Backhill's Going For Gold

~ Ralph's Big Adventure ~

(only 10 weeks old) Written by Karin Staaf

Here is the story about Ralph and his trip to his new owners Phil &
Deirdre Marr who lives in Dallas, Texas USA.

Ralph's trip began on the 10th of September with a flight from
Landvetter airport in Sweden to Frankfurt, Germany where he should spend
the night and than continue on the next day to Houston.
The trip to Frankfurt went well, apart from the awesome life to live
alone in a small cage, without mom and brother. Lucky enough, he had his
favorite toy - a black, soft dog that he already got from his new family
together within the cage.

The trip to Houston continued at 10.40 am on September 11 and after
approximately 3½ hours on his travel, the terrorist attack occurred in
New York and Washington.
As a consequence, no airplanes were allowed to fly into US territory, so
Ralph's plane was redirected to Gander in Canada. It took until late
afternoon, until we were notified where he had landed. We therefore
started to search for the phone number to Gander International Airport,
to ensure that he was not forgotten in the mess and that he was given
water and food.

The air company he was flying with was not of much help, but also
unfriendly and arrogant and could not see the importance of a dog in
this situation. However, I got so upset and sad seeing Ralph in front of
me that I did not give up, and found the phone number and called up to
Gander airport myself.

There, they were very helpful and friendly, found out where he was and
took care of him. SPCA had been called to take care of all the animals
(approximately 20 of them). Phil talked with them several times a day to
ensure that all was well with him and to inquire when he could continue
his trip.

Here back home in Sweden we were worried and called both Frankfurt and
Gander every four hour (day and night), hoping to get a reply that he
would continue his trip.

Three days later, around 11 o'clock at night, we finally got the
information that he was on his way to Houston. Phil and Deirdre, who had
a five hour car ride to Houston, jumped into their car and the relief
both for them and us was great.

On their way (about one hour from the airport), they called Lufthansa to
get a confirmation on the arrival time of the plane. The reply was that
the plane never had taken off from Canada. Disappointed and tired, they
therefore turned back home again.

Ralph was the little star at Gander's and a lot of people were charmed
of his happy and positive behavior.
Bonnie Harris, who was one of the persons taking care of him, washed
him, went for walks and played with him . Even the local
veterinarian - who came to check that everything was in order - thought
that Ralph was in a good condition and told Phil that he had bought
a very fine representative of the Cocker Spaniel breed.

On September 17, a week after his departure at Landvetter airport he
continued his trip to Houston and it was with great expectation and some
thoughts how he had managed the trip, that Phil & Deirdre picked up
their little Ralph.

It was a happy little guy that with curiosity investigated his new
master and thought that "this is a nice chap, what do we do next!?"
Before the trip back home, they went to a hotel where Ralph got some
food, washed off the traveling dust and play a little. He then slept the
whole trip home.

At the end, the whole trip went well even though it was a very trying
time for all of us.

My thanks to all of you who got in touch during this time to help us
keep our spirit high. It sure is great to have good friends!

/Karin

~ Ralph Finally Makes It To America!!! ~
Written by Phil and Deirdre Marr

Ralph's story begins with a simple email to Backhill's Kennel and Karin Staaf. We knew nothing about Backhill's Cockers except what we had seen and liked on her beautiful webpage.
As luck would have it, Karin had just had a litter of puppies and there was one that was not spoken for. It did not take any time to decide that we were very interested in having a Backhill puppy and that we would try to qualify for that special home.

After several emails and phone conversations, the deal was done and Ralph was always our favorite puppy from the photos posted weekly on the website.

As the time approached for an acceptable date to ship Ralph to the United States, we tried to coordinate the trip with a trip we had planned.

Deirdre and I had planned a photo safari to South Africa some months ahead and were very excited about the trip. Now there was an added excitement that Ralph would be sent shortly after our arrival home from Africa.

While in South Africa we emailed and called to Sweden to make the final arrangements and check on Ralph's progress. All was settled and he had his reservations made.
It sounded like a smooth journey and a good connection to Houston, about a four hour drive for us. We returned home on a Tuesday, returned to work and anxiously awaited Ralph being sent to us.

