JERRY

JERRY HAS BEEN ADOPTED! THANKS BALL FAMILY OF RI!

n mid-June 2009, a northeastern animal rescue volunteer met this little boy when he crossed a busily traveled "paved cowpath" in northeastern Kentucky and sat contentedly wagging his friendly, crooked tail with his head cocked as though listening to the rescue woman talk to the male resident about repair of lawn mowers.

Since this little dog was not wearing a collar, the humane volunteer expressed concern that he had been dumped roadside (a trend in this Appalachian region). However, she was told that this little boy wandered up and down the highway all day and was "usually fed scraps by my next door neighbor although he belongs to the man in the trailer across the road." The lawn mower repairman lackadaisically stated "He's back and forth across the road all the time; he's going to be killed on Route 7 like the other puppy was."

Upon investigation, the humane volunteer unearthed the following background on Jeremiah (then unnamed): The young man living in a trailer across the road next door to the local fire station moved his girl friend in with him (the trend everywhere these days) about a year and a half earlier. The girl friend then got two sibling puppies to evidence her domestic bliss and amuse herself when coming and going from the trailer (a trend in this Appalachian region). One of the puppies was quickly killed on Kentucky State Route 7 (a local trend which apparently is based upon a secret point system among hillbilly rednecks for killing domestic animals and wildlife on the highway). A short time later, the girl friend moved out of her ex-boy friend's trailer, leaving behind the surviving puppy to survive or NOT ! Although the little doggie considered the trailer's environs as "home base," the ex-boy friend did not consider the puppy his--nor did he want him--and did not even remember his name after a year and a half.

When the rescue volunteer discovered that this little boy had been living on Kentucky State Route 7 for about a year and a half with no one taking responsibility for providing him with shelter, food, medical care, or even a name, she asked for permission to take him into her rescue program. The ex-boy friend occupant of the trailer didn't want the dog and didn't care whether she took him or not.

So Jerry (Jeremiah's nickname) was located roadside and rescued 7/1/09. Within two days, he was taken to the veterinary hospital for examination and castration. On 7/3/09, Jerry weighed 32.9 lbs. and was estimated at 1.5 years of age. FORTUNATELY, Jerry tested negative for heartworms (a big WHEW there !) but he did have hookworms, which was much easier to eliminate than heartworms would have been. Somewhere along the way in making his own way, Jerry suffered a broken tail so he has a slight crimp midlength in his cute white-tipped tail.

Jerry stands 17" tall (at the top of his shoulders) with a torso of the same length (17" from the base of his neck to the base of his tail. Although smaller than the typical Boxer, Jerry's physical characteristics and coat coloring and marking are very much consistent with that breed. And Jerry's face and butt resemble the Boston Terrier breed, which probably contributed to reducing his size. This very sweet boy is probably more Boxer than Boston Terrier though because he doesn't exhibit the kenetic energy that is expended by the majority of Boston Terriers. A Petfinder user wrote to us that Jerry might even be a Boggle (Boston Terrier/Beagle mix).

Jerry is congenial with the other neutered dogs in his foster home--big and small--most of the time but still has enough hormones flowing through his body to generate a little male dominance occasionally with other male dogs. This is not uncommon as it takes months after male dogs are castrated for them to assume a neutered personality. Because he is soooo happy to finally have human attention, Jerry probably would prefer to be an only dog. Jerry has shown no interest in the feline residents of his foster home, so co-habitation with cats is not a problem for him.

Obedience training is always recommended for bonding and safety's sake for any new canine addition to a family, and this smart boy should excel with gentle, reward-based training techniques. Jerry is very affectionate and devoted to his person(s). His eagerness to please suggests that he will be an excellent student with gentle, reward-based training. Jerry took to his new name (maybe the only one he ever had) immediately and usually comes when called by his foster mom. His gentle and loving nature readily lends itself to a wonderful relationship with respectful, elementary school aged human siblings in his adoptive family. Training classes would be an excellent forum for teaching children the virtues of non-drug, non-sex related activities for recreation, as well as for teaching Jerry the finer points of good "pet-i-zen-ship."

Jerry has been started on heartworm preventative, vaccinated, and neutered in readiness to join his adoptive family.

LIL' ORPHAN BOY ISO OF FAMILY WITH BIG HUMAN HEARTS TO FILL.

For more info on Jerry, please contact Kim Perry at (606) 638-0512 after 7PM Mon-Thurs, anytime Fri-Sun or email [email protected].