Success Stories

Metamorphosis

shaggy showing off dog tag They named this loveable guy Shaggy. He would be a great pup for someone real soon.

Working with so many Program Partners in the animal rescue field, one of the most amazing gifts is being privy to some amazing metamorphoses. Unfortunately, we don’t always receive happy news.

Our staff recently visited Chuck and Nola from 12 Hills Dog Rescue. This dedicated couple took time from their busy rescue operation AND their 50th wedding anniversary to reacquaint us with all their furry friends.

Many different dog breeds and mixes have landed at their door. We were looking forward to meeting the Great Dane momma they rescued a few weeks earlier, but as soon as we asked about her, it was clear something sorrowful happened.

Both Chuck and Nola speak about each animal as if they are their own. They themselves have adopted many of the harder to place animals over the years and they give each animal — they have as many as 70 during peak times — special attention while they are rehabbing them to get them placed with the right family.

Someone had dumped a beautiful Great Dane, affectionately named Peachy. She had arrived with big scales under her knees, the result of from lying on concrete and her pads were worn down.

Clearly she had had puppies recently, but all their search efforts for her babies went unsuccessful. The rescue poured their hearts into rehabbing Peachy over the six week period they had her and everybody wanted her.

shaggy running You wouldn’t know from his shiny, clean, white coat, but Shaggy was in bad shape with an advanced case of mange.

Utilizing the grant from PWNA’s Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) program, Chuck and Nola spayed her. Tragically during her recuperation, Chuck recalled the morning he found her down. He explained that, “She wasn’t able to walk.” So, Chuck rushed her to Wayne at the vet clinic, whose staff quickly brought a stretcher out to the car. Sadly, Peachy had an aneurysm under the liver and they couldn’t keep up with the blood. The couple woefully added, “She went through so much — we are heartbroken.”

Just about the time that Chuck was showing us a photo of Peachy, a small white pup darted between our legs. It was obvious he was trying to break up the gloom he sensed in our faces.

They had named this loveable guy Shaggy. He would be a great pup for someone real soon. A helper with the rescue, Brenda, said they should have been named him “Pitiful” because that’s how he looked when they got him.

You wouldn’t know from his shiny, clean, white coat, but Shaggy was in bad shape with an advanced case of mange. Brenda added, “This little boy didn’t have any hair and was walking on his hind legs. He’s been treated twice. As soon as he gets a little more hair on him, he’ll be ready (for adoption).” Shaggy stayed with the group and energetically played under the protective shade of the apple trees near another dog’s kennel. They had aptly named this other dog “Big Andy.”

big andy in the kennel “They need a home with a big yard.” They had to come as a set, because as the couple explained, “she would die without him.”

Andy was their largest dog and he gained a kennel mate since our last visit. The mate, a Husky-Akita mix, talked and howled so much we couldn’t even get her name. Chuck was petting Andy while pulling clumps of hair from his coat. Chuck said, “He’s a sweetheart. He’s getting new hair and we have to come up and pull out big wads.”

It would take a special placement of home and human to convince Chuck and Nola that these two dogs found their forever home. They stated, “They need a home with a big yard.” They had to come as a set, because as the couple explained, “she would die without him.”

This rescue takes their work of rehabbing and rehoming seriously, just as our entire group of devoted rescue partners do. The astonishing metamorphosis for so many of these animals, emerging from such pitiful states to absolutely adorable, is incredible. We are saddened for their losses, but encouraged through their many successes. We are absolutely honored to support them in this important work.