Happy Tails-Rescue/Adoption Stories This page is dedicated to all the happy hounds who have touched our lives and we have directly or indirectly helped to find a forever home. These little hounds went from rough starts and or even death row to the happiness they so deserve. Sit back and enjoy these stories. This is why we rescue. These happy endings and new beginnings provide the promise of hope to carry us to each and every new challenge.
Meet Zeke. Zeke is a 14 year old Doxie who had prior to his rescue lived nearly a year in a cold, dark, damp basement in an empty house. Zeke's owner of 10 yrs had a stroke and had to be put in a long term care facility. His family was so hopeful he would recover that they chose not to re home his dog "just in case". Well, weeks turned into months and months to nearly a year while Zeke waited in his grim solitude not understanding why he was banished to this lonely place. The son of his owner once a week stopped by his father's now empty house to go down in the basement and check on Zeke and rip open a bag of food and leave it there on the floor for him and the basement rats to share. By this time Zeke's teeth are so rotted he can barely eat the large chunk "cheap" kibble he is provided. His arthritis from being in this cold, damp place makes it very difficult to walk. His nails have grown until they are curled under making it nearly impossible to get around. His water is green and his skin is very infected from laying in his own waste for so long. Finally the son of his owner decided his Dad would not recover enough to care for his dog and was also tired of dealing with Zeke so he placed an ad for him for free on a local website. I saw this ad and called the man and let him know I was here if he needed help. I had no idea of Zeke's condition or circumstances at the time. I just saw an old dog and was afraid no one would want him. I was right and when a couple more weeks went by and no calls the man called me back and asked me to take him. I drove out to meet him and picked up Zeke. He was frail and weak and frightened. His smell alone was enough to make my daughter and I sick. The crate he had been using in the basement with the very soiled piece of old carpet he had to sleep on was loaded in my car. It was old and rusted out and had rat feces in it. It went straight to the dump on the way home. Zeke spent the new few months back and forth at the vet with oral surgery to fix his infected and rotted mouth and skin treatments and doing much rehabilitation so that he could someday be adopted. Then one day I got a call from a wonderful local couple who wanted Zeke. How excited I was that he would have a loving family. Once they completed the adoption process they came to meet Zeke and fell in love. Zeke now lives a wonderful life as a pampered baby and even sleeps between Mom & Dad under the covers each night and will never again know pain, loneliness or a cold night. This picture is of Zeke getting ready to go to Grandma's house where he is played with and pampered while Mom and Dad work. God Bless you dear Zeke for your courage and will to live. it just goes to show: It's never too late to give an old dog a new life! Thank you so much to the two Angels who adopted Zeke!
12/14/06
It is with great sadness that I have to post that our precious Zeke went to the bridge on 12/13/06. We will miss you very much Zeke- You were welll loved by all.
Meet Chase. He is a young Collie who ended up on death row at our local shelter. He had nipped the family child several times in the back and was deemed too aggressive to adopt out. I went to visit Chase (named for chasing children around) and saw that he was a kind and gentle dog but very frustrated that he had no job to do. See many folks buy or adopt a dog because he/she is cute or handsome with no thought to the dog's temperament or natural instincts. Chase like most herding dogs wants to "HERD" so he started herding the family children. If they got out of line he would nip at them to herd them where he wanted them. (as if they were sheep) He is not an aggressive dog he is simply a dog who needed a job and was not provided one. Having no understanding of the dog they had his owners sent him to the shelter to be put to sleep after a 10 day quarantine. When the shelter worker told me what Chase had done I knew he had to be rescued and put into a new home who understood herding dogs. I explained to the shelter why he was displaying this behavior and asked if they would consent to letting him go to a rescue. They agreed so I called Collie rescue in northern VA and they gladly went and rescued Chase. Here is Chase today as cute as he can be and in a proper home where he is happy and thriving on 12 acres with plenty to do and he will even start agility with a local Collie club soon. This is why we save these sweet hounds.
Meet Nick! Nicki was a tiny puppy when he came to us last Christmas from an auction in Texas. He is deaf and vision impaired in one eye and the sweetest little wrangler you could ever meet. Nicholas was unwanted by his breeder since he was "damaged" and could not be sold he was dumped at an area pet auction to be sold for $50 or euthanized. Thanks to some wonderful rescue angels in TX Nick was rescued and finally brought here to Harmony. It was not long before his new Mommy saw his picture and fell in love with this sweet baby. We are honored that we were able to help Nick find his forever life : )
Meet Olive! She was part of a Mill rescue of 6 Doxies from SC. Olive was very scared and unsure when she came here to Harmony but quickly understood we were here to help. She has now been adopted by and wonderful couple and lives right here in VA.
Meet Baby Blue! Baby Blue came from a local breeder who could no longer keep her. I brought her here to Harmony and had her Vetted and she quickly found the loving arms of her new Mom!
Meet Chelsea and Charlie! Mother and son team who did not wish to be seperated. They have now found a wonderful family to love them together and are happy campers! Thank you Edy! |
