Ft Worth Times

Back in September, the Van den Berg family decided to make a big move abroad to the Netherlands. Naturally, because he’s a member of the family, the Colorado clan planned to take their pooch, Rippy, with them.

After hours of research, Elizabeth van den Berg learned that Rippy could only fly out of an international airport. As luck would have it, they’d already purchased plane tickets for a departure out of DFW Airport due to a prior engagement in the area. So the Van den Bergs rented a truck and drove to Texas from their tiny mountain town. The plan was to board Rippy in Dallas for three nights before flying him abroad.

That’s when things went south.

“At the boarding house, Rippy showed ‘aggressive behavior,’ and I was told he would not be allowed on the plane and that they would not keep him there,” Elizabeth said.

The facility, unfortunately, didn’t have a backup plan for this type of situation. With zero connections in the DFW area, the Van den Bergs were left with no other option than to surrender Rippy somewhere immediately.

“After driving all over the Fort Worth metro area and being turned away by three separate shelters (due to lack of room or me not being local), I was advised to take him to the City of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Division North Campus,” Elizabeth recalled.

She arrived there Nov. 17 and spoke to shelter supervisor Ryan Ellis, who ticked off all of the reasons why the Fort Worth Shelter also couldn’t take the dog. But when, through bated breath, Elizabeth asked if he would help her despite the limitations, she got an answer she wasn’t expecting.

“Ryan quickly responded with, ‘Of course I am!’” she said. “The tears of relief fell swiftly on what had become one of the most stressful and worst days of my life.” Elizabeth, her husband and children relocated to the Netherlands the following day, leaving Rippy in the loving hands of shelter staff.

North Campus supervisor Jennifer Stout immediately set to work, coordinating the group effort to get Rippy back to the Van den Bergs. The shelter housed Rippy until a good Samaritan placed him in a local boarding facility until he could be transported safely back to Colorado.

“Even though the Fort Worth Shelter had every reason not to help me in this very unique situation, they found the space and the resources to do so, and Rippy is safe back in Colorado at a place he loves and trusts,” Elizabeth said.

She commends the North Campus for their above-and-beyond effort: “The gratitude I feel for this organization is exponential, and I cannot thank them enough for taking care of my pup and me.”

Rippy is currently at a training/boarding facility in Colorado while the Van den Bergs devise another plan to get their furry family member moved overseas with them.

Original source can be found here.