Elsa

This will be a serious story about Elsa, a young dog that Linda hosted overnight last weekend, May 18th.  Elsa's story brings home how being mistreated or neglected can result in a dog who loses all sense of being a dog.  Elsa was sweet and freely gave kisses to Linda, but as you can see, Elsa was skinny, and one bundle of fear.  We have no idea if she thought she'd do something wrong and get punished, or thought she'd get beaten for no reason, or thought she'd get yelled at like she might have if she'd lived on the streets, homeless.

Elsa's history is unknown except for someone fostered her before she was put on the transport for Pennsylvania.  She was believed to have Demodex mange.  In her foster's care, her coat came back to about 90% after being given the right medicine.  The foster also had Elsa spayed, thankfully, but the vet x-rayed her and discovered she needed a full hip operation, so she had that surgery as well.

When Linda picked up Elsa at the transport point, Elsa was shaking and wouldn't move.  No potty break there.  When Linda arrived at her home, Elsa still wouldn't move, so Linda carried her upstairs, where Elsa remained cowering in her crate -- the place she felt safest, I'm sure.  The one positive was that Elsa ate and drank wolfishly.  When Linda would coax Elsa to come closer, Elsa would inch her way towards Linda on her belly.  Once Linda was able to pet her, Elsa responded with lots of kisses, and enjoyed Linda's attention.  Never did she threaten Linda in any way, so she has no aggression in her.  But terrified?  Yes.

Elsa did relax a bit and enjoyed the purple stuffed animal Linda gave her, but as far as Linda knows, Elsa never slept.  After spending the night in her crate, Linda carried Elsa downstairs in hopes that she'd do her business, especially knowing she'd eaten and drank so voraciously the night before.  As Linda reached the lawn and began lowering Elsa, Elsa could hold it no longer and began doing #1 and #2 before hitting the ground.

Fortunately, Elsa's future is looking much brighter.  She was on her way to Scranton on Sunday morning, where she will receive a lot of attention from people who are patient and knowledgeable on how to teach her to be a dog again.  She will be socialized with people and other dogs, and will learn that it's okay to be a happy, loving and trusting companion.  But it will take a lot of work, and a lot of time.  A lot of time.

We hope to follow Elsa's progress and will report it as soon as we hear anything.  In the meantime, please say a little prayer for her.  Elsa can use all your good thoughts sent her way!

Lil Bit

Check out Lil Bit, a small, adult beagle/terrier mix, who landed at Molly's Rescue.  She's house-trained and walks nicely on a leash.  She's friendly, but certain dogs - especially big ones - can make her nervous. Lil Bit is sweet as can be, and will exchange her kisses for her favorite thing -- belly rubs.

Almost Home Dog Rescue, the group for which Andrea and Linda drive, hosts regular Meet and Greet events at various local pet stores, where
they bring adoptable dogs to meet potential adopters.  Lil Bit will soon be participating in these adoption events.  The schedule for the Almost Home Meet and Greets is on the Almost Home webpage.  The link for Almost Home is on this blog above.  Please come to see for yourself what a nice companion Lil Bit would be -- or meet other adoptable dogs.  You can read more about Lil Bit on PetFinder at:

   

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/26008163?rvp=1

Emmy Lou and the Bandit

Taking care of business

My nephew, Eric, and I drove to Center Valley yesterday, to meet two dogs, Bandit and Emmy Lou.  We transported Bandit (who stole my heart) to his foster mother, while Emmy Lou had the pleasure of meeting her forever parents, who picked her up there.

We first made the transfer of Emmy Lou from her transport driver to her new forever folks.  I had to be sure her paperwork was received properly, and that she was safe on leash until inside her new family's car.

Emmy Lou was an adorable, well-behaved sweetheart, with a serene-looking face and expressive brown eyes.  Her new mother was thrilled to finally have her in her arms. 

After discussion about how well Emmy Lou rode with her transport driver, and whether she needed to perform her doggy business, Emmy Lou made it clear that she wasn't about to ride in the back of the van.  After all, she's people too!  So her new Mom decided they could both ride shotgun, and moved her to the front seat and closed the door while we tied up loose ends.  Emmy Lou didn't want to miss a thing, though, as you can see.

