|
"Susie's been looking for love in all the wrong places"
was the opening line describing a cairn
terrier mix on Animal House Rescue's webpage on Valentine's Day,
2003. I wasn't looking for another dog......yet. My retired racing
greyhound, Anubis, had been with me over 5 years, but my newest
addition, an Italian Greyhound /Parson Russell Terrier mix adopted in May of
2002 was still a whirling dervish at 18 months.
But a number of things about
Susie's story touched my heart. Rescued a year earlier from a kill
shelter, she'd been adopted and returned three times already. This
struck a chord with me --- both my other dogs had been adopted and
returned to their rescue groups before I came along. Susie's problem
finding a permanent home seems to have been the same reason there
was no photo available for her on the website---overwhelming
shyness.
|
 |
|
I'd had many of the same issues Susie was dealing with when I
adopted my greyhound. It had taken time (counted in years, not in
days or months) to bring him out of his shyness but, oh what a joy,
when it happened! And the aforementioned whirling dervish (Pan) had
done wonders in further bringing Anubis out of his shell with
strangers. Maybe he could do the same for Susie. Susie also had a
problem with "stress peeing"---when frightened or startled in any
way, she was likely to leave a little puddle under her wherever she
happened to be.
I sent an email to Susie's current foster mother at Animal House
Rescue and she responded back saying the dog seemed to be about 3 or
4 years old and would be at their Adoptathon at Pet Supplies Plus
the next day (Saturday).
I was at the pet store that next morning before the dogs arrived!
Finally, in came Susie in a pet carrier. At least, that's what I was
told but it was hard to tell much about what she looked like. Mainly
black, she refused to leave the carrier and all I could really see
were a big beautiful pair of hazel eyes looking anxiously out at me.
Finally, after carrying her crate to the opposite end of the aisle
away from all the commotion, one of Susie's former foster Moms,
Linda, managed to coax her out and I fell in love. Seeing the face
surrounding those beautiful eyes did me in. When she finally opened
her mouth in a doggie smile, I saw a scraggily lower tooth (although
my heart broke to think how it might have gotten that way) and a
black-spotted tongue. Her little silver-tipped "eyebrows" and beard
made her irresistible. Most of all, it was easy to sense her
incredible sweetness and need for some sense of security and safety.
It was over 36 hours after she came home with me that I finally saw
daylight between her belly and the floor and realized what an
incredibly cute little dog she was. Briefly that day, for one split
second, she even pranced and I suddenly saw what a sturdy,
well-formed body she had. It was also the first time I had any real
idea of how tall she was (about 15" at the withers). Our vet would
confirm a few days later that I'd adopted a very healthy and hardy
little dog.
She's made a lot of progress since then although it's been
admittedly a slow and patient process. I'm still the only human
she'll allow to pick her up but she'll buddy right up to visitors
once she sees the other dogs have approached and not been hurt in
the process. She loves to hop up on the couch and lean