When we first met her, she was sweet but very shy. Fast forward 6 months, she has opened up to be a happy, loving and goofy girl.

Her best friend is Winston, a redbone coonhound, and they play together and chase each other all day long. She has gained about 24 lbs since being rescued off the street, and the hair has grown back over most of the areas where she had sores. We decided on the name Brida because Brida means “strength” and she truly has shown strength to survive what she went through. We are so grateful that she has become a part of our family. Thank you, Helpless Hounds, for the great work that you do every day.

Waylon is now 5 years old, very much a momma’s boy. As my husband would say, he would trip him in front of a bus just to have me all for himself. He still thinks he’s a lap dog, and has to snuggle at my side at night. He was a blessing of an addition to the Hudson household.

Lollie was our second adoption from Helpless Hounds, and I am going to try my best to convey how special this adoption was to us. We agreed to foster Lollie in the middle of June of 2021. Lollie was transported to me from Tulsa, and when I first saw her, I can tell you my heart broke into a 1000 pieces. Lollie was a 14-year-old basset, skinny, hair missing in patches, her teeth un-managed, partially blind, mostly deaf, and her back legs seemed to not coordinate with each other. Lollie had been abandoned for a while before Helpless Hounds was able to get her, and it showed.

I brought Lollie home, and it was not an easy transition. She snapped at my other dogs, and would bark as if she were in pain constantly. We were unsure how the next few days would go. However, in true old lady fashion, we got her comfortable for a nap and gave her some food, and she completely turned around. My other dogs noticed she needed her space and gave it to her. But, she would also let them know when they were getting into her bubble too much. Within a few days, she started coming towards my husband and I, like she realized we were the safe places to be. We made her multiple beds at night for her comfort, but she started to always sleep next to my husband. In a few weeks, we started to notice that her legs were not wobbling anymore. She honestly started walking with what you could only call a strut.

We were soon contacted by the rescue to let us know they’d found a rescue in Chicago that specialized in senior girls just like her and that they were setting up transport. But my husband and I couldn’t let her go. She had come so far in the few weeks at home with us, and we knew transporting her would only damage her self confidence and backtrack her progress. We knew she had to stay, and was going to be a new addition to our household. And with that, we officially adopted her.

Lollie survived with us for 2 more years. Lollie suffered a stroke in February of 2023, and her body seemed to slowly defy her day after day. We were blessed to be able to say goodbye to her in our own home, where she so happily lived the rest of her days. We called her our “ol lady,” and she and my husband were inseparable for the remainder of her life. Lollie was our most favorite adoption. Because of her, I find myself preaching to others about the adoption of senior dogs. No matter their age, or life expectancy, your love for that senior dog overpowers any emotion of the inevitable upcoming grief. We miss her every day.

Five months after losing our senior, Lollie, I got a text from Helpless Hounds saying that they had someone they thought we would be interested in. Fully preparing myself for another senior dog, they sent me these pictures of this tiny, adorable, basset hound puppy. The sweet girl had been sold with Parvo from a breeder. Helpless Hounds was able to step in, and after weeks of fighting, this strong little one beat it. We set up transport for the next day and she was on the way to us. We named her Waffles.

Within the first day, we already knew she was going to blend in with the rest of the Hudson hounds. She was sweet, cuddly, yet rambunctious and oh so playful. She immediately bonded with Jenny, a 1½-year-old Malinois mix whom we adopted last year. She’s growing so much, and her chunky little paws are struggling to keep up. She still begs us to pick her up every day, and when we feed her, we almost need to get her a helmet as she gets the tornado zoomies and tends to twirl herself into doors and walls. Our doggy door has seen better days, as she has yet to learn she has brakes, and barges through it, going 90 miles an hour. She has so many qualities that remind us of our Lollie, and she makes us smile every day. We can’t thank Helpless Hounds enough for choosing us to be her forever family.

Trigger spent a week learning so much about being a dog with his foster momma, Yvette, while also learning about safety and love, and lots of walks… which leads us to the heart of this story. While on a walk with foster momma, Trigger met a man named Aaron, only in town for a short time, working as a lineman out of Colorado. Aaron liked to pet all the dogs he saw while traveling and working, and before he could even ask, Trigger ran right up to him, ready for pets.

Fast forward, and we received an excited call from Aaron’s fiancée, Mariah, back in Colorado, letting us know she had just received a call that THEIR dog was waiting for them in Tulsa. He was THE ONE, and Aaron couldn’t live without him. We got all the tinglies, got right on the app, and lo and behold, it was indeed the perfect match. Aaron had a flight back to Colorado that evening, but somehow (we’re calling it fate) got off early enough to swing by the office to spend some time with the little man. He was headed home to get his car and make arrangements to come back for Trigger.

While we were working on a vehicle transport for the following weekend for Mr. Trigger, one of our adopters, who also happens to be a pilot, stepped up and offered to FLY him to Colorado to his forever home! Talk about a story! Trigger not only got to meet his new mom and fur-sister, Rosie, whom he is besties with already, but he also got to experience his first Colorado snow!

The history we received on Waylon was that he had been hit by a car, either in Okmulgee or on the Muskogee Turnpike, picked up by a Good Samaritan, and brought to Helpless Hounds. Waylon had significant injuries to his feet and torso, and the decision was made to rescue and save him. Surgery removed the “ball” of Waylon’s femur and some of his toes. The surgeries seemed extensive for a rescue to take on, but the end result has been remarkable.

Behind us, we have a huge 500-year rain retention pond. I quickly learned that Waylon, as a hound with a keen nose, was an opportunist who took any chance to “explore” beyond his new boundaries. Hundreds of people walk their dogs on the trail around the pond every day, so he and I took several leashed trips to learn, mark, and identify his boundaries. Several times, he explored on his own when he discovered an open door or gate. He quickly taught me that he liked his new home so very much that the return trip was guaranteed.

His short travels prompted me to put several ID tags on his collar announcing Waylon as a “trusted wanderer,” with his address, my phone number, and a note that he would return home. Waylon was returned by several people, mostly infatuated by his overall presence. Realizing this would keep happening, as Waylon had “to follow his nose,” I made a “Waylon Gate” in my fence so he could reach the pond, which is gated, so he can’t leave the area unless allowed.

In a very short time, Waylon became known for who he was and where he lived. His soft floppy ears and huge golden eyes mesmerized all. He made over 100 new friends, people as well as dogs. He would walk with people. His best friends became Jeeter and Ruby. He was quickly proclaimed the “Mayor of the Pond,” since he was out there most of the day, greeting, walking, and snagging treats from everyone. Now, at about 4 years old, he has mellowed and become a tad judgmental about who he wants to see, just sticking his head out his gate to see who’s coming.

The reason I share this with you, and there is much, much more to share, is that someone made a decision not to euthanize Waylon, but to spend the time, effort and resources to save him. That decision has directly touched the lives of over 100 people. Waylon makes people smile and feel good. He makes them, and mostly me, laugh! Children have knocked on our door to ask if Waylon could come out and play. Everyone knows his name! Everyone leans over to pet him for longer than 10 seconds. I’ve never seen a dog where everyone uses two hands to pet him. We have a semi-private fence so people can see in, and they walk by and call out, “Hi, Waylon… Hi, Waylon’s dad!”

There are hundreds of Waylon stories, and there will be hundreds more. He is one of the most amazing dogs I’ve ever seen. And he sits with his legs crossed! When we travel, he places his chin on my shoulder. Thanks be to those of you who helped in the decision to save his life, to touch so many more.