed.

How could anyone not love such a sweet boy?

I arrived at the shelter about an hour early after learning my lesson when I adopted our beagle "Annie".  Not knowing the shelter's policy on "promptness" I almost didn't make it after getting stuck in Atlanta's infamous traffic. 

Upon arriving I was informed that the fine people at Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia has beat me there and snatched the girl basset.  With a sigh of relief I did ask if they had any beagles who I could adopt instead, after all 150 mile round trip was along way to drive for nothing.  Little Annie (who ultimately earned the nick-name Beagle) had so won my heart I thought well why not another beagle?   As usual, the reply came back "go look for yourself".

Casey before his surgery

Wandering towards the back of the kennel I noticed a small chocolate looking beagle.  Even though his card listed this as being his "last day" he wasn't on the urgent list I had brought so once again I headed back to the office to "get his story". 

As I ask why the brown beagle wasn't on the "urgent list" the response of  "well, nobody would want a one-eyed beagle" I snidely remarked back "well, I guess your wrong there, because that's just what I was looking for a good one-eyed beagle" to adopt.  Here's your twenty bucks - what paperwork do i need to sign?"

After a quick ceremony where I named my new beagle "Casey Jones" he was leashed up and out of there we went.  I hadn't really noticed his eye until I got him in the truck and we were headed for home.  It was obvious that he had an eye injury that needed addressed so I quickly called the hounds vet (who somehow was on speed dial) to see if Dr Yeomans could squeeze us in. 

Nurse Zoe keeps a close eye on Casey

Casey was diagnosed with a collapsed right eye probably caused by blunt force trauma.  Dr Youmans suggested it was probably causing him considerable pain.  Casey was scheduled for surgery the next morning to remove his eye.

His surgery was a complete success - so now I had that $500 one eyed beagle that I "was looking for".

Casey was probably only several months old when he somehow found himself in a gassing shelter.  Since I can't imagine any responsible person not taking an obviously injured beagle to the vet for treatment I can only assume that Casey was the victim of domestic violence where after the "warring" humans make up he became a reminder of someones darker side.  Doesn't matter - their loss and my gain.

Casey - October 2002

Casey's been a wonderfully sweet beagle boy.  He was never made available for adoption - after all he was bestowed with a great "dead head" name that I certainly wouldn't "waste" on a beagle I was re homing.  I did take Casey to adoptions quite frequently so that others could see what a "fine one eyed beagle" I had found.

It's hard to believe that nine years have gone by so quickly. Casey's close to ten years old now and over the years his name has shifted to Casey BOY - after all, he's still my boy.

Here's too you Casey Boy - on your special day!