July 2020
We often say rescue is less demanding than it was 20 years ago, or even 5 years ago. This month it’s as busy as it was in the old days. We have in rescue, or are working with, eight dogs at once; Sophie, Tessa, Max, Luna, Nala, Sonoma, Rory, and Nanuk.
Still here since February 2018, and likely to be here their entire lives, are Sophie and Tessa. Each month Kathy is able to interact with them a tiny bit more, and once in a while I’m able to almost touch them. Sophie is usually the braver of the two, though Tessa sometimes comes in the house first. I’m able to feed them from my hand at bedtime, and we continue working to get them more comfortable with people.
Two and a half year old Max has been here since February. He is from a good breeder who immediately offered to take him back, but we said we would be able to place him quickly. Of course that was just before the quarantine and we didn’t know we wouldn’t be able to have guests in our home for such a long time. We bent that rule a few weeks ago to introduce Max to a couple, but there was no spark. They are fine people who will remain on our waiting list, but we feel strongly the dog picks the people. They thought the same thing, so they will wait a little longer. During his time here Max has become a different dog, much friendlier and easy going. He and our boy Rowdy are still separated most of the time, but they don’t posture now like they did at first.
On June 15 we were contacted by the Everett Animal Shelter, one of our favorites. They had an owner-surrendered female named Luna, six years old, whose owner said she had an anal gland problem and they couldn’t afford the surgery. Tom and Erin picked her up and brought her here. Our vet says we should monitor the problem, but there is no surgery indicated. We tracked down the breeder with the help of her microchip, and not only is it a good breeder, it’s a good friend. They immediately offered to take Luna back, but we have a number of good applicants and we are happy to keep her here for now. The home that gets Luna will get a real prize of a dog.
In March we were contacted by the son of a man who passed away. He was a former adopter of ours and had purchased two puppies from a breeder in Michigan, and his son wanted us to take them. We said yes, and talked to the breeder who was happy not to get them back. Meanwhile the sister of the man who called located a home with a Samoyed who was willing to take the two pups, who were nine months old in March. The family that took them realized it wasn’t working out because they didn’t have the resources for two young dogs. We arranged for him to take the pups, Nala and Sonoma, to Erin and Tom, who brought them to us. The next morning they went to live with Melissa and Terry, where they have been since June 28. Darlene did a home visit to a home in northern Idaho, and Nala will be going there in a week. We think we have a home for Sonoma, and we’re finalizing the arrangements.
Living with John and Theresa in Kalama is Nanuk, now called Nikkee. Instead of an adoption, we decided to place him as a foster dog. Just before the writing of this report he was taken to the vet because he wasn’t feeling well. His vet believed he was bleeding internally and Nikkee ended up at an ICU/ER vet in Portland, where his spleen and a tumor were removed the same evening. He was a very sick dog who now has a good chance for full recovery. This is the reason we have had fundraisers over the years, so we could afford a $7,000 emergency surgery. We are fortunate to be in a position to take care of him.
Rory was purchased from a pet store in Queens, NY and lived in the Seattle area. He is seven, and when his human dad died he went to another couple in Mercer Island. Last November the man died and his wife needs to move in with her sister in Georgia. She contacted us because she wants to know he his safe here in weather he knows, rather than finding a new home in such a hot and humid area. The weekend of this writing one of our former adopters will take his family to meet Rory. We hope it goes well.
Because we have so many dogs at once we have been sifting through applications on hand. We have some good ones, but if you know of someone who is qualified for a rescue, please ask them to visit our website at www.nwsams.com and send us an application. Thank you to all our supporters!
