<p>Four Vineyard-bound rescue dogs had a three-day, two-night cruise from Bermuda to Port Elizabeth, N.J. last week.
Four Vineyard-bound rescue dogs had a three-day, two-night cruise from Bermuda to Port Elizabeth, N.J. last week with their Angels Helping Animals rescuers, Leslie Hurd of East Chop and Lynn Shepherdson of Vineyard Haven. Though there was one day of high seas when on-deck walks were out of the question, the four dogs — a terrier and boxer mix from the Bermuda government shelter — enjoyed daily strolls aboard the Bermuda Container Line cargo ship Oleander. The ship’s regular cargo tends to be cars and building materials.
In the past four years Vineyard-based Angels Helping Animals has brought more than 500 homeless dogs from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, Virginia and Bermuda to the Vineyard and found permanent homes for them across the country. When the dogs are Virgin Islands rescues, American Airlines allows them to fly to the States as companion dogs to travelers who volunteer to have them with them on their flights. But since airlines serving Bermuda insist that animals fly only as cargo, Angels Helping Animals arranged with Bermuda Container Line CEO Richard Todd for the shipboard crossing of the latest group of rescue canines.
Except for their daily strolls, the dogs traveled in crates in the hold while their human companions enjoyed meals with the ship’s captain, Jacek Jurszo of Gizycko, Poland, during the crossing. He told the tale of his 2012 rescue of yachtsmen who had capsized their 40-foot boat in the dangerous Bermuda Triangle waters.
Once the Oleander arrived in New Jersey with its canine passengers, their human companions drove them to Woods Hole in a rental car. They now have received all necessary immunizations and are awaiting adoption off County Road in Oak Bluffs, where Angels Helping Animals has a shelter.
Information about the dogs can be found on the Angels Facebook page or by calling Ms. Hurd at 1-508-274-2604.
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I have a long-standing
Susan Dion-Wesolowska Los Angeles, CAI have a long-standing observation during my 9-year-old marriage to Polish native, Leszek. Although Poland is comparable to New Mexico in size, we are invariably surprised by the overwhelming evidence of his culture. Upon introducing my spouse at the local supermarket, on a cruise to Alaska, walking on the Santa Monica pier, attending the opera or other live music; "My mother is from Poland!" "I grew up in Poland because my dad's job took him there." "My next door neighbor is from Poland!" "My brother married a lovely girl from Poland!" and on and on and on. I chose a new mystery novel to read - one of the characters is Polish, even just watching a movie - there is always a Polish name or two in the credits. Why should tonight be any different? I stumble across a little story from Martha's Vineyard's Vineyard Gazette Notebook online that caught my attention because I like dogs, and the rescuing ship's captain is Jacek Jurszo of Gizycko, Poland and he is also a hero that rescue's yachtsmen from a capsized boat in Bermuda as well as homeless canines! For a little European country, Poland sure does get around! Captain? My darling Leszek from Dabrowa Gornizca and his wife bid you Hello, from Los Angeles, CA.
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