Rory Walter

[Gary A Howard]

For a newsgroup for animal lovers, this group has gone way off course. As a
reminder, I suggest the article in today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune, at
http://www.startribune.com/ and probably some other papers, as well. There
must be hope for the humans, with members like Rory Walter.
.........................................................
http://www.startribune.com/cgi-bin/stOnLine/article?currentSlug=ASSI05
.........................................................

Published Sunday, January 5, 1997
She spent her inheritance on stray animals, now needs help
Associated Press

BAILEYS HARBOR, WIS. -- An unexpected peacefulness surrounded Rory Walter
even as a dozen dogs gathered, pawing like kindergartners encircling a
favorite teacher.

For 14 years, Walter has dedicated her life to the care of stray, injured and
abandoned animals. She has sacrificed health and wealth in the process.

<Picture>Rory Walter, shown on Dec. 26, 1996, cares for a variety of stray,
injured and abandoned animals at her property, All Creatures Homehouse,
between Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport in Door County, Wis. Her guests
include dogs, cats, horses, goats and llamas. (AP Photo/Green Bay
Press-Gazette, John Robb)

An heir in the Minahan family, whose holdings once included the Green Bay
Press-Gazette, Walter admitted that, because of a lack of money, the fate of
her All Creatures Home now is more "hour by hour than day to day." But she
gave no hint of anger or regret.

The principal animal shelter in Door County, All Creatures Home is at her
home, a 23-acre parcel along Hwy. 57 between Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport.

"Excuse the mess. The llamas got into the produce last night," said Walter,
strolling through her barn, pointing to a pile of lettuce and tomatoes. With
a major winter storm about to arrive, she was too busy to clean.

In her hand was a bottle of milk for Adele, a blind, two-month-old calf that
came from a farm south of Sturgeon Bay. The farmer brought the calf to her
because it wouldn't survive on the farm. It's a similar story for most of her
animal companions. Most were abandoned or injured. Some were bought at
auction to prevent a trip to a slaughterhouse. All of them have names, some
from movie and novel characters, some in honor of friends.

Adele is named after a character from Charlotte Brontė's Jane Eyre. There are
llamas and pigs, horses and donkeys, cats and goats. But mostly, there are
dogs, nearly 70 canines of all sorts. .

Walter, in her mid-40s, admitted the path she has chosen isn't the easiest.
While some animals will be adopted by families to become pets, others will
never leave the shelter. Walter said her life cycle is dictated by her
charges. Her hours are their hours.

A while ago, she said, she daydreamed about visiting England. But she quickly
put that thought aside, noting that even if she could afford the trip, who
would care for her animals? And even if there were someone to care for the
animals, how could she remove herself for that long a time?

Walter has gone for months without heat to make sure the animals are fed and
cared for.

In recent months she has acknowledged that she is again pressed for money.

"I cannot carry the weight of taking in, caring for, placing, euthanizing the
huge number of Door County's unwanted and tossed-aside animals without the
help of the people anymore," she wrote in a letter that appeared in the Door
County Advocate. Her letter to the community prompted the formation of a
group, Friends of Rory, which has begun a financial campaign to assist her.

"It's unbelievable. I've been in animal welfare for 35 years and I've never
seen anyone give up as much as she has," said Bette Anderson of De Pere, one
of those friends.

"It's just the way she touches an animal," Anderson said. "There are some
people that almost communicate with an animal and Rory's one of them."

It's not that Walter doesn't receive help. A couple of times a week she gets
outdated produce from the Pick 'n' Save in Sturgeon Bay. And there are
barrels scattered in stores around the county for collecting donations. But
caring for so many animals -- at times there are nearly 200 -- can cost
thousands of dollars a month. Walter supports an effort by The Door County
Humane Society to create a shelter, but she doesn't believe it will change
her mission.

There's just so much need.

"I could have had a cushy life with my inheritance," she said. "I lost
everything. But also I think I've gained everything."

© Copyright 1997 Associated Press. All rights reserved
......................

Thanks, AP...
ga...@winternet.com