Beloved Dutchess County Dog Rescue Maven Loses Dementia Battle

For quite a few years, I followed the work of a woman who owned a Jack Russell Refuge in Rhinebeck, NY. I read as dogs were rescued and brought to her home in Dutchess County, and I cheered with utter joy when a pooch that I had been following had been adopted and then looked for updates from the 'home of the new family' seeing how their newest family member was getting on.

There was one pup, Earl, who I wanted so desperately to adopt. I just knew at that time, it was just not possible. Earl did get a great new home, with a Dad who doted on him greatly. At one point there had been a fire at the rescue, but the owner Dale was able to get most of the rescue back up to speed, before quietly making the decision to close her doors in 2017.

The amazing woman behind all of these dogs? Dale Mountain. I never met her, but from the outpouring from people and from the tireless work that she did fighting for and loving these dogs, she had to have a rich heart, a strong backbone and a tireless fighting spirit.

The website is no longer active and links to something completely different. The facebook page is no longer owned by Dale, so updates about her or what she was doing stopped.

I came across a posting on someone else's Facebook page, sharing that Dale Mountain had lost her battle with Lewy Body Dementia. While the closing of the shelter/rescue and the silence in the updates suddenly now made sense, it is still sad to hear of the loss of someone who believed in these little dogs. Someone who truly just wanted to give back and make sure they were in homes where people would love them and let them enjoy their days with the love that can only be found in a fur-ever family. Hats off to you Dale! May you be greeted where you are going with the pups you helped that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge with their tales wagging, eager to greet you with the puppy kisses that you need.