Meet Clancy:
The border collie who shaped this dream
Clancy James was a Border Collie puppy brought home to Dogwood Ridge Farm in 2006 by Kenny and Elaine Shuck. He was just a dog to some; but, to
Kenny and Elaine, he was special. As Clancy developed, he grew in stature,
grace, patience, and wisdom. He watched over the farm that was just the
right place for a Border Collie. With fields and lakes and acres to
explore, Clancy, along with his dog mates, would run and play without a
worry in the world.
Every dog would follow his lead and visitors admired his herding and agility skills.
“Kenny now wonders what he dreamed; did Clancy know it was his last day, and was he saying goodbye?”
Clancy definitely had a purpose but little did Kenny and Elaine know just how special he would be! In the blink of an eye, life on the farm forever changed. Clancy was gone. He had passed away living only ten short years. He died doing what he loved best - jumping off the dock into the water to fetch a tennis ball. His last ball. Clancy died proud – wet, dirty, and happy – doing the thing he most loved.
Kenny gathered the titan of Dogwood Ridge in his arms and held him close while carrying him to up to where he would be buried. It was fitting to carry him once again. As a puppy, Kenny carried him to his first home at the farm and now he was carrying him to his final home. Friends helped dig his grave under the tall trees at the farm entrance. The sun was shining through an open canopy and wind chimes danced on the breeze. With every shovel full of dirt, Kenny's mind was racing as Clancy's life flashed before him. That very morning Clancy had crept into Kenny's bed, which was unusual, burrowing his nose under his arm and falling asleep. As Kenny watched him breathe, he rubbed his ears and stroked his fur. While Clancy slept peacefully and dreamed, Kenny now wonders what he dreamed.
Did Clancy know it was his last day? Was he saying goodbye?
When the shoveling stopped, he knew what was coming next. The knowledge that he and Elaine would never lay eyes on Clancy again. Gently, sadly he was wrapped in his blanket. Every one of the farm dogs watched and sniffed him as they too said goodbye to their leader, friend, lover, and playmate. One last look and a kiss to his forehead was made "Goodbye Clancy, we love you." Slowly he was lowered to his earthly bed. Buried with him was his tennis ball, Frisbee, and two broken hearts that will never mend. "I can't believe it" was said a thousand times… "It will never be the same," and it wasn't.
What Next…?
Clancy was the first dog to pass away at the farm. Kenny had often wondered where they would bury their dogs when the time came. That question was answered with Clancy’s grave occupying a prominent place at
the entrance of the farm. After his death, Kenny and Elaine wanted his memory to live forever — but how? Brainstorming through their grief, they set up a non-profit organization. "Clancy's Dream" went from an idea to a conversation, to a Nonprofit Corporation in just ten short days following his death.
Since the inception of Clancy's Dream Inc., the Board of Directors and
dedicated volunteers, have helped rescue hundreds of Border Collies that
were abandoned, lost, neglected, abused, deaf, injured, and blind. Some of
these dogs were saved just hours from scheduled euthanasia. The moto Bringing Help and Hope to Border Collies and their Owners in Times of Need through Rescue Efforts or Veterinary Care Assistance has become the
guiding principle of Clancy's Dream. Clancy always took care of the farm
keeping an ever-vigilant eye on his kingdom and now he keeps an eye on his
Dream to save others.
Clancy’s Legacy
We all miss Clancy. We pine over his death but now we know his purpose. Clancy lives on through the Border Collies he has saved and will continue to save. Because of him, many other dogs will be rescued and adopted into loving families or given the medical attention they need through the donations of our friends and supporters. Clancy's purpose has changed from the "boss-dog" of the farm to the “behind the scenes” leader of the organization he inspired. Many times when things come together for a rescue dog, someone will say, "you know, Clancy had his paw in this". In our hearts, we often do believe it because there is no other explanation other than his spirit may be responsible.
“Many times when things come together for a rescue dog, and a happy ending for a hopeless situation has been resolved, and someone will say, “you know Clancy had his paw in this.””
Somewhere, someone - a foster or potential adopter - will receive a nudge
or a lick from a dog and not understand why. Should you accept the
adventure to take on a rescue dog, be patient. Gratitude, love and loyalty
will follow.
If you choose this path to save a dog that had no hope or future — a dog that had given up because no one cared — the joy and love given and returned is boundless. Looking deeply into their eyes, you just might see Clancy. Whether you knew or ever met Clancy, you now share a cosmic love.
In an instant, the world changed for the better. Despite the tears and pain that Kenny and Elaine went through, knowing they would never see their Clancy again, they now see him every day. He's with them through the dogs that are sent their way. The helpless, hopeless, injured, and abandoned. Clancy touched everyone in one way or another and in the end, it was more than Kenny and Elaine could have ever imagined ...
it was clancy’s dream.
Today, the mission of Clancy’s Dream is to bring help and hope to Border Collies in need. We provide rescue, medical, rehabilitation and adoption assistance for neglected, abused or abandon Border Collies. Locally, we also assist families who are unable to afford medical help to care for a sick or injured Border Collie.