HOW A SENIOR HOUND’S ESCAPE CHANGED DOZENS OF LIVES Jailbreak for Justice
When a 10-year-old basset hound fled from her neglectful home, she didn’t just rescue herself from abuse and poor conditions; she ended up saving more than 30 other animals from unimaginable suffering. Hero, as she’s since been named, was in bad shape when animal rescuers first discovered her. Emaciated and dirty, her overgrown nails had twisted, making it painful for her to walk. She had a painful bladder infection and heartworms. Despite the pain she was in, she made a daring escape, and her ID tag led animal control to a house of horrors. Officers found 36 other dogs, a chicken, and a cat at the location, suffering from various ailments and signs of abuse. Some animals lived in small, dirty cages; others
had injuries and signs of malnutrition. All of them were dirty and had a medical issue of some kind. It was clear they needed help. The Humane Society of Concord took in 15 of the dogs, including Hero, and other local rescues housed the rest. When the sad story of these neglected dogs reached the community, people heard the call and donated funds to help cover their medical and care costs. If it had not been for Hero’s life-saving feat, there’s no telling what would have become of her furry friends. The shelter that named her Hero even gave her a last name, Salvare, which means to save and protect. They described her as “a friendly girl with the softness of a sweet old lady” who deserved a quiet home as she recovered.
Hero has since found her forever home and was adopted the next day after the shelter searched for a new owner. Thanks to the kind and persevering hound, many other dogs from the home have also been adopted. “Despite Hero’s sad backstory, she’s proof that dogs are resilient creatures that only show love that is unconditional,” the shelter wrote. Hero may have started as a victim, but she ended a chapter of abuse as a rescuer. Her quiet bravery saved her and transformed the lives of dozens of others, proving that even in the darkest places, hope can come on four legs and floppy ears.
THE SPEED BUMPS But sharing a tiny space with a coworker 24/7 can be a miserable experience, a rookie driver wrote on an industry subreddit, r/Truckers. “You’re sharing a rolling bedroom with someone, and you have to trust their driving to sleep,” a commenter responded.
TAG-TEAM STRESS
The Highs and Lows of Team Trucking
Trying to sleep in a rolling vehicle is a big hurdle for some team drivers. Also, staying entertained during non-driving hours can be difficult. A federal appeals court in Boston recently ordered a freight hauling company to pay overtime to team drivers confined to their sleeping berths for more than eight hours a day. Although the company argued that the off-duty driver could do whatever they wanted, including watching movies or surfing social media, the court found that the sleeper space was too confining to support much R&R. One key to success, truckers say, is to choose your own partner. Although some companies require new drivers to train with an experienced teammate at first, most allow drivers a choice after the training stage. Even driving with your bestie, potential snags can arise. A team driver who works with a close friend recommends setting up a work-sharing schedule. He and his teammate drive for six weeks together, then separate for four weeks, with each driving solo for two of those four weeks. “It doesn’t matter how well you get along,” this driver says. “There’s going to be tension in the truck.”
Many trucking companies employ team drivers, enabling them to cover more miles and, in some cases, charge customers higher rates. For some drivers, pairing up with another trucker for long- haul jobs may sound appealing. But if you ask experienced truck drivers, most say team driving poses challenges and can be difficult to tolerate unless you’re teamed with a spouse, friend, or family member. THE FAST LANE Team drivers often make more money by moving expensive freight 24/7. Some freight-hauling companies offer tricked-out cabs to ease the strain, including built-in TVs and refrigerators, memory foam mattresses, and auxiliary power to keep heat or air conditioning running with the engine off. Father-and-son and husband-and-wife teams are fairly common. One mother who has been driving with her son for 11 years says they support each other on the road and make more money, too — all of which stays in their household.
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