Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network

Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network Volunteers working to make life better for dogs and the humans who love them. Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network is based at Windsong Ranch in Whitewright, Texas.

We specialize in working livestock guardian dogs, including breeds such as Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, Akbash, and mixes of these and other LGD breeds. We are not breed-specific, but our experience and expertise is limited to a few breeds who have a centuries-long history of living and working on farms and ranches, in fields and mountains. We rescue many Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds

, Akbash, and mixes of these with other breeds. We have rescued a few Australian Shepherds, and are open to rescuing any dog that we think might be a good addition to life on a farm, ranch, or homestead. We test our foster dogs with our livestock, and place them in homes according to the things we learn about each dog through our testing. We work hard to evaluate a dog's temperament and behavior, and try to discern the kind of life each dog would prefer, whether that's living in the house as a pampered pet, in the pasture as a noble working dog, or some combination. You can find information about our adoption procedures on our website at www.bluebonnetrescue.org.

I wasn't able to make much progress on my "TO DO" list yesterday because we had not just one but TWO power outages cause...
09/20/2025

I wasn't able to make much progress on my "TO DO" list yesterday because we had not just one but TWO power outages caused by squirrels. We had the same thing happen one day last week, so it was a big surprise that it happened again yesterday, and an even greater surprise -- a SHOCK you could say (sorry, bad pun) -- that it happened AGAIN later in the day. We're grateful that Grayson Collin Electric Cooperative responded to our calls very quickly, so we were without power only briefly each time. But of course, if you use a PC as I do, you know that a sudden power loss can wreak havoc. I have a UPS back-up, but it still means shutting down the PC every time, and then re-starting everything (PC, wi-fi router, applications) once power is restored. Oh well -- at least for US, the power outages were merely an inconvenience. For the squirrels, the outcome was significantly worse. The folks from the Co-op told us that power outages caused by squirrels are their #1 cause of service calls. But twice in one day at the same address was just as much of a surprise for them as it was for us!

So today we're playing catch-up. If you were expecting to hear from us yesterday, hopefully we'll be able to get in touch today or tomorrow at the latest. Thank you for your patience!

Week
09/20/2025

Week

Look at this pretty girl! Sophie was rescued by a Good Samaritan who took her to the veterinarian for emergency care bec...
09/20/2025

Look at this pretty girl! Sophie was rescued by a Good Samaritan who took her to the veterinarian for emergency care because she wasn't in very good shape when she was found. The vet estimated her to be 10-12 months old, and she weighed just over 42 lbs. With loving care from her foster mom, continuing veterinary care, and of course good nutrition, Sophie has filled in some and was up to almost 50 lbs at her last vet appointment. She is scheduled for spay surgery later this month, and after that, she will be ready to start interviewing potential adopters.

Our best guess is that Sophie is a White Shepherd, recognized by the United Kennel Club as a separate breed, and recognized by the AKC as one of the accepted colors in the German Shepherd Dog. She is house/potty-trained and is receiving courtesy training through our friends Judy & Mike Shamp of Bark Busters Home Training. Sophie loves her crate and is getting better at leash-walking thanks to Mike and Judy's good work. Her foster mom works from home, and Sophie is calm and quiet in the house during her work day. She enjoys meeting new people and has done well in her introductions to Mike and Judy's dogs.

Sophie will be available for adoption around the end of September after she recovers from her spay surgery. She's being fostered in Celina TX (north of Dallas), and if you live in that general area, Mike and Judy will be glad to meet with you to help you introduce Sophie to any other dogs you may have. Stay tuned for an update after her spay surgery!

https://www.bluebonnetrescue.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=21877560

THIS IS THE FINAL HOUR!!! ends at midnight tonight! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueAll day, and ...
09/19/2025

THIS IS THE FINAL HOUR!!! ends at midnight tonight!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

All day, and even the entire month of September, we have been showcasing some of the amazing and wonderful dogs and farm animals that have been rescued by Bluebonnet. All of the farm animals and many of the dogs call Windsong Ranch their home -- some forever, some just as a waystation on their way to a new, better life. At any given time, there are 70-75 dogs in Bluebonnet's care, plus rescued feral/barn cats, chickens, goats, and donkeys. Feeding them all is a major undertaking, and with food going in, that means p**p to be scooped, which is ALSO a major undertaking! These are chores that Tim and I do -- no paid staff or volunteers, just two (sometimes grumpy, definitely old) people doing this day after day.

