Before moving to Buffalo Creek in May 2024, Debbie and Bill Blackmon owned a 70-acre horse farm with horses, cattle, dogs, and cats. Living in the country, they often found abandoned dogs and cats along the road. As animal lovers, the Blackmons would bring them home, nurse them back to health, and find them loving forever homes.

Shelby was rescued in January 2020 after Bill found her and two other puppies in a ditch. When their daughter in San Antonio took the other two, Shelby stayed with Debbie and Bill. Bill named her after the Shelby Mustang in his garage.

Shelby became best friends with Sammy, the Blackmons’ 17-year-old rescue who crossed the rainbow bridge this past August. Blind and deaf, Sammy relied on Shelby to be her eyes and ears, guiding her in the yard and on walks, and gently nudging her when she was called.

Maverick is officially a Chocolate Lab, though his beautiful coat has a distinctive silver hue. Debbie surprised Bill with Maverick for his 65th birthday in June 2020, during a family Zoom call in the early days of COVID. Although they already had five dogs, Bill was smitten with the puppy. Today, that little puppy is the family’s gentle giant at 150 pounds.

Shelby and Maverick, just six months apart, have grown up together. At the farm, they loved swimming in the pond and made a beeline for the water every time they were let outside. Oddly enough, neither has shown any interest in the Blackmons’ backyard pool in Buffalo Creek.

Now, on to the kittens! Mork, a black cat, was found in a ditch 16 years ago with his sister, Mindy, by Bill and Debbie’s daughter. Named after the popular TV show, Mork sadly lost his sister early on. Now 25 pounds, Mork is an unusually cuddly and lovable cat who adores people and is happiest in your lap. He loves both dogs, but especially Shelby—they even show their affection by licking each other’s faces.

Miss Kitty is a beautiful black-and-white cat who was originally rescued by the Blackmons’ daughter. At the time, her young son Cash was about two. Turns out, Miss Kitty was afraid of children, often hiding in a closet or under the bed. Debbie and Bill adopted her and brought her to the farm, where she eventually found her place as the official office mascot of their business, Budget Blinds, spending most of her days with Debbie.

All of the fur-babies share the same morning and evening feeding schedule and know exactly when the bowls come out. Each has their own bowl, and remarkably, they don’t try to sneak into each other’s. They rarely get human food, although an occasional small bite of steak is allowed as a special treat. At bedtime, the dog beds sit at the foot of Debbie and Bill’s bed, and both Maverick and Shelby know exactly where they belong. Mork and Miss Kitty each know their places on the bed with their favorite human—Mork with Bill and Miss Kitty with Debbie.

Bill and Debbie are empty-nesters, with their seven adult children off on their own. But their home—and their hearts—remain full of the love and joy their pups and kittens bring as their constant companions in their forever home in Buffalo Creek.

To learn more about how you can become a partner with Stroll Buffalo Creek please reach out to Teri Preas
teri.preas@n2co.com
https://linktr.ee/marketingsolutionsbyteri