It turns out Goldie’s real name is Tripper. Through a lost and found network the vet Goldie, I mean Tripper, was taken to by William, Tripper’s original humans have been found! They were able to verify this was their dog by a scar he has on his tongue, their vet records, and photos they have of Tripper with the family.

As it turns out, when I found Tripper he was 100 miles from his home in Ripley, Tn and has been missing since August! Also, Tripper is quite the well known hunting dog!

When Tripper got home, he went right to the toilet for a drink. He then played with his human kids before laying in his bed for a nap. Sounds about right for this quirky, lovable soul.

Tripper’s family also took care of the vet bill when they picked him up yesterday. Oh – and when Tripper saw the family, he went into his happy dance.

I am so happy this all worked out for the best. Thank you to everyone who spread the word and donated to the vet’s office, to Derek Graver for offering to adopt Goldie – I mean Tripper, and most of all to William Hanley for rescuing Tripper and helping him reunite with his human family.

Here is an update for those of you following Goldie Hawn’s progress, the immediate costs involved with getting him well, and his adoption needs.

From William Hanley:

He had a check up today with my vet and Goldie has a couple of small issues but, very normal for a stray.

He…

-Has e-cansis (which is an infection from the common brown tick we have here in TN). He is being treated with antibiotics and will be fine.
-Has hook worms in his poop–again treatable with no long standing effects.
-GREAT NEWS–NO heart worms!!!!
-Is a youngster kid (Lab) & believed to be 2 – 3 years old.

-Appears to be leash trained.
-Is house broken.
-Follows commands well (as well as we would expect a guy his age too).
-Gets along with other dogs well (including my guys who are all 15 lbs or less) including my male dogs. He actually blended into the pack as a sub-servant fellow versus a dominant.
-LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to play fetch, play with a ball, play tug of war and is TOO CUTE!
-Full grown though needs to put on some weight – a bit too thin at the moment.

Here is where we stand as of today:

Goldie had his well-dog check-up today–received regular shots, started on heart worm preventative, got a bath and had the remaining ticks removed (don’t ask how many–prefer not to know some things as long as he is okay). He is be neutered on Monday and I will bring him back to my home to recover.

Anyone who wants to make a donation for our rescue efforts can do so by contacting Grace Animal Hospital at:
www.graceanimal.com

The contact information for the vet is on the webpage and you can call to make a donation if you want or mail a check to them at the address. This hospital is located near an inner city neighborhood and does lots and lots of services for strays. Please check out their website.

Goldie is also up for adoption. Anyone wishing to talk to me about it can contact me through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/william.hanley.142?ref=ts&fref=ts) or at wm1comp@yahoo.com. Leave me your contact information and I will get back to you. I will also need a vet reference for you to be considered an adoptive parent. I am not the kind of person who lets everyone ‘just have an animal.’ I believe they have been through enough coming to me at whatever point they arrive and deserve to be placed in their permanent loving family after leaving me.

Thanks,

William Hanley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/william.hanley.142?ref=ts&fref=ts
Email: wm1comp@yahoo.com

Meet Goldie Hawn!

A few miles into today’s walk a stow away joined me. It was raining this morning and this poor puppy was wandering around the highway soaking wet, coming close to being hit by cars a number of times as I past him. I didn’t know what to do. I’m so fed up at folks in the country not keeping their pets away from the road – ESPECIALLY when they live on a highway!

But something was different about this baby. He looked confused and scared. I called him over to me and saw that he was thin. I gave him a bit of my food. I went to the nearest house and talked to someone there who said his humans were in the house up the street. I asked if they could help get him home. The person refused. So, I walked away. Since I showed this adorable puppy some kindness, he began following me.

I thought after a little ways he would get tired and walk home. He didn’t. But he didn’t stay away from the road either. I kept having to go into the road to rescue him from being hit. After a couple of miles I gave him a name – Goldie Hawn. But I was still hoping he would turn around and go home. Five miles in, Goldie Hawn was still walking with me, across my path, and across the street.

He seemed thirsty, so I gave him water. While petting him I noticed he had a big tick lodged into his head. I tried getting it out to no avail. He jumped around in the creeks and puddles on the side of the road. He picked up a stick and brought it to me. We started playing fetch. He rolled around on the carcass of a deer – well the ribs and head of a deer anyway. He rolled all over the carcass of an armadillo. Both times he scented himself, I scolded him – “Goldie Hawn! Stop that! Get over here.”

Ten miles in and Goldie Hawn was trained. I would point my fingers to my left side, which was the side away from the road, and he walked right there. But the cars kept spooking him as they zipped by. He would try to run back into the street after cars passed by. So I’d direct him again to my left. And he would come to me. But I also noticed he would wince a bit when I pointed.

That was it. I think people who hit animals should try being hit and see how they like it. (I think the same thing about people who hit kids or anyone. If you want to hit a creature – try getting your face, ass, or whatever whacked.)

I had no idea what I was going to do. But I was definitely not going to try and find Goldie Hawn’s humans anymore. No one was coming for Goldie Hawn. The neighbor didn’t give two shits about him. Goldie Hawn was now my responsibility.

I messaged a few folks about the stress I was experiencing. I was walking a 31-mile day! And tomorrow I have a 28-mile day! This is horrible! I’m in the middle of somewhere to someone – which is nowhere to me! What the hell am I going to do?

When I told William Hanley, my host from Memphis, about this drama he responded with, “Do I need to come out there and get Goldie Hawn?” I felt horrible about the idea of him coming all this way. I’m well over 100 miles from Memphis now! After a few messages back and forth with William, he was on his way.

There’s so much more to this story, but I’m exhausted. But I will add this. The motel I was trying to get to tonight was expensive. I just gave $300 to Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. That meant I had just a couple hundred dollars available to me until next week when I can access some of the funds donated recently via Fractured Atlas (the organization the funds donated online go through). William not only drove over two hours to rescue Goldie Hawn, and in turn rescue me from having to figure out what to do with him, he paid for not one, but two nights for me at the motel (where I am now comfortably writing this message).

Now that I am past the stress of walking 25 of today’s miles with this doggie for equality, I’m more thankful than I’ve been in a very long time. I get to conserve the couple hundred dollars I have. I can take a tomorrow off from walking and rest up for my next 28-mile day. And most importantly – Goldie Hawn is safe.

William – you are an angel. I’m feeling very emotional right now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

PS If anyone would like to adopt this gorgeous dog, please message below. And please forward this message to others – especially those you know in the Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama areas!

It is with a heavy heart that I share this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil video with you all. There are so many new names this year. It’s horrible.

It’s time we demand from our government, our neighbors, our families – Full equality NOW! FULL EQUALITY NOW!!!

While in Memphis I spent over $100 on new winter gear. I’m now down to a few hundred dollars and in the next couple of days I have to make another donation to Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. (I donate 10% of what I raise to them.) What I need: Donations via the link below (Your donations can be tax-deductible.) Or people to sponsor me in motels as I make my way east through southern Tennessee. Between Memphis and Chattanooga (where I am right now) there are only small towns, so its harder to find people to host me.

Please find it in your heart to do what you can to keep me away from the cold at night. Also, if each person who reads this sends this message on to five of your friends, hundreds more people will become aware of this walk and be asked to help. Thank you for reading this message this far – and for doing what you can to keep me walking for gender and sexual orientation equality. – Alan L. Bounville

DONATE HERE: https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/4143