Trip to SoCal

by Dan Sailor

Left yesterday at noon drove 366 miles stayed over night and left at 11:30 today 366 miles and arrived at 5pm. Here’s some pics. By the way Karen said she really appreciated Rip Van Wrinkler Club helping her out with a rescue surgery.

Driving up to the house, the road becomes dirt after a while. A coyote ran across in front of my car when I got closer.

Their home, and on the left, those 2 small buildings with tile roofs are the kennels. See that blue shipping container in the middle with the horse trailer next to it; they’re full of dog supplies.

He’s waiting for me while I’m taking pictures. This is the back of their house.

Below is a shot of dog runs behind the kennel, where the dogs come out into the runs.

Hanging out in the back this morning (Friday 5-22)

Momentarily mellow after a lot of fetching and a walk up the hill. By the way I walked him 3 times tonight, totaling 1 hour and playing in the house and he still wants to play.
He’s a puppy! He’s a little uncoordinated, gnaws on my arm and wants to put everything in his mouth and is still growing. He’s really fast the way he rips around the yard with toys in his mouth.

Karen and Chuck with the big guy.

It’s interesting in that all their neighbors work in Holly-wood. Grips, set designers, etc. They all leave at around 4:30am and get home at 9pm. She and Chuck are retired and do rescue full time, mostly at their cost. The stories she told me are phenomenal. These people are so dedicated to helping dogs! It’s really hard work and can be expensive. They have maybe 40 dogs right now and have had up to 80. Some stay in their garage and house. They’re not all Basenjis, some are a mix and few are of different breeds. It takes two of them 5-1/2 hours a day to clean kennels. Then they spend time working with the dogs (a number of them have behavioral issues). Not my boy, though.

Karen Jones wrote:

Dan is such a dear and a PERFECT doggie dad. We are so delighted that he has Vinjari (Vinjibudster) as he and Vinji deserve each other. I have been doing rescue for over twenty years and Chuck has been involved for about twelve years and neither of us can remember a boy with the charm and personality of Vinjari.

I don't know if Dan told you, but we name alphabetically and Vinjari in Swahili means to cruise like a boat, a strangely appropriate name for Dan SAILOR. Vinjari never went through any anxiety over losing his former home although Dan had to wait for several weeks as we went through the upper respiratory and tummy issues of pound dogs before we could get him neutered and another wait before his stitches were out. In all these years we have never seen a dog accept an E collar like Vinji did. He actually put his head into it and stood still so Chuck could fasten the collar. We have had many dogs that it took both of us a lot of effort to get the collar on and several who have eaten their way out of collars. Vinji learned tricks so quickly and delighted in retrieving toys and actually bringing them back, seemingly wanting to play forever. He is also a talker and was precious carrying a toy in his mouth as he yodeled.

Experiences like this make our daily grind have so much meaning. One terrific Basenji in one terrific home. I have a feeling Dan will be a friend for life.

Karen Jones
Basenji Rescue of California
PO Box 93
Acton, CA 93510 tel. (661) 269-2364