Jason and Jessica

Leaving soon for a pack meeting. Catching up on e-mails. Better tell about Jason and Jessica before Rex gets here. 

Jason and Jessica are the heirs apparent of the small but tenacious band of puppy liberators. Allen was the founder and formal leader. But, he has issues with the hard things that Jason claims must be done. Oh brother, always the hard things, I thought as I listened.

There were fourteen of them, in this merry band, all dressed in black, half of them armed. Lydia, a woman in her late 40s, told me, "We used to just wear jeans and dark sweatshirts." She explained that for years Allen maintained the "No violence" rule.

Allen is a lawyer. Civil rights has always been his main game. He started twelve years ago with the puppy rescues, going out just to talk to the puppy mill owners, trying to convince them of the error of their ways. He, by his own admission, did not ever have much luck. So, he changed tactics.

The first time he snuck in to the dilapidated kennels of a mill, he was dressed in work clothes, slacks and a tie. It was a whim, after a few beers. He snatched just one puppy - Bastian. That dog is still with him, 15 years old now. Over time he got more bold, brought others into the crusade. They got better and better at rescuing more and more puppies. 

Then came Jason and Jessica.

Jason is an Iraq vet. Infantry. 82nd Airborne Division. Jessica was a chopper mechanic. She's done three tours. He's done two. He has some of the worst PTSD I've ever seen. She is just lost. 

Allen recruited them both last year. Both needed to blow off steam. Both brought new ways and attitudes to the team. Jason convinced Allen that a few needed to be armed, for safety and security reasons. He had heard all of Allen's stories about being run off and shot at by mill owners with guns. Jason reminded Allen of those stories, and made promises that they would never happen again. Jessica brought the group together, organizing parties and dinners, for planning and socializing. She formed the loosely knit, hodge-podge of neo-hippies into a tight-knit, focused team of determined puppy liberators. 

So, Jason brought the tactics and Jessica brought the cohesion. Jeans were replaced with fatigues. Flashlights were replaced with rifles. Idealism was replaced with pragmatism. Allen was still the leader. But Jason and Jessica were calling many of the shots. 

Time to go. Rex is here. Family's asleep. The pack calls. Time to howl. And I have to be back in the morning before they get up for church. 

Fresh meat.