Through the end of August, our 2025 expenses total $55,095, with $24,214 (approx. 44%) of that being veterinary expenses. Our second largest category is dog food; we're lucky to be able to get some food at extremely reduced prices through the Rescue Bank, but much of their generosity this year has been directed toward areas ravaged by wildfires and floods, so by necessity we've bought most of our food at retail, spending a total year-to-date of $19,768 (36%). That's almost 80% of our total expenditures just in food and veterinary care. Another 10% ($5,652) has paid for monthly preventives for heartworms, fleas, and ticks. The remaining 10% includes gas, insurance and toll fees for our transport van; basic supplies like collars, leashes, dog beds, and puppy pads; and fees we pay to PayPal, Venmo and other platforms. As always, there are never any expenses for staff, board members, or officers -- we don't HAVE any staff, and those of us who serve on the board or as officers do so as volunteers. Every dollar we spend benefits the animals we rescue.

We hope you'll consider a donation for North Texas Giving Day to support the animals of Bluebonnet. And to those of you who have already donated -- THANK YOU!

09/19/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

Jessie is one of the Toy Story litter of Akbash/Great Pyrenees puppies from the ranch in Central Texas that we have been working on since March of 2024. They are the youngest of FIFTY dogs and puppies we have removed from that one property! We transferred 19 puppies to other rescues for adoption through their channels -- we had expenses for feeding those pups and giving them veterinary care, including their first two rounds of vaccinations plus deworming and preventives for fleas/ticks/heartworms, but we didn't receive any adoption fees to help offset our expenses. Two puppies have been vetted and adopted -- YAY for those happy tails! We've done full vetting on 8 adult dogs, all of whom are feral and not expected to be easily adoptable. We've given vaccinations (and deworming and monthly preventives) to all the others, and the puppies like Jessie who are still here at our home base will be spayed/neutered in the coming weeks in accordance with Texas state law. We currently have puppies ranging from 5 - 9 months old, with plenty of girls AND boys. Be sure to check our adoption website if you're interested in Jessie or any of her siblings or cousins! Link in our page bio and LinkTree. Jessie is at Bluebonnet's home base in Whitewright TX, but two of the male pups from this case are currently in a foster home in the Austin area.

Taking care of so many dogs is very expensive. Please consider a donation to our North Texas Giving Day fundraiser to support our work!

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueConsider Mr. Tracer, who has the most...
09/19/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

Consider Mr. Tracer, who has the most beautiful coat and amazing fluffy tail! Tracer is one of 3 dogs we pulled from a small shelter in 2023. Based on the rural location where they were picked up, they were believed to have been livestock guardian dogs, so once we got them vetted, we started testing them with our livestock. Both Calvin and Hobbes got adopted as working LGDs, and Tracer could have been adopted the same way except for one thing – he is a fence-climber extraordinaire! We have rescued too many dogs who got hit by car, shot by neighbors, attacked by a feral hog, attacked by a pack of coyotes, or in a few cases, caught in a hunter's snare, so we know the risks faced by a dog who can leave home. So we moved Tracer inside our house. He quickly showed us he can go over our 6' tall privacy fence AND our 6' tall chain link fence. We have one small yard that is surrounded by 5' tall concrete block wall instead of fencing. So far, Tracer has not been able to go over THAT, so that's the only yard where he ever has any unsupervised time outside. Needless to say, this special "talent" makes Tracer a challenge to place.

Tracer gets along well with other dogs and is great with cats. He loves people most of all. He also loves the sofa, so don’t apply unless you’re OK sharing your sofa with a big dog. Other than his exceptional fence-climbing skills, Tracer is just about the perfect dog.

Some dogs like Tracer stay with us for a very long time before we can find the right adopter. We can only afford to do this work with your support. Please make a donation using the link above. THANK YOU to everyone who supports us on an ongoing basis, and to those of you who have already donated during this campaign. Please share our posts today to help us reach an even wider audience.

09/19/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

Bibi thinks the turtle sandbox makes an excellent pool for cooling off on hot days! Bibi is about 1.5 years old and almost 75 lbs. She has grown up with goats and is getting some exposure to poultry thanks to our rescued roosters. She gets along well with other dogs and hasn’t bothered our barn cats. If you’re looking for an LGD with a good start, visit our website to submit your application today! Link in our page bio and LinkTree.

We can only continue to help dogs like Bibi with your support. Please make a donation using the link above. THANK YOU to everyone who supports us on an ongoing basis, and to those of you who have already donated during this campaign. Please share our posts today to help us reach an even wider audience.


TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueThese are just a few of the dogs we h...
09/19/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

These are just a few of the dogs we have available for adoption who have been tested and proven safe with chickens and/or goats. Some are dogs who live in the house but can be trusted to spend time in the chicken yard, or with a flock of backyard chickens. Some are working dogs who live in the pasture 24/7 to protect our Nigerian Dwarf goats. We have adult dogs ready to go, and puppies who will need continued training and conditioning. Visit our website to learn more! Link in our page bio and LinkTree. Located in Whitewright TX - Adoptions in Texas and Oklahoma.

