"Abby"

Carie May-Bowers coordinated the HT-Z rescue of a 2-year-old female. Abby was surrendered by her owners to the Plumas County animal shelter on August 5th.  She was surrendered because it was stated she was too rough with their 5-year-old GS male. They were also had a new baby in the house and felt the dog was too rough for that situation. Carie made arrangements with the shelter to keep the dog for HT-Z.  I made the four-hour drive to Quincy August 11^th. I know one thing she wanted out of the shelter. Once I had a collar and leash on her she drug me out the front door. I figured she had never been on a leash before. When I opened the back of our SUV and the crate, she jumped right in with out being told or motioned to do so. She was very calm with no crying or barking while I drove. After an hour of driving I stopped at a rest area. She did much better on the leash. I guess she was secure with the fact we were far enough away from the shelter and she did not have to go back. I sat on a bench, she came right up and put two paws on my lap and laid a wet one on my face as a big thanks I guess. I was in trouble this girl was already working me over. We made the rest of the trip with her sleeping most of the way. Once we got home Abby and Atlas (our 16 month old male) hit it off great playing non-stop. She seems to be just a normal two-year-old playful girl.  Now we have two tornado’s living in our house instead of one.

We were able to contact the previous owners and find out more about Abby. It seems they picked her up from another shelter only five months earlier.  I cannot blame them for their decision to give her up with a baby starting to crawl in the house. I don’t leave my twelve-year-old daughter alone with our male giant. He is still a juvenile and does not always understand that humans are his boss and can tend to get a little rough in his play with her. He is getting better and I expect he will be fine when he is three or four as will Abby. It’s just that crazy teenage time for both of them.  On a camping trip Abby was actually protective of our daughter with strangers.

After four weeks of fostering her and exposing to many different situations and becoming unbelievable attached to her I figured she is on her third home and did not need to get shuffled to a forth home. Besides that she is the only dog that has ever taken to me the way she has. I think she thinks I can walk on water. She will not leave my side. I have been close to our other dogs but maybe she’s just more appreciative of everything she now has. 

Rescuing an animal can produce a better companion than you can buy from a breeder. Consider a rescue dog for yourself.

Mike Stoller