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Rescue & Mill Critters

Lucky Lady
By: Carol Johnson

      

Lady was just a little smarter than her mom.  She was able to figure out how to slip out of the collar her chain was attached to and every time she did, she would find her way to my house.  Somehow, Lady knew if she went UP the hill instead of DOWN the hill, she would find food and shelter.  Perhaps it was destiny or maybe it was just 'meant to be'.  After staying in my yard for two or three days, her owner would finally come looking for her and would put her back on the chain once again………until the next time Lady had the opportunity to free herself.

      This went on for over two years.  One day last October (2001), Lady broke free of her chain and, once again, found her way to my house.  She was in horrible condition…weighed only about 27 pounds (way too little for a Collie mix); most of her coat on the rear half was missing.  She was full of fleas and ticks - cuts and nicks all over her body and she was limping.  Lady acted as if she hadn't eaten for several days and she couldn't seem to get enough water to drink.  This time, Lady was put inside a locked, chain link fence where her previous owner could not get to her.  When I drove by Lady's previous house that day on my way to work, I noticed that the house looked deserted and I found out that the people had moved several days prior and had just left Lady chained in the yard.  They had admitted that they had no intention of coming back to get the dog.

 

    So what if I was late getting to work that day?  This was an emergency.  After all, I worked for a vet and Lady needed to see the vet NOW.  So, back to the house to get Lady and to get the treatment she had needed for so long. Upon examination, many things were found to be wrong with her, but nothing so wrong that couldn't be treated.  The most serious problem was her being heartworm positive and with her being part collie, treating for heartworms could prove to be a threat to her life, as easily as letting her continue to live with the heartworm.  Often times a collie does not survive the initial heartworm treatment.  Therefore, it was decided to treat the baby heartworms and hope that Lady lived long enough to let the adult heartworms die off by themselves.  Luckily, the loss of hair was caused by flea infestation, rather than mange, so in time, this would be easy to cure.  Lady got the first bath of her life that day and seemed to enjoy every minute of it.  She received all her vaccinations and had a microchip inserted in her back.  Lady was now my latest foster (or, so I thought).  Collie rescue had been alerted to the situation and was willing to take Lady, but I did not want Lady going into rescue until she was completely well, so I figured I'd just foster Lady until that time.
      

  Remember now, Lady was a BIG dog, compared to all the other 24 dogs I had.  How would Lady get along with all the Yorkies and Pekes already living with me?  After all, Lady was an "outside dog" - not used to being "inside".  Time would soon tell.  After work that day, Lady made her first "inside" appearance to meet all the other dogs.  All the other dogs just thought to themselves "oh no, she's brought another one home" and they accepted her just fine.  Lady was just beside herself with so many new friends to play with.  Little did Lady know that most of the other dogs were 'senior citizens' and had lived way beyond their "play days" already.  However, there was one little Yorkie that Lady decided to become best buddies with.  Rusty had also been a rescue about six years previously and was the only "ball player" in the crowd.  Lady and Rusty had found a common interest and they became inseparable.  Today when I say, "find the ball", they race to see who can find it first.  After a couple of months of a well-balanced diet and getting some weight on Lady, she could then be spayed.  She now weighs in at 45 pounds and has turned out to be quite a beautiful dog.

      

Lady's saga began thirteen months ago when she made that first trip to the vet, but she has made the journey back to the vet every day that I have worked since that time.  Do you suppose Lady has found her "forever home"?

      

These pictures were taken three months after Lady came to live with me, but today, she is even more beautiful than she was at that time.  I wouldn't trade Lady for anything in the world.  Collie Rescue can forget about this dog.  Lady is mine forever.

Footnote * It is now 2008 and yes, Lady still lives with Carol.
She is now a regular model for Critter Haven's Pet Boutique

Scrappy was a Puppy Mill rescue that was given to me by the "breeder" while I was on an investigation for Critter Haven. As the investigation progressed I would have a hand in removing over 40 dogs from this kennel. A drop in the bucket for the 6 to 7 hundred dogs this breeder had, but at least these babies got a second chance at life. According to a state kennel inspector this was "one of the best kennels in the state", unfortunately I have to agree, but only a little; after all it was still like an assembly line!

As I walked through the rows upon rows of cages trying to talk to every dog I passed we suddenly stopped and I saw this precious little Pekingese that was just lying there in the back of his cage. I started talking to him as he tried to pull himself with his front legs to the front of the cage, he didn't get far before he was just exhausted and could move no more. 

When he was pulled out of his small 2x3 ft. enclosure he was sharing with another male (by the scruff of his neck no less!), he was terrified. I asked, "what is his name?"  to which I was told  "There are just too many of them to keep up with and they have no names, but that's a good thing, this way you can call him whatever you want and he won't be all confused like trying to figure out a new name." The breeder threw him on the grass and said "he's never been on grass before which is why he ain't movin much, but don't worry they do get out of that after a while". 

I called and called for him "here baby, come here sweetie" but he could only lay there and shake. I scooped him up and whispered in his ear "I don't care what it takes I am going to get you out of here, don't worry baby you are safe now, I promise",  and that's exactly what I did! 

He was given to me, free of charge as all of the 40 others were. They were  "no longer any use, they can't do their jobs right and it is just costing money to feed them."  As we left the kennel, crying and stinky, our first stop was the groomer. There Scrappy was shaved of his urine & feces ridden matts and given a good dip to kill all of the flea's and lice (and who knows what else) that his body was infested in. He felt much better but still couldn't walk. Was he just scared or was there something more serious wrong?

The next stop was the vets office where many rotten teeth were removed, antibiotics given for the skin problem's he had hidden under all those matts, neutering was done, full round of shots given, Heartguard & Frontline started (he was one of the lucky one's that escaped with no heartworms) and a diagnosis made on why he couldn't walk. 

 

You see his back leg's had atrophied from years in such a tiny cage, the muscle had just deteriorated and arthritis was setting in on top of that.  Can you imagine being totally paralyzed in your hindquarters and having to pull yourself inch by painful inch to the front of your cage to get what is left of the food, that is if you ever get there in time! What a horrible existence! After a long round of painkillers and a lot of painful rehab Scrappy finally took his first baby steps towards freedom. Now, 2 yrs. later, he has regained full use of his legs. They sometimes get tired quickly but they are finally working! He absolutely LOVES to run outside in the grass, play with his stuffed babies and is just enjoying life to the fullest! Oh yea and sit up on those hind legs begging for a treat, Scrappy said I can't forget to add the treat part <VBG> 

I think his name suits him well, he is a fighter and has overcome what could have been a horrible death at the hands of evil and after all of that is the most trusting, lovable creature you could ever ask for. He has become my best friend and has helped me through a lot of tough time's. He is always there to make me laugh with his big silly grin when I am feeling down. I couldn't ask for a better furkid!!

 

Footnote* It is now 2008, going on 8 years out of the mill and Scrappy is doing well. Granted old age is catching up quick and his hips give out often but he just gets up and keeps trucking. Unfortunately, he can no longer sit up on his hind legs to beg for a treat, so I have to be sure to give him his treats before he needs to ask <G> He is balding on his back (early stages of a possible thyroid problem) but it doesn't seem to bother him any. I am happy to say he is still spoiled rotten and is content laying where ever I am at (or my slippers are!)

Candise Hass 

 

 

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