I’ve spent the last six months sharing my Moo experience with people – people who use social media to support Bounding Hound, people responsible for the piss poor animal welfare laws in our state (49th in animal welfare ranking!), people part of dog clubs that seek out services for their dogs, people who own businesses and believe that supporting local masks all else.

The one word used in a sentence with regards to Moo’s death that I will IMMEDIATELY correct is Accident.

Accident defined – an unplanned or unforeseen event or circumstance.

Neglect – to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness.

Moo’s death was NOT AN ACCIDENT.

Moo’s death was pure animal NEGLECT. When you are in the business of watching, training, caring for animals and you leave them unattended and something goes wrong – that’s carelessness. That’s NOT doing what you promised your clients and their animals what you would do. What comes of that is not unplanned. You know when you leave animals, kids, humans, etc unattended bad things can and do happen.

That’s the sole reason people don’t leave animals unattended – that’s the reason they seek out Bounding Hound for services.

Accidents don’t happen in a 6′ fence enclosed yard with two gates and human oversight.

Neglect happens in a 6′ fence enclosed yard with two gates without human oversight. Carelessness – poor decision making – disconnect between what care was promised and what care was delivered.

The job was undone.

Moo was unattended.

Both as a result of carelessness.

Moo’s death was NOT an accident! It was NEGLECT – neglect by a person responsible for a business in the industry of animal services. NEGLECT by one who proclaims to put animals first but doesn’t.

Use the word accident and you will be corrected.

Neglected. Is. The. Right. Word.

346 days of the most natural harmonized family.
346 days of the perfect bonded sisters.
346 days of Moo making us better – a better version of Madi and a better version of myself.
346 days of which 42 were spent in the agility ring. 4 states.
346 days of gratitude.
346 days of fulfilled healthy, happy, and loved life full of well deserved fun.

1 moment of animal neglect that cost Moo everything….

On Thursday,November 30, 2017, Moo went to Bounding Hound in Coralville, IA for dog daycare as she had been doing since May 2017.

It is my understanding that Moo went missing at approximately 1:30pm while left unattended outside. After receiving a phone call from Loren Prottsman, owner of Bounding Hound, at 3pm I started a search party consisting of myself, the entire six-person team of local business Everyday Helper, four family members,and four close friends.

The following day at 8:20am I received call that a good Samaritan found Moo dead along Interstate 80 near what would be the 12^th Ave exit if one existed. Approximately 1 mile from Bounding Hound and 5 miles from my home –she was headed north to get back home.

I filed a complaint December 2017 with the US Department of Agriculture. As of 11.30.18 there has been several follow up attempts with no response by the US Department of Agriculture.

I also filed a complaint with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and it was followed up on 01/02/18 with inspection # AB002820 by inspector Stephanie Black. Bounding Hound was approved during this inspection even with violation Chapter 67.5(1) Purchase, Sale, Trade and Adoption records on the inspection.

There was also another complaint by another party filed in April 2017 with inspection follow up date of 4/26/17 #AB002504 with Inspector Stephanie Black note as follows:

‘this residential based commercial establishment believes itself to be a commercial kennel, not a dog daycare (rules do not apply).’

However, Moo was at Bounding Hound for doggie day care services.

As of March2018 The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has re-visited the status of Bounding Hound.

As of November 2018, Bounding Hound, with the assistance of the City of Coralville, has moved locations. Some would be foolish enough to believe this is due to expansion goals however this is because it’s clear violation of City of Coralville code to be operating an animal service business within city limits unless in a commercial or industrial zoned area. That’s 7+ years Bounding Hound was directly violating city code. And then the City that was violated helped them find a new home in compliance. No consequence on record for the 7+ years worth of violation.

As of today – Bounding Hound is still in business.

The ‘it factor’ is unspoken but searched for by all humans.

Whether it be – looking for a divorce attorney, best friend, work boss, spouse, grocery store check out line, and yes, even a dog.

It’s nearly impossible to put into words but I’ll try in terms of the performance dog ‘it factor.’

First and foremost, one full of playfulness. Everything is a natural game – tug is fun, going outside is fun, jumping in the truck to travel is fun, even counter surfing is fun. A dog who is laid back enough to have fun. Moo deemed anything with Madi and I to be fun. She was always seeking out a new game – new source of fun!

Biddable – wanting to please without much enticement. Don’t get me wrong Moo would work for food when asked but she preferred to be touched as her reward. And talked to. It was as if her eyes were writing the most thrilling chapter of her book when I pet her and told her she was beautiful.