We can only continue to do this work with your support. Please make a donation using the link above. THANK YOU to everyone who supports us on an ongoing basis, and to those of you who have already donated during this campaign. Please share our posts today to help us reach an even wider audience.

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueSince our founding in 2013, Bluebonne...
09/18/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

Since our founding in 2013, Bluebonnet Animal Rescue has taken in goats, donkeys, and chickens, as well as dogs and puppies, and as many feral cats as our barns can house without any spats over territory. Farm animals and barn cats live with us at Windsong Ranch for the rest of their lives. Most dogs and puppies are made available for adoption, but some end up becoming sanctuary animals.

We can only continue to do this work with your support. Please make a donation using the link above. THANK YOU to everyone who supports us on an ongoing basis, and to those of you who have already donated during this campaign. Please share our posts today to help us reach an even wider audience.



Continuing our posts in recognition of Week --We are fortunate to have plenty of LGDs to be sure our fence is not like...
09/18/2025

Continuing our posts in recognition of Week --

We are fortunate to have plenty of LGDs to be sure our fence is not likely to be breached by a predator. Our canine "security officers" keep our livestock safe, and a few of them take great offense to any unknown humans approaching our front gate. 😁

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueHoney Bunch is one of the 50 dogs and...
09/18/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

Honey Bunch is one of the 50 dogs and puppies we rescued from a ranch in Central Texas, where they were living with and guarding a large herd of goats. Like most of the dogs there, Honey Bunch was completely feral when she arrived. She has been here for a full year now, during which time she has been vaccinated, spayed, and microchipped. She is still very skittish with people and she thinks the leash is surely some evil form of punishment, but we keep working with her, trying to show her that humans can be trusted.

Taking on a project like this, with so many feral and unsocialized dogs, is time-consuming and very costly. We still have 19 dogs from that ranch to be spayed and neutered over the next few months, plus 1 more dog from a separate case. So that's a lot of surgery expense coming up before the end of the year. Then of course there's the ongoing cost of feeding more than 70 dogs and providing them with monthly preventives for heartworms, fleas, and ticks. In addition to the dogs in our program, we have rescued goats, chickens, and feral/barn cats, all of whom have different and sometimes expensive needs when it comes to feed and veterinary care. Prices just keep going up, so we need your help now more than ever. We know times are tough for many Americans, but to the extent that your budget allows, we hope you'll consider a donation for North Texas Giving Day to support the animals of Bluebonnet. And to those of you who have already donated -- THANK YOU!

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here! https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescueThese are just 3 of the 50 dogs and p...
09/18/2025

TODAY'S THE DAY!!! is here!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/BluebonnetRescue

These are just 3 of the 50 dogs and puppies we have rescued from a single Central Texas ranch in the past 18 months. 7 adults and 19 puppies (age 5 - 9 months old) are available for adoption. Taking care of this many dogs, including meeting all their veterinary needs, can be very expensive. We hope you'll consider making a donation to our North Texas Giving Day fundraiser. Link in this post and in our LinkTree, which also includes links to our adoption website and to other donation options.


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Whitewright, TX

Website

https://linktr.ee/BluebonnetRescue

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Making life better for dogs and the people who love them

Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network is based at Windsong Ranch in Whitewright, Texas. We are not breed-specific, but our experience and expertise is limited to a few breeds who have a centuries-long history of living and working on farms and ranches, in fields and mountains. We rescue many Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, Akbash, and mixes of these with other breeds. We have rescued a few Australian Shepherds, and are open to rescuing any dog that we think might be a good addition to life on a farm, ranch, or homestead. We test our foster dogs with our livestock, and place them in homes according to the things we learn about each dog through our testing. We work hard to evaluate a dog's temperament and behavior, and try to discern the kind of life each dog would prefer, whether that's living in the house as a pampered pet, in the pasture as a noble working dog, or some combination. Our adoption fees vary according to the age and type of dog. We try to list the fee for each dog on his or her profile on our Adopt-a-Pet page, but in general, this is our fee structure: $100 for Senior Dogs $200 for "Regular" Dogs who are wonderful house pets $300 for Adult Dogs who have been tested and proven safe with our livestock $300 for Puppies and Young Adults 2 years old and younger You can find more information about our adoption procedures on our website at www.bluebonnetrescue.org.

In addition to dogs, we rescue farm animals on a case-by-case basis, as space allows. Farm animals find sanctuary here for the rest of their lives, and are not made available for adoption.

We invite you to visit us at our monthly open house -- “2nd Saturday at the Ranch.” You can find details, including our address, on our Facebook event each month.