SHAD

SHAD HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND IS RESIDING WITH HIS FAMILY IN MA! SHAD IS NOT AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY ANIMAL SHELTER. THIS IS A POSTING FOR HIS FOSTER MOM. FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE CONTACT KIM PERRY AT (606) 483-2959 OR EMAIL [email protected].

At shelter closing time on Wednesday, 7/15/09, a southern Ohio dog pound emailed an emergency plea to several local rescue volunteers stating that a city dog warden had delivered 50 dogs to the county pound unexpectedly an hour earlier that afternoon. The pound stated that anyone able to rescue any of these dogs must be at the pound at 8:00 am Thursday, 7/16/09, in order to pull them before euthanasia.

The dog warden had accompanied a social services worker to the home of an animal hoarder who had 50 dogs (including about 15 puppies) inside her home, along with her daughter and granddaughter. The granddaughter apparently had required nasal surgery because of living in a home with such a strong ammonia (urine) smell. The social worker told the woman she could either surrender the dogs to the dog warden or her granddaughter would be taken into protective custody. The daughter sneered at her mother "If you let them take my daughter, I'll murder you in your sleep tonight." Reluctantly, the woman surrendered the dogs, none of whom seemed to have ever worn a collar and/or leash before...much less been outside. All of the dogs were kept inside 24/7 and allowed to breed, breed, breed.

Although the dog warden had known about the situation for two weeks, she did not notify management at the impoundment facility so that attempts could be made to try to line up some rescue assistance for the dogs. Because of the number of animals confiscated, the pound was unable to hold the dogs for euthanasia until their routine WEEKLY MASS EUTHANASIA scheduled for Tuesdays (to coincide with garbage pick up day). Consequently, they arranged for an unscheduled "garbage pick up" on Thursday morning, 7/16/09, after an 8:00 am MASS EUTHANASIA session for the 50 dogs and puppies.

With SUCH SHORT NOTICE, only ONE humane volunteer was able to respond. After receiving the emergency plea, this volunteer had contacted a volunteer associate two counties away from her and obtained agreement to take three dogs plus a mommy and her nursing puppies even though there was scant information on the type, sizes, and ages of the dogs. With the several dogs the coordinating volunteer planned to take, this would amount to less than 20 percent of the dogs scheduled to die because of human stupidity and inadequate humane laws...but it was more than none !

The rescue volunteer pulled one mother dog and her three puppies, along with 6 other dogs and left the pound in tears and with a knot in her throat because the killing had begun and dogs--who were already frightened out of their minds--were crying and "screaming" as they were being taken to the euthanasia room. She especially grieved over the 10 friendly beagle/beagle mix puppies who, at approximately 8-10 weeks of age, were going to die without ever having "lived."

Shadow (so named by his foster mom because he wants to stay right with his person or persons) was one of the few dogs lucky enough to leave the pound ALIVE with this humane volunteer on Thursday, 7/16/09. Like the other dogs rescued, Shadow was initially very timid, clinging to the other dogs who were rescued with him. However, he quickly decided to stay right with his foster mom, "shadowing" her every move. Shad was soon shortened to Shad (his nickname being the name of a veterinary assistant years ago in the vet clinic his foster mom uses).

Although he still likes to cuddle and sleep with other dogs rescued with him, he has become more independent and will hang out with other rescue dogs in his foster home. Although he is a very gentle boy, he gets on the nerves of some of the other dogs when he lets out his Beagle howl (patterned after a Coonhound howl) and then they want to seriously hurt him. Fortunately, he is not inclined to do this in the house--only when he is running around the yard loose with a bunch of the dogs; so it is somewhat controllable.

Shad is very friendly and gentle toward cats. In fact, when his foster mom lets him in the office room, which is where the cats hang out, he literally tip toes around the cat room.

In addition to having lived in the animal hoarder's home with a small child, Shad's sweet and affectionate nature ensures that he will be a wonderful canine sibling and companion to respectful, elementary school aged human siblings in his adoptive family.

On 7/28/09, Shad weighed 30.3 lbs. at an estimated three years of age. Since elimination of the hookworms he had, he has probably gained a couple of pounds. Standing 16" tall (at the top of his shoulders) with a torso measuring the same (16" from the base of his neck to the base of his happy tail), Shad is fully grown. His beautiful greenish/amber eyes are the most beautiful eyes his foster mom has ever seen on a dog. They look like human eyes. Since another dog that was rescued that day had the same beautiful coloring and gorgeous eyes as Shadow, it is assumed that she was his daughter.

Obedience training is always recommended for bonding and safety's sake for any new canine addition to a family. And this affectionate boy should respond well to gentle, reward-based training techniques since he is so devoted to his person(s). If you don't want constant doggy company, you don't want to have a family relationship with sweet Shad.

Having been started on heartworm preventative, vaccinated, and spayed, Shad is ready to join a permanent family to share his life, love, fun, and happy memories for many years to come.

GORGEOUS "BUGLE" BOY ISO HAPPY ENDING TO A SAD TAIL.