Focused – has the ability to learn the leader, hone in, and complete the task at hand. Can be quickly taught that no distraction is worthy of leaving the leader behind. Love a crowd but knows when to interact with it and when not to.

Takes learning as a welcomed challenge – wants to work, wants to be challenged, isn’t quite satisfied with ‘half assing it.’ In other words, a dog equal to me.

Madi struggles with the playfulness trait – just like her Mom. We’re serious – we strive for perfection. And the play waits until the end of the day to show and it’s rarely if ever shown in front of others. It takes a lot of human work to get Madi to want to play. She’ll play tug at the drop of a hat and she’ll play fetch for hours at the park. She’ll run with pure furry of relaxation and confidence on a 10 mile off leash run in the woods. But to show off her confidence, relaxation, and speed in front of others – no way. Much like me – growing up the farm was my woods. It’s where I could be me without eyes on me.

Moo was playful to the T. Naturally playful. Natural show off in a crowd while staying focused on me and the obstacles at hand. I NEVER worked to create this trait in Moo.

She was biddable. She was focused. She loved to be challenged.

She had the ‘It Factor!’ She was adopted in December 2016 and I had her in the NADAC agility ring in January 2017 – she shined in the ring. That was her home. That was her woods – the place she was naturally herself. She was fun, relaxed, confident, and most importantly she was her whole self.

She taught me what that agility ring was supposed to be like – 30 seconds of pure fun playing with one of my biggest treasures.

Impact on Madi – she had her most successful agility year in 2017 because Moo pushed her to enjoy it. Or maybe it was pure competition between sisters that lit the fire.

Madi (my first and often times referred to as my favorite) spent the first three and one half years of her life on a 2nd floor condo in a nearby town. We went outside in every weather condition imaginable. 3am and out in the -30 with wind index of 20 below in middle of February was the winter norm. It took me 20 minutes to ‘suit up’ for the outings and another 5 minutes to get Madi’s coat and boots on her. She was patient and a trooper. Thankfully I trained her young to be off leash reliable so she would have to move 30 feet to pee in a snow bank while I stayed on the ice-covered sidewalk.

Only child syndrome – strong-willed, independent, attention seeking and getting, leader with only a human follower, toys and tennis ball queen, reliable, sensitive, anti-conflict, traveler, hotel know it all, but most of all Madi loved having her Mom all to herself.

I wasn’t expecting to wait almost 4 years to start looking for Madi’s sister. It was a quest with one goal in mind – find the perfect sister. That’s hard for an older sibling who isn’t used to siblings. I know – my sister is 4.5 years younger than me. I got used to a perfect life that went upside down with one screaming whine from a newborn.

The only way to ‘test drive’ potential additions to our family was through rescue work – fostering, transporting, volunteering with dogs. It was a win-win for Madi and I.

We had a criteria list for Madi’s sister and no where on it was kind of dog as in purebred or Mix Breed. The outside of the dog wasn’t important. It was all about character, meshability (yes I created that word and yes spell check doesn’t like it and yes, I’m ignoring it!) personality, and the ‘it’ performance dog factor.

Moo was a 7.5 year old rescue dog – my first foster failure. I picked her up half way between us and the Aussie Rescue of Minnesota director – a truck stop parking lot on Oct 2, 2016. She got out of a backseat kennel on a leash and she was beautiful. Shy, scared, but had a glimmer of confidence and a strut that I fell for immediately.

Madi and Moo clicked immediately. Moo had no problems being the passive sibling. No problem being the follower. It was as if they were already sisters in another life. Calm, cool, comfortable, and confident in their roles. Moo opened up quickly – her playful sense of adventure was displayed as bold as the American flag at Perkin’s Bakery and Restaurant.

I tried several times to put pen to paper to create Moo’s biography as part of the ‘forever home find’ process. I couldn’t do it. Madi and Moo grew as a bonded pair so quickly, I couldn’t take that away from Madi. And I couldn’t take that away from myself.

There’s a dog bed by the front all glass door – one of Madi’s favorite spots. She took up the entire bed no matter what dog was in the house. Until Moo came along – she scooted to left side and left the right side for Moo. Together they would be on watch dog duty, squirrel duty, rabbit duty, and most importantly mailman duty!

I signed Moo’s adoption papers on December 19, 2016. I brought Madi home on December 19, 2010. They were meant to be sisters.