Emmy Lou knows her basic commands, walks great on her leash, and has a carefree nature.  She's gentle, calm and quiet, and I'd say her new family is very lucky to have her!

In the meantime, Eric took the reins of Bandit, our transport charge.  Bandit was a strong boy, and I was glad I had my sturdy nephew with me (no offense, Carol!).  Bandit, a hound mix, weighed in at about 50 pounds of muscle.  Thankfully Eric too had plenty of brawn and muscle himself!

I did have to chuckle, though, because Bandit was peppy in his walking, and while Eric is an energetic young man, from my vantage point, it looked like Bandit was taking Eric for a trot.  But Eric enjoyed their little cardio workout.  At least that's what he told me.

Bandit seemed to like me a lot, and we bonded within a few moments as he enjoyed my head scratches and ear tugs.  I loved the markings on his face with the patches around his eyes, and he soaked up the attention.  I'm told Bandit was quite the ham when they took his picture so we could ID him throughout his transport.  And after his photo session, with some coaxing baby talk, he flipped over on his back and begged for belly rubs.

Once we got on our way, Bandit settled in on the backseat, and we just couldn't resist taking another picture.  Look at him -- looking so adorable and smiling for the camera!

When we arrived at our destination, Bandit met Liz, his new foster mother.  He took to her right away, and it seems to me they were both very happy to make each other's acquaintance, don't you agree?

Bandit is a thief -- a heart-stealing thief!  He was in a shelter in the south for over two months, and the staff named him their favorite.  That tells you a lot about Bandit, and I'm sure once his new family finds him, he'll make a great addition to their household.  Not only will the ham within him shine brightly, he'll steal their hearts too!

Lovely Lily

Lily

 

There's a wonderful, new girl in town!  She's a five year old lab-boxer mix named Lily.  Through no fault of her own, Lily is looking for a new home.

 

Lily's owner was recently incarcerated for embezzlement.  Whenever Lily is on her walk, she looks expectantly at every female who passes, hoping she's come to take her home. 

Lily is looking for someone who not only can give her a new loving home, but can help her attain a slimmer waistline.  At 60 pounds, she's could be considered a plus-size girl.  But she has just the right amount of energy and would slim down quickly with proper diet and daily exercise.  Her foster mother doesn't notice any issues with Lily's behavior and finds her to be sweet and calm.  Lily would do best in a home with no small kids or cats, due to her size.

You can read more about Lily on PetFinder:  http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25332401?rvp=1    
Or you can contact Andrea.

 

Linda's Dolly

Dolly asked Linda to send me an updated photo of her.  As you may remember, Dolly is the dog Linda adopted when she first got involved in the dog transporting effort.  Dolly has become more beautiful then ever, and has made Linda a proud mama, who enjoys Dolly every single day.

Riley and His Supersonic Smile



What a cute smile!

One of our Almost Home volunteers, Colleen, fosters and cares for dogs who don't necessarily show well at adoption events, due to a variety of reasons.  Maybe they're shy, older or aren't all that great with children.  Because these dogs have a tougher time getting adopted, I am going to feature them occasionally on Underdog Railroad, to give them more exposure, in hopes that you or someone you know might open their home and heart to a wonderful pet.

Please meet Riley, an 18 month old, 16 pound Jack Russell terrier mix. Colleen tells me Riley has just the right amount of energy. He loves to chase balls and play with squeaky tug toys. He walks well on his leash as he enjoys the sights and smells of the great outdoors.  And he's very smart, as you can see in the video below.

Riley is usually cautious when meeting strangers, and prefers they ignore him, which gives him a chance to check them out first. Tasty treats thrown his way, however, can do a lot to persuade him to be your friend.

Once he feels comfortable, Riley is a lovable, fun companion, although he doesn't enjoy being left home alone or being stuck in a crate. He would do best with someone who is home most of the time or has other dogs to keep him company. Riley is a cat person, but small children make him nervous, so a home with older children would work better.

Riley would do super at a dog sport like flyball or agility.  Just click on the video below to watch Riley in action as he proves he's a serious problem-solver too.  Notice his robust tail-wagging!  I hope someone will give Riley the chance to become a valuable family member, who will entertain and delight them.  Please contact me via e-mail if you know anyone who would be interested in learning more about Riley and I will put them in touch with Colleen.