February 2010
There are as many stories of mistreatment of dogs as there are dogs who find their way to rescue. We experienced a first this month when we heard of a dog at the Puyallup shelter and checked on her. Luckily it was the weekend of the Puyallup shows, and Darlene and Cheri said they could go check the shelter right away. They called back and said she was definitely a purebred Samoyed, and not only that but a well bred dog. The shelter people said she was afraid of everybody and they thought she had been dumped. They were pretty sure she was kept in a crate for months, if not years, because she was so matted and covered in feces they had to clip her short. They said she was so horribly matted that her intake form actually said “intact male.” The person who found her had to call animal control because they couldn’t get close to her because she was so fearful.
The shelter told us she would be available the next afternoon at five, so Kathy was there to pick her up a little before that. They put a harness on her because she didn’t understand a collar and leash and wouldn’t move, but even with that help it was hard to get her into the car and just as hard to get her out. Eventually she was carried into the house, where she hid in a half-bath off our laundry room. When we got close she tuned out as though we weren’t there. If she had room she scurried out of the way. It appears she has never had a moment of socialization or human contact, though she is well fed. Our immediate guess is that she was a puppy mill bitch who escaped, but we can’t tell if she ever had a litter. The area she was found is residential, nice, and not the place a puppy mill or even a backyard breeder would be. She is debarked, which isn’t done casually, and it was a well-done surgery. If someone cared that much it’s impossible to understand her history.
We named her Hope, because it’s how we see her future. For three weeks we have been seeing steady, very slow progress in her socialization. For the most part she lives in the bathroom on her rug, venturing out as she learns not to fear so much. It took 18 days before we could reach down and pet her without her jumping and running away. In the past week she has begun coming out and sleeping on a rug by the door in the kitchen, and only a couple days ago we were able to pet her there. We have been taking our cues from her, while making a point of going to her area to visit her many times a day. We usually sit or lie down on the floor and talk to her and she is becoming used to us and to getting petted and combed.
Hope went to the vet yesterday to be spayed, and we picked her up early so she could recover at home. Our vet is really good about working with us on dogs with issues. She slept it off all night, and this morning she is just about back to normal. When she is recovered from surgery we will start looking for a home with very special and very patient people. She is a beautiful girl even without her hair, and will be stunning in another year.
Tara is the dog who came to us last month after her family moved and left her behind in the yard. We’re grateful to the neighbors who cared for her and helped her find her way to us. She is not a purebred, possibly mixed with Collie, and has a beautiful golden and white coat. We know she lived there for about 7 years so we think she is about that old. She limped a little, so when she was anesthetized for her spay surgery we asked the vet to check out what the problem was. She reported the right rear ACL was completely broken, not just injured, and felt like it had been for a long time. We found a new vet (for us) in Tacoma who was highly recommended, and a couple weeks ago Tara went for surgery. For two weeks she had a thick bandage immobilizing her leg, and she just had that removed. The surgical site has healed well and she is putting weight on her leg without much discomfort. It’s possible she may need surgery on the other leg, since the stress put on it for so long likely affected the left ACL.
Although Tara is a very large dog who towers over the others, she has a sweet disposition. It’s almost as though she understands how much better her life has become and is trying to thank us. It’s very easy for her to walk up to someone sitting at a desk or table and lay her head on their knee, and look up with those big eyes asking to be petted. This is the kind of dog who makes us feel we did the right thing in taking a mixed breed into rescue.
Freya has been around the block a few times. She was listed in the Boise Craigslist last November but we couldn’t get to her in time. She was listed again last month, this time by a new owner, who told us she was Freya’s third home in the last year. Freya has a shrill bark that they couldn’t get used to, so she needed to go. Unlike November, we were able to help this time, and after many (many!) e-mails and phone calls we found a Chessie breeder coming to the Portland shows who had room to bring her along. Melissa met her in Portland late that night and took Freya home.
Freya is not well bred, and the coincidence is how much she looks like Keno, the boy from northern Idaho Melissa and Terry fostered and subsequently adopted. Since going to be fostered there, Freya’s bark has improved. Perhaps she no longer has anything to complain about, considering how she has tried to convince Terry to fall for her. Freya went to the vet to be spayed, and when the surgery was begun they found she was already spayed. When recovered she will be available for adoption.
With these three dogs we are at capacity, and our next foster will have to go somewhere else. Lon and Mary have volunteered (thanks!) and so has Cyndy. We’re fortunate to have so much help from people who care for our Samoyeds.
As always, this report will reach dozens of our friends who love dogs and contribute to humane societies and shelters all over the northwest and the country. Some of you also contribute to the Humane Society of the United States because of the help they appear to give to so many needy pets. Undoubtedly those who contribute don’t realize the vast majority of the funds HSUS receives don’t go to animals, but rather to lobbying efforts attempting to restrict our rights to own dogs. They don’t own or operate one single shelter in the entire country, nor does any of their money go to our northwest shelters. It’s true. If you want facts and not fiction, look here: http://www.nwsams.com/themyth. The NWSR board unanimously approved adding this page to our website and we hope you send the link to your friends.