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I'm currently living in far northern California with Bigfoot as my neighbor with nine dogs. I'm a teacher, "only" substituting and doing dog rescue here for about four years. More than fifty dogs have come under my care and most have been adopted by loving families. Six of my current nine are keepers and I have a wonderful cat who trains the dogs in cat ways for their new lives.
Long story short, I'm in a rural, impoverished area on an Indian reservation where I relocated in 2003 with my husband, a doctor, and invested all of my talent and energy into our property and rescue, which is a big thing here. There are so many strays. He was to earn the money while I earned equity. However, he left here about a year ago to take another job and has essentially disappeared leaving me holding the bag on $6000/month in debt, no medical insurance, no access to professional employment (one district within 65 miles), and physically unable to manage alone without hired help, which I can't hire, etc. and it all has fallen apart.
That's ok, because I (we) have the property to sell, and when I do, which I'm in the process of doing, I will pay off everything (not his timeshare and new car, only the old truck I drive and credit debt!) and buy a little place in the Carolinas of my own. It's a nice property, riverfront, grand and in CA, the land of gold. Best fly fishing hole around, salmon and steelhead. Truly beautiful to have such a wonderful place, my own private beach, and the most incredible soil for gardening imaginable.
Ok, I need to move. I am a teacher, a little rusty. I think I want to move to NC with my dogs, settle in, get a job, and when the property is sold, buy my own country place to get old with the critters in while I teach little kids to read and be enthusiastic about having a BRAIN! Maybe I'll run a group home from my house for kids or developmentally challenged adults - I've done both and loved it - at the same time.
Meantime, I need a home there in NC to stage my long term plan. It has to be inexpensive and my dogs have to be welcome. I'd be thrilled with a weatherproof barn with septic, electric, and water as I could pull my 22' travel trailer into it. I can caretake in exchange, tutor, do childcare, most anything that doesn't involve a strong back as I murdered it working on this house, or I can pay a small amount of cash. This won't be long term, probably less than a year, only until I decide where to land permanantly, which will have a lot to do with where I get a job next fall. Certain counties, like Iredell and Robeson, keep popping up.
Most important to me is that my dogs and cat are safe. If they are, I will be, too.
Ok, that's my wish. Anyone have any input? Thanks for reading through this. :-) I apologize for the run-on, train-of-thought writing.
Here around Charlotte, you have plenty of options in the neighboring counties. Take for example Union County, just south of Charlotte, where you can find medium and large acerage places very affordably in Monroe, Wingate (home of Wingate University), Marshville, and Waxhaw. Monroe is a smaller city with all of the stores to meet your immediate needs and a smaller shopping mall. Lincoln, Cabarrus and Stanly counties offer similar a look and feel (rural but still close to civilization) and livestock / animal rescue friendly.
Oh. I completely forgot about Lancaster & York counties in South Carolina which offer a similar feel with lower property taxes.
The Charlotte area is very dog and cat friendly. There's even a Dog Bar in NoDa - Charlotte that allows you to bring your pet while you enjoy your evening.
Hi! I am a teacher in Durham, NC, which is a great place to live. We are home of Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill is only 15 minutes down the road. Lots of stuff to do, but with a small town feel. We would love to have you! We need teachers!
Of course, Asheville Native. That's what this post is one phase of - "looking before I leap."
I will have six wherever I am, not nine. I arrived here with one. I do rescue-I've had more than 50 dogs come through my home, most happily adopted. Thought I explained that.
Certainly would not live where I can't be free, legal and not jeopardize my dogs. They are my priority.
There's a thread on the Western North Carolina forum titled "dogs and vaccinations" and a couple of the posts talk about some counties in North Carolina requiring mandatory sterilization. You might want to read that thread.
Have you thought about contacting the rescue societies in various counties to get leads? Being a rescuer, I'm sure you'd find sympathetic and knowledgeable compatriots.
Certainly, I root for you. Living in a rural area with 5 dogs (2 from rescue) and 8 cats, most of whom have been sort of "involuntary" rescues (how amazing that people think cats "dumped" in the country will survive on their own. They won't, instead landing on the doorstep of saps like me who give them a home in a shelter we dubbed 'Catcatraz' - the lucky ones, anyway. plenty of cat roadkill around here ) , I can read in your post that you are putting your critters first.
Good luck on your search and let us know how it turns out.
Thank you for the tip, clgrimes, and the encouragement silverwing. All my critters are neutered (except for the 8 week old). The HSUS sends a team out here annually, but though 200 animals were neutered, there are always more puppies and kittens. Last night someone came by with two drop offs and the day before I was called about seven that were dumped. There are no public shelters for this area and I'm it, but I'm full and can't take any more - I've got to move to earn a living to support the six I consider mine forever.
That's a good thought about contacting agencies there. Thank you for giving homes to so many critters. :-) Where are you in North Carolina, if I may ask?
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(how amazing that people think cats "dumped" in the country will survive on their own. They won't, instead landing on the doorstep of saps like me who give them a home in a shelter we dubbed 'Catcatraz' - the lucky ones, anyway. plenty of cat roadkill around here 
) , I can read in your post that you are putting your critters first.
