I Give Up!

I started this blog as a way to track all of the foster animals coming into my house. I'm happy to announce that I can no longer keep up with the number of animals I have been able to play a small part in saving. Between my job and my volunteer duties with animal rescue, I have been too busy to keep up with this blog, and can no longer share pictures and updates on every single animal that passes through my home. Instead, I've decided to just focus on the stories. Every animal has a story, just like every person, and I'll just pick a few of those to share with you as I have time. I will try to share details of adoptions and new intakes on my Facebook page from now on, so check it out if you'd like.


Today's story is about a dog named Copper, and his best friend Tod.  Copper and Tod started out their lives like the puppies pictured in this video.  They most likely were born here, grew up in this home, and knew nothing beyond life on a chain.



Two years later, the Humane Society of the United States, along with other rescue groups, stepped in and saved these animals.  Copper is in the video, at the 0:22 second mark, and Tod is shown just a few seconds later.  By the time they were saved, they knew only enough to be terrified of everything that was new.  That included people, television, ceiling fans, car rides, and everything that most dogs take for granted.  A soft bed to sleep on was something they'd never had before.  The freedom to run in a straight line instead of a small circle?  Unknown to them.  When being taken outside on leash they would continuously run in circles and panic at the sound of a truck or motorcycle, or the sight of people.  The dogs and cats that were rescued from this home have been adopted out or placed into rescues and shelters where they can find forever homes.  Tod and Copper are two of the most fearful of the group, so they came to All Paws Rescue, and are going to need a lot of work in order to be able to be adopted.

I've had some practice with fearful dogs after fostering Bogey and Bunny.  They've both shown a lot of improvement and were eventually adopted into homes who continued to work with them.  In both cases I've heard from their families recently and they are doing great!  So when I heard that Tod and Copper needed help, I immediately contacted Bogey's mom who has continued to foster for us. She agreed to take Tod, the shyest of the two, and work with him until he can be adopted.

Tod

That left me with Copper, at least for now.  I love working with shy dogs, but due to my work schedule and living so far from civilization, I don't spend as much time with the dogs as I would like.  So I am fostering Copper until he is adopted or until we find a foster home who wants to work with him.

Copper

So far, Copper is making very slow improvement.  He likes to follow me around, as long as he thinks I'm not looking at him. We've started taking walks in the farmland around my house and he seems to enjoy that.  He is getting used to living in a home, and getting used to me.  He is heartworm positive so is starting treatment for that, and he's recently become very interested in the new kitten I brought home.

In a way, Tod and Copper's stories are just beginning.  We've started a Facebook page to track their progress, and I hope that they will both show more and more improvement and eventually find happy forever homes just like Bogey and Bunny!