144 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Jan Westmark-Allan
I love the saying, “Horse people love dogs! Dogs love horse
people!” Horses and dogs do go hand-in-hand, which is why
Sidelines is a big supporter of both horse and dog rescues. I have
always thought that if I worked at a dog rescue, I would probably
end up with a house full of dogs because it’s very easy for me to
fall in love with our canine four-legged friends.
Meg Weinberger, the vice president of Big Dog Ranch Rescue
(BDRR) in Wellington, Florida, apparently has the same issue.
While her offcial title is vice president, she is also a volunteer at
BDRR. A volunteer who falls in love easily – she has 12 dogs!
Meg’s household is a busy one; in addition to the dozen
canines, she and her husband Eric have two daughters, four cats
and six horses. I chatted with Meg and asked her how some of
her dogs came to live with her and she shared the story of Sully.
“Sully is one of my favorites (yes, I have favorites). He was only
supposed to come for a weekend visit at our home; but I ended
up getting very sick and he would not leave my side. My husband
had to force him to eat or go potty. We had Sully placed on the
west coast to go in courtrooms with children to face their abusers.
The adoption fell threw and he has still never left! Sully is now a
certifed therapy dog. He goes to hospitals and schools to share
his love and rescue story,” Meg said.
Meg also shared the story of Oliver, who she says is as naughty
as they come; but holds a special place in their hearts. “Three
years ago I was at Miami Animal Services taking a class so I could
pull dogs for BDRR. I had just walked out of the classroom and
their was a woman punching this little two-month-old puppy in the
face. An animal control offcer walked over and took the puppy
from her (she only received a citation, UGH!). I grabbed him and
hugged him the entire night! Oliver was adopted out briefy; but
due to a doggie allergy he was returned. So again, three years
later Oliver is still a Weinberger.”
Meg’s love for animals began as a child, growing up in a family
that rescued animals and fostered children. “My parents never
turned anyone away that needed help. I understood very young
that everyone doesn’t have a loving home and we had to share
ours. My parents adopted two of my sisters when I was fve years
old. Louise, one of my adopted sisters was mentally handicapped.
I saw “Weesie” grow from caring for her animals,” she said.
Meg added that one of her big passions is sharing the world of
animals and rescues with special needs children and adults and
with underprivileged children. “BDRR has Special Olympics, ARC,
PBC Therapeutic and a local foster home coming out to volunteer
at the ranch. It is such a blessing for the animals and the kids
involved.”
Meg Weinberger, and her husband Eric, with their foster dog
Savannah at the end of the Big Dog Ranch Rescue Winter Bark
Event.
Blessings From Our Four-Legged Friends
e
The Bottom Line
Tucker, the German
Shepherd that a 12-year-
old girl helped rescue and
relocate to the Big Dog
Ranch Rescue.
All photos courtesy of Meg
Weinberger
The Weinberger family
The Bottom Line:
If you have room in your heart and your home for another dog (or a horse) please visit a shelter near you and
change the life of an animal. I know it’s a cliché; but it will change your life also. If you don’t have room, you can always volunteer.
Meg is living proof that being a volunteer is an amazing blessing – a blessing that we all have the opportunity to experience.
While Meg is a busy woman, she still takes the time to enjoy the
small blessings that come her way. Not long ago she received a
letter from a 12-year-old girl who had discovered an abandoned
German Shepherd. The little girl wrote, “Dear Ranch Lady. There
is a very nice doggy living in a house that people moved away
from and left him. I have been going to feed him every day with
my aunt who is a police offcer. I don’t want him to go to that place
where they kill all the cats and dogs. If I can take a picture of him,
and if my aunt can bring him somewhere, can you help him?”
Meg was thrilled that a
12-year-old would be so
resourceful. And of course
Meg helped and Tucker,
the German Shepherd,
is now safe at Big Dog
Ranch Rescue! For more
information on Big Dog
Ranch Rescue, visit their
website at www.bdrr.org.