Chapter 24: pupppy camp ends
After what Noah said to her, Kaybri didn’t try to contact him that night.
The next day, Noah didn’t come into the clinic. Autumn said he called and wanted Kaybri to replace him. Autumn said that she didn’t know whether he meant temporarily or permanently.
Over the next few weeks, Kaybri visited the Stoltzfus Farm to check on the renovations to the barn, but he was never there when she was. Not seeing him was painful. Knowing that he was nearby and unwilling to see her was devastating.
The one bit of good news was that Frank called to tell her he wasn’t going to take the practice away from her. “I saw how you handled a difficult day when so many dogs were sick and so many owners were upset. You kept your cool even knowing I was thinking of canceling the contract. I still think you’re the one, Kaybri. I just wish you hadn’t done what you did with HED. You have, however, given me a chance to atone for not stopping the breeders. Dorothy and I think you’ve earned the chance to make a life here.”
A week went by before Kaybri finally saw Noah again. He came to the clinic to pick up a golden retriever, one of the original twenty-six dogs saved. Kaybri and her staff had been amazed by her transformation and named her Phoenix. The dog’s orange coat was now thick and lustrous. She played like a puppy and rolled on her back to receive their affection whenever she was touched.
Noah spoke to Kaybri only to tell her that he wanted Phoenix to be the first breeding dog in the new facility.
“Oh, she’ll have beautiful puppies! But she needs a lot of love. We’ve spoiled her here.” Kaybri said to Noah, hoping to extend the conversation.
Noah said he would spend the day teaching his siblings how to walk and handle the dog and that his nieces and nephews would be happy to take over the spoiling duties.
Kaybri asked Noah how his father was doing.
“He’s better,” Noah said. “Thanks for asking.” Just seeing Noah and having him talk to her made Kaybri smile inside.
Kaybri told Noah that she hadn’t replaced him and hoped he’d be coming back to work. “And I’ll certainly forgive your unplanned and unauthorized absence from duty,” she said playfully, hoping to coax a smile from him. Her attempt didn’t work.
He simply said, “I’ll think about it” and left with the dog.
A few minutes later, when Kaybri was in an exam room, Autumn came in to tell her that Teri was in the waiting room and needed to speak to her.
This time, Kaybri didn’t offer her a beverage or a chair.
“What do you want? Are you here to set me up again and get Judge Thompson on my case?” Kaybri said testily.
“I need your help,” Teri said. There was fire in her eyes.
Kaybri couldn’t tell from her demeanor whether she had come as friend or foe. “What is it, Teri?” she asked suspiciously.
“The clinic is going to have to accommodate about thirty dogs from Puppy Camp. Its owner, Larry Chambers, is shutting one of his stores down.” She flashed a triumphant smile.
“Seriously?!” Kaybri said. “Why?” Puppy Camp had long been the worst offender. They sold hundreds of dogs from their three stores every year.
“Life has become quite unpleasant for Larry.”
“I’ve seen the HED protestors on the nightly news and in the newspaper. Did that have any effect?”
“I’d say so. That’s quite a turnoff to customers. Our signs are pretty explicit about the horrors of puppy mills.”
“Has he been losing money?”
“Well, he let go all of his staff earlier this month and has been working seven days a week by himself. Looks to me like he’s not making it.”
“When and how did he decide to shut it down?”
“He’s been cursing at me for weeks. Finally, he came out of the store and waved a white flag. He was full of excuses. He told me his business model requires that he sell the lower-priced poorly bred Amish dogs because he can acquire them cheaply. He can’t make a living selling more expensive dogs raised by reputable breeders. There are only so many customers who are willing to pay thousands for a dog from a conscientious breeder, and many of these customers go directly to the breeders and bypass stores like his.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him his business model doesn’t work anymore. I informed him that I would pick up all of his dogs tomorrow.”
“I suspect that not all of his dogs are from Amish farms.”
“Did you forget who you are talking to?” Teri said with a laugh. “As far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t make a dollar whether they’re Amish dogs or not.”
“Are you paying him for the dogs?”
“He said the ‘inventory’ at his York store is worth $20,000 alone, but I told him I don’t plan to pay a thing.”
“Good,” Kaybri said. “You can sell the healthy dogs to help pay for the veterinary care for the ones who will become sick.”
“Exactly. Great minds think alike.”
“Thirty dogs are a lot for us to handle. Is there a way for you to take the dogs in batches?”
“Nope. We’re taking them all at once.”
“I’m sure that I can send you some volunteers,” Kaybri offered.
“We’d appreciate any help you can send us. HED members are experienced protesters. Most don’t know how to care for distressed animals.”
Before Teri left, Kaybri called Frank to tell him the news and get his and Dorothy’s help for when the dogs arrived. Frank assured her that they would contact their network of volunteers.
But the next morning, Larry changed his mind, so Kaybri and Teri arranged a Zoom call with Judge Thompson, who then coerced Larry to join the call as well. When the judge explained the litany of possible fines and charges for animal abuse that Larry faced, he backed down and agreed to relinquish the dogs. Whether the charges were legitimate or could be made to stick made no difference. The idea of paying thousands of dollars in legal fees while still losing money at his stores convinced him.
When Larry got off the line, the judge addressed Teri. “I think I’m starting to understand what you’re doing even though you are violating the agreement we made in my courtroom. I also believe you have a personal agenda.”
Teri hesitated. “There are things I need to atone for. As you said, I’ve been part of the problem, not the solution,” Teri said. Kaybri saw tears in her eyes as she spoke.
Judge Thompson shifted the conversation back to Puppy Camp. “There’s a chance Mr. Chambers will change his mind again.”
“Do you have any advice?” Teri asked.
“I think I’ll be one of the volunteers helping load up the dogs tomorrow. I’ll meet you at the York store. What time do you plan on claiming the dogs?”
“Nine a.m.”
“See you then.”
Kaybri was about to disconnect the Zoom call when Judge Thompson asked her to stay on the line. “I was wondering how crowded the clinic already is with all the dogs you have taken in from the Stoltzfus Farm.”
“It’s tight. Frank is trying to cover for Noah. He’s helping his dad run the farm.”
“I don’t think the Puppy Camp dogs should go to the clinic. I think the Stoltzfus Farm is a better choice.”
“That’s not what you ordered us to do. And this means the pups will be there for the tour the day after tomorrow. She was referring to the long-anticipated court-ordered visit to the farm by Teri and HED that was part of Judge Thompson’s plan. The idea was to show everyone the progress that had been made and lower the temperature in the community. It had been decided that Kaybri would lead the HED group around and explain the changes to the operation.
“The law is an ever-evolving entity. I think there are many advantages to placing the dogs, temporarily, on the farm.”
This time it was Kaybri’s turn to laugh. “You heard about the troubles Noah and I are having.”
“It’s a small town.”