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Sparky

W

hen Hurricane Isabel struck a year ago September, Jane Tindall was hit hard. The house she was living in was ruined. Many of her possessions were destroyed. With the money Jane got for her losses, she was able to buy a houseboat. If you venture up Smith Creek, you’ll see its tropical colors painted on the sides.

Jane loves the houseboat and will tell you that she has come out ahead after Isabel . But for the past year she’s also been talking a lot about “Sparky.” When Jane moved on board the houseboat, Sparky was already living nearby.

Sparky’s a Jack Russell Terrier. She looks like a silent film dog, but packs a lot of energy in to 9 pounds. A lot of energy.

Jane and Sparky on the deck of the houseboat

Sparky bolts down the docks at a diagonal, correcting at the last minute to veer away from the edge. And she bolted down the docks a lot when she knew Jane was on her houseboat.

Jane semi-adopted Sparky months ago. Jane fed her. Jane took her to the vet. Jane felt responsible for the dog. “Sparky’s kind of a rescue dog,” she says.

Friends pitched in. Barb Venturi made a boarding ramp for the houseboat after Sparky kept falling in to the water on the leap from dock to the boat. Sean and Esther who live on their boat nearby built a dog house — calling it Sparky’s Tropical Palace. It’s there on the back deck of the houseboat.

Jane shows off Sparky and his "tropical palace"

Then, a few months ago, it became official. Sparky’s former owners let Jane adopt her fully.

And so, Sparky now lives full time in the Sparky’s Love Palace.

Sparky has a pretty good life at the marina. She is friends with a black cat, Jane says. And she’s been seen chasing balls with dogs from visiting boats. The story might end happily there. But there’s another part of Sparky’s story.

Sparky needed factory refurbishing

“Her dream is to go to The Bean,” Jane says. Jane says she hasn’t brought Sparky there because Sparky has some incontinence issues. She wears diapers. Visits to the vet revealed that Sparky may need more work. Perhaps as much as $1,200 to $1,500.

This has got to be humilating in the dog kingdom. Sparky wears a diaper on the dock, while dock neighbor dog Kayla looks on (is that a dog snicker?)

Local vet Sherri Hicks checked Sparky’s insides out – ran a battery of tests – and realized Sparky needed advanced work. Sherri sent Jane and Sparky to the NC State Vet School in Raleigh. In Raleigh they determined that Sparky needed some fancy work done to her posterier. Expensive work….to the tune of $1,500.

This was more than Jane could swing….but in village fashion a Sparky fundraiser was set up. Folks donated money in a jar at The Bean…word got around….there was even a December hot dog cookout on Hodges St to raise Sparky funds.

The Sparky fundraiser outside Pirate Queen Paddling

Sparky’s plight even inspired a song. Oriental residents Charley and Charlotte Garrett persuaded their son Chris to visit for the fundraiser (Chris has the guitar in the photo below). Chris got creative, and authored "Good Ol’ Sparky."

Good ol’ Sparky (songwriter Chris Garrett)
Gather all the townfolk here Gather all around I’ve got a story to be told About a special hound	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here
Jane rescued Sparky From a time of distress When she brought ol’ Sparky home She found she made a mess	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here
Jane took Sparky to the vet A dollar in her hand The vet said “I can fix her But it costs a couple grand"	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here
Now Sparky has a problem That is a little foul It’s nothing that cannot be fixed With a brand new bowel	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here
Ol’ Sparky is a good ol’ dog She’d like to have more fun So put your dollars in the cup To help her stop the runs	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here
We thank you for your kindness And also for your money Sparky thanks you also But she doesn’t think it’s funny	Chorus: Here Sparky here Here Sparky here Call ol’ Sparky from the boat Here Sparky here

The All New Sparky
The vet school went through all that money – there were tests, medications, probing, poking…shrinking anatonomical parts that we can’t fully describe in a family publication.

Jane reports Sparky is "99% better."

Congrats on a new life Sparky.

Sparky’s Bio
Favorite Movie: Houseboat
What she likes best about Oriental: The kindness of strangers
What she least likes about Oriental: Big dogs
Celebrity Pet Most Resembles: The Flying Nun
Favorite Meal: Tennesee Ronnie’s BBQ

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