Rescue Express Arrives

By Syd Sullins

Cari LeClair, the founder of Bone Voyage, received an incredible gift. Rescue Express from San Diego, CA, gave her the use of a great big red bus to transport rescue dogs from Mexico into the States.

Cari is a bundle of energy with a ''can do'' spirit like no one else I know. She immediately started organizing this venture. I don't think even Cari realized how much she was taking on!

The bus will accommodate 60 dogs - that's a lot of dogs! Each dog needs to have been pre-accepted by a rescue in the US, be issued a USDA import permit and have a health certificate from a veterinarian.

The Ranch was extremely fortunate that 30 of our dogs went on the maiden voyage of the bus when it left the evening of February 8th. The other dogs on the bus were from other rescues in the area. One of our volunteers, Gary Silberberg, was one of the drivers and our Operations Manager, Jen Munoz, was the attendant who cared for the dogs.

The bus drove from Chapala to Houston. In Houston, the dogs were unloaded at a large rescue organization in that area and the dogs got a much needed break to run and play. Then the next day, they were loaded into vans that the receiving rescues sent to Houston to pick them up.

Thanks to Cari's organizational skills and the work of many volunteers, this venture was pulled off without a hitch. Jen reported that all 60 dogs did very well.

Cari has made arrangements to share the bus with a rescue in the Puerta Vallarta area and they'll be doing a similar trip in March. Sometime in April, the big red rescue bus will again make a trip out of Chapala. Think of all these precious dogs that are finding loving homes because of this gift!