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My basic info
Breed
Australian Shepherd
Color
Merle
Age
Adult
Size
Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg) (when grown)
Weight
–
Sex
Male
Pet ID
–
My details
Good with dogs
Shots current
Spayed / Neutered
My story
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Here's what the humans have to say about me:
Buddy came from the Gabbs Ranch where almost 150 dogs lived without a lot of human interaction. Buddy is a shy boy who warms up to people readily he is working on his leash training. We feel that Buddy would blossom in a house with other dogs. As with the other dogs from Gabbs Ranch he does need some time and effort spent training him and a refresher course in house manners.
THE GABBS RANCH STORY
Any animal lover would be deeply saddened at the thought of 150 dogs living on their own in the desert, hundreds of miles from anywhere and with little human interaction. For Linda Bailey, of Bishop, California, what makes things even worse is the fact that a beloved family member put those dogs there.
Bailey’s aunt, Dama Louise Wirries, was involved in animal rescue for decades. Like many rescuers, she had a boundless heart when it came to helping animals in need. Like many rescuers-turned-hoarders, she also had an inability to say ‘No’ or to realize when she was in too deep.
In addition to rescuing hundreds of dogs on her own, Wirries took in more animals than the shelter could support. By 2002, the situation in Idaho had grown so unmanageable that Wirries loaded her dozens of dogs into a sheep trailer and relocated them to a remote ranch in Gabbs, Nevada.
The new living arrangement for Wirries and her dogs wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t horrible. She lived in a trailer and the dogs lived nearby in fenced runs.
But Wirries’ rescue career continued in this new location, and her numbers continued to grow as unwanted pets were dumped on the property. Few financial resources and a two-hour drive to the closest vet made getting the dogs fixed a near impossibility, so puppies were also added to the mix. By May of 2007, there were approximately 150 dogs living on the property.
And then Wirries died. She left behind no written will, only a verbal request that the family euthanize all the dogs.
“We just couldn’t do that,” Bailey told me when she called Best Friends Animal Help Department a few days after her aunt’s death. “But what DO we do??”
Although Bailey initially hoped that Best Friends Animal Society could take all the dogs, the reality is that no organization can easily accommodate a huge influx of animals at once. The most effective approach is to involve as many other organizations and private homes as possible.
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