On the following Monday we got a call and email from Karin that Ralph had been taken to the flight and all was set for him to arrive the following day in Houston.
Early the next morning, Deirdre and I set out for Houston Intercontental Airport. Just about half hour from the airport we received a call on the cell phone from Karin that the Lufthansia flight had be diverted to Canada and would not land in Houston.

Very concerned we turned around and returned to Dallas, all the while trying to get information from the cargo department at Houston.

After some ten or so calls, we were finally able to find out that Ralph had

indeed landed at Gander, Newfoundland, along with some 45 other jumbo jets.

Gander is a town of about 8000 people and they had just received some 8000 more on diverted jets.

Naturally we were quite concerned what would happen to this 10 week old puppy on his first time away from home.

We were immediately assured that the animals, some twenty in all,
were being cared for by the Gander SPCA.

And upon calling this group, we were further assured that Ralph himself was being cared for and was receiving more attention than the norm.

He evidently was a crowd favorite, and was given extra tender

loving care because he was so cute and friendly. This made us a little at ease, but we still wanted him in Texas to his new home.

Since information was on a hour by hour basis, we called every hour.
The voices at the other end became very familiar and they instantly recognized our voices.

They were very helpful and shared our concern, and continued to assure us he was being care for. After a couple of days, the air space was opened and the flight was about to leave again.

It was not certain if the plane would return to Germany or continue on to Houston.

After some time, we were told it would continue on and that it would land that afternoon. We again loaded the car and proceeded to Houston to retrieve our new puppy.

Four hours later, arriving at the cargo terminal, we were told that the plane was turned around and sent back to Gander when the air space once again was reclosed.

Frustrated and feeling very sorry for Ralph, we pressed for information

on when he would really be arriving.

The attendants at the cargo were as concerned as we were

and genuinely concerned about this young puppy flying all around without a home yet.

When we arrived back in Dallas, still calling each hour, we then started investigating the possibility of driving to Gander.

Not a small feat, as it is a two day drive to Canada's border, then five hours to the bay, and a six hour ferry ride to Gander.

All the while we were being told that the plane would leave perhaps the

next day, but would go back to Germany, as had several already.

It was a stroke of luck that the flight he came into Gander was one of the last to land, this would be one of the last to leave.

By the time it was time for Flight 440 to take off, the American airspace had once again been opened for foreign airlines to land.
We prepared once again to make the trip to Houston. We talked to three different offices that day to find out when the flight would indeed be in Houston.

The three offices gave us three responses: One told us it had already landed back in Germany!!, one told us it had taken off and would be in Houston that day at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

The third, cargo terminal in Houston, told us it had not taken off and would not until the next day.

We waited and decided that Cargo Houston probably knew the best.

Then we received a call from Cargo Houston that the plane was in the air headed for Houston.

We started out for Houston at eight o'clock on Sunday night and arrived in Houston about one in the morning, too late to get Ralph from the air kennel at the airport.
At exactly 8:30 opening of the kennel office Deirdre and I were there to get our very well traveled Ralph. When we walked through the front door of the office, the first thing we saw was a beautiful tri colored English Cocker as he bounded across the floor to greet us.

As we scooped him up in our arms, we were the most relieved we had ever felt.

He was in perfect condition and had made this long journey with little wear. He was equally happy to see someone who called his name and appeared to be new friends.

After the paper work was completed and thanks given, we returned to the hotel, gave him quick bath and let him romp around freely for awhile while we beamed at this very adaptable little fellow.
He certainly took the trip and rigors of the travel better than I would have.

Ralph is now at home with all of his new house mates,

Doberman Leica, Cardigan Corgi Cappy, and Dachshund mix Pumpkin.

All have accepted this new addition and I am sure have listened to Ralph telling his tale many times.

Ralph has settled in perfectly and is super happy with all of the attention he is getting, and we are quite happy with his arrival.


First meeting with master Phil


On American soil :o)	Do I really have to shower again!!?

..great, I may stay in the bed and play :o)

Ralph's new friends Cappy and Pumpkin