Allison Walsh was a young woman who loved animals and enjoyed being around them. She worked at the Zoo and was passionate about her job and the research work she did. In 2005, she became a foster home for Midwest Border Collie Rescue. She joined our group with a great love for animals and wanted to help foster Border Collies. Allison selected a dog by the name of Soda to be her first foster dog. Soda was like many of the high energy Border Collies we receive.

Allison first writes about Soda:
Soda is probably going to need a special owner - one who thoroughly understands herding dogs. He is high drive and nippy. He is also obsessive about a few things - running water, moving children and balls. He is basically happy and playful (sometimes very misdirected playfulness), but, he is also fearful (claustrophobic, stairs, picking up, extending your hand too rapidly). He has probably been hit. He made an obsessive grab for a ball, connected very hard with my hand and immediately dropped into a terrified cowering position.

Soda update - September 15th, 2005
Allison writes: He is smarter than the average bear. I can see the wheels turn in his head when I try to teach him something. He now knows how to shake and is learning roll over. He loves playing the trade up game with toys and treats. But, you still have to remind him to be gentle when you give him a toy or treat. I often close the treat in my hand and only relent when he gently licks to get it. He LOVES the Frisbee. I am not letting him jump for it yet (trying to discourage that jump and grab thing for now). But, I have been throwing rollers and low gentle glides. His timing is not perfect yet, but he has tons of drive to get it (WOW IS HE FAST, SOD FLYING EVERYWHERE!). And when he does find himself in the right position, he makes a great grip and then immediately drops it and looks for the next one. I think he could be really competitive at this. I am going to try to get someone to take some pictures for me of his Frisbee skills.

Allison was making great strides with Soda, but unfortunately shortly after that last update on Soda's progress MWBCR received some terrible news. It was September 19th and a close friend of Allison's and fellow MWBCR member reported that Allison had been killed on Saturday in a train derailment in Chicago. The tragic accident and Allison's death hit national news.

To read what Allison's friend and trainer had to say about her, click here.

Allison's family picked up and cared for Soda until rescuers arrived and placed Soda into a temporary foster home. A day or two went by and Soda was moved to a more permanent foster home.

Prior to the accident, Allison had been corresponding with a woman by the name of Pam who was interested in adopting Soda. Pam was planning on attending Triple Crown Academy in Texas and wanted to take Soda with her to be her training dog for class. Allison was excited about Pam soon being able to meet her foster dog Soda – it sounded like they would be the perfect fit.  Pam needed and wanted an active dog for a companion and for her training school. Soda needed a forever home that would love him and teach him. Unfortunately, Allison never got to see Pam and Soda meet, but Soda's new foster home took care of that and made the arrangements. It was indeed a perfect match! Soda was adopted by Pam and renamed Ace. Everything was going great with Ace and Pam at the Academy in Texas. Pam was updating us regularly on Ace's progress but it wasn't too long before we received more bad news. Ace was having some health issues.

On November 5th, 2005, Pam writes:
I took Ace to the vet again on Thursday and the X-rays appalled even my uneducated eye. There appears to be a large bone spur extending down off the backside of the humorous parallel to the bone, plus a lesion through it. The vet did take one more X-ray and Ace is definitely in need of surgery. I've pretty much stopped all training with him because after speaking with the vet, I feel that Ace is in more pain than I thought. The vet told me that while manipulating his shoulder, Ace actually turned and bit him (didn't break the skin or anything). Dr. Neans said it caught him way off guard because Ace is such a laid-back little guy. That absolutely shocked me because he has NEVER shown signs of aggression (except to the blow dryer and lawn mower) nor did he ever even whine when I moved his shoulders around. He struggled a lot when they were X-raying his left shoulder, but was perfectly still for the right one. Ace also whined the other day going into a down - which has never happened before. He is on some pain meds, which seem to be helping, as he is not limping much anymore. HE still thinks he can be active, and although I am limiting his contact with the other dogs in the house, he still needs some socialization time for his own sanity so I'm not going to completely deprive him of that! It breaks my heart because he just follows me around until I sit down and then puts his head in my lap and looks up at me like "Mom why can't I play?". I told Dr. Neans that I just want the surgery done as soon as possible because I don't want him to be in pain anymore! He seems to have a sense of urgency with the whole thing too because he said that with the bone spur off the back of the humerus this has been going on a really long time and he doesn't deserve to be in pain like this anymore. He is referring me to an orthopedic surgeon to see if the surgery can be done by scoping or if they'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. The advantage to the scoping is that the recovery rate is much faster, but he thinks the bone piece may be too large to remove with a scope. The one good thing is that, usually, you see some problems arise in the elbows after awhile, but his elbow is sound, as are his other shoulder and elbow. It looks like the surgery is going to cost $1200-1500 dollars. My problem right now is that I'm not working because of school, and while I budgeted for extra vet expenses when taking out my loan, I did not expect a surgery like this being that I've only had him a little over a month. He's going to need to have the surgery so I am ready to take out another loan if I need to. I will keep you posted when I hear from the orthopedic vet!

Pam writes again on Nov 12th, 2005:
Ace will be having surgery on Wednesday. The specialist felt that scoping was definitely the way to go with him, which is GREAT because it means a shorter recovery time. I just found this out on Thursday night. The estimate the surgeon gave is actually on the low end for what scoping surgery normally costs. My vet highly recommended this surgeon because he is a "board certified orthopedic surgeon" and has dealt with this type of problem many times. The estimate that he gave is $1200, plus I'm sure there will be medication and ongoing vet care. Ace is doing all right, but he is bored. I don't thing he understands why he has to be left alone so much all of a sudden. Before, he was getting to come with me to class on and off throughout the day, but because he can't do too much right now, I can't take him. I have to use the dogs that I will have to test with. I feel SO BAD for him right now and can't stand leaving him! I give him plenty of interactive toys and chew toys, but he doesn't seem to want to interact with them unless I'm there. It's REALLY frustrating, but I'm glad it will soon be over! I don't know yet what the recovery time is, but I know it's significantly shorter than normal surgery the old-fashioned way.

November 18th, 2005
Several weeks ago Midwest Border Collie Rescue planned to have a custom "Up for Adoption" display board made for our fundraising events in Memory of Allison Walsh. In light of the health issues that Ace has been having the board discussed an alternate plan and decided that we would assist with some of Ace's expenses directly and in addition create an "Allison & Soda Guardian Angel Fund" to help foster dogs that have major medical bills now and in the future. Allison's great passion was for the animals that she cared for at the Zoo and the great love she had for her dog and her first foster dog. Allison never got to experience the great joy in adopting her first foster dog and staying in contact with the forever home. Allison will never know all the pain that Ace is going through. We know Allison would be proud of Ace's new owner and the hard work she has done with him. Allison may be gone but her passion for animals will not be forgotten. In her honor, we will remember her always for the quality time she shared with us and the gift of her vision that she imprinted on so many within MWBCR so quickly. The Allison & Soda Guardian Angel Fund was created in memory of Allison Walsh for current foster dogs at Midwest Border Collie Rescue that require major medical care. Allison's great love and passion for animals will live on through this program and your support.

Current Foster dogs that need your help.

Pepper

Scilla Rose

Or send check to:

MWBCR
N1775 County M

Browntown, WI 53522

In the memo please put "Allison & Soda Fund".

We would like to extend our thanks to the family and friends of Allison who have so generously made donations in her name.  Thank you from the MWBCR family!