A few years ago, I met an artist and her dog. Elaine van der Linden was having a show now that she and her husband had found themselves alone in an empty nest - well, alone except for a little cocker spaniel with Shirley Temple curls. In the course of the conversation, she told me that Molly had been a pound puppy with matted hair and infested with fleas and worms. It was the little dogs huge anime eyes that had won her over. The relationship that developed between the two soon began to resemble those between kids and dogs in movies: She took Molly everywhere she could, even out for the occasional burger.
It wasnt long before I began to see van der Lindens name in print quite often as she tussled with Richmond County Animal Control as the leader of Mollys Militia, the animal rescue squad that the spaniel had inspired her to put into action. Van der Linden had begun spending much of her time adopting animals and putting them into foster homes, then going about finding permanent families for them.
Well, the organizations namesake, Molly, succumbed to cancer this month, after living with van der Linden for the last five years. When I called her, she recounted the same story I had first heard in her living room the day Id met her and Molly, only this time there were tears.
"We noticed it (her illness) in November. She was drooling. I knew she didnt feel good by the way she was acting," van der Linden added.
Molly had a tumor under her long, floppy ear, van der Linden said, which went unnoticed by family, vet and groomer. But, she added, Molly had been in good health up until then, after going through heartworm treatment and putting on weight once shed been adopted.
"The night before we had to put her to sleep, she was the worst, van der Linden said. Molly had been choking on the tumors that had grown in her throat, and treatments had not been effective, van der Linden said. I cant imagine how it is to have tumors in your throat. That must be a scary feeling."
Van der Linden said that the decision to stay with Molly while she was being put to sleep was a very difficult one. It wasnt something she wanted to see, but Molly had been abandoned once before, and she had no intention of leaving her to experience her last minutes alone. So she stayed, and gazed into Mollys eyes until it was over.
Shes having her cremated.
"I couldnt bury her outside," she said, explaining that Molly was afraid of thunderstorms. Now, she said, shes going to keep the dogs ashes inside with her. After all, they were together every possible minute that they could be while Molly was alive.
"I think I see her," she said tearfully. "I slept with her every night. She was the first thing I saw in the morning and the last thing I saw at night."
The only place she refused to take her, she said, was back to the pound during dog rescues, for fear of triggering bad memories. But van der Linden herself visited the Richmond County Animal Shelter often, which she says has become a good facility over the past few years.
"Even the employees out there shed some tears for Molly," she said.
And, yes, she added, she is going to continue with her work. "Oh yeah, stronger than ever. ... Shes been my driving force ever since I started it and shes my driving force now."
She said that taking on Molly and starting Mollys Militia completely changed her life.
"I was 49 years old and I hadnt had a dog since I was 16. We always had cats. She just motivated me to start Mollys Militia. It was tough. I had to get shelter licenses, then got non-profit status. It took me a long time."
But the group became a quick success, operating solely through the efforts of volunteers. "Thank God, I have people who can handle everything if Im not there." She said that her volunteers spend a lot of gas on their missions of mercy, as well as buying dog treats for the dogs. I dont think you can pay people to do what my volunteers do.e
She said that she has about 40 families who foster animals. But of course, she added, she always needs more - more volunteers, more money, more everything. Because it doesnt look like theres going to be a shortage of dogs in need.
If you are interested in volunteering, making a donation, adopting a Mollys Militia pooch, or would just like to learn more, visit the Web site at www.mollysmilitia.org. You can reach Elaine van der Linden at (803) 279-7003
It wasnt long before I began to see van der Lindens name in print quite often as she tussled with Richmond County Animal Control as the leader of Mollys Militia, the animal rescue squad that the spaniel had inspired her to put into action. Van der Linden had begun spending much of her time adopting animals and putting them into foster homes, then going about finding permanent families for them.
Well, the organizations namesake, Molly, succumbed to cancer this month, after living with van der Linden for the last five years. When I called her, she recounted the same story I had first heard in her living room the day Id met her and Molly, only this time there were tears.
"We noticed it (her illness) in November. She was drooling. I knew she didnt feel good by the way she was acting," van der Linden added.
Molly had a tumor under her long, floppy ear, van der Linden said, which went unnoticed by family, vet and groomer. But, she added, Molly had been in good health up until then, after going through heartworm treatment and putting on weight once shed been adopted.
"The night before we had to put her to sleep, she was the worst, van der Linden said. Molly had been choking on the tumors that had grown in her throat, and treatments had not been effective, van der Linden said. I cant imagine how it is to have tumors in your throat. That must be a scary feeling."
Van der Linden said that the decision to stay with Molly while she was being put to sleep was a very difficult one. It wasnt something she wanted to see, but Molly had been abandoned once before, and she had no intention of leaving her to experience her last minutes alone. So she stayed, and gazed into Mollys eyes until it was over.
Shes having her cremated.
"I couldnt bury her outside," she said, explaining that Molly was afraid of thunderstorms. Now, she said, shes going to keep the dogs ashes inside with her. After all, they were together every possible minute that they could be while Molly was alive.
"I think I see her," she said tearfully. "I slept with her every night. She was the first thing I saw in the morning and the last thing I saw at night."
The only place she refused to take her, she said, was back to the pound during dog rescues, for fear of triggering bad memories. But van der Linden herself visited the Richmond County Animal Shelter often, which she says has become a good facility over the past few years.
"Even the employees out there shed some tears for Molly," she said.
And, yes, she added, she is going to continue with her work. "Oh yeah, stronger than ever. ... Shes been my driving force ever since I started it and shes my driving force now."
She said that taking on Molly and starting Mollys Militia completely changed her life.
"I was 49 years old and I hadnt had a dog since I was 16. We always had cats. She just motivated me to start Mollys Militia. It was tough. I had to get shelter licenses, then got non-profit status. It took me a long time."
But the group became a quick success, operating solely through the efforts of volunteers. "Thank God, I have people who can handle everything if Im not there." She said that her volunteers spend a lot of gas on their missions of mercy, as well as buying dog treats for the dogs. I dont think you can pay people to do what my volunteers do.e
She said that she has about 40 families who foster animals. But of course, she added, she always needs more - more volunteers, more money, more everything. Because it doesnt look like theres going to be a shortage of dogs in need.
If you are interested in volunteering, making a donation, adopting a Mollys Militia pooch, or would just like to learn more, visit the Web site at www.mollysmilitia.org. You can reach Elaine van der Linden at (803) 279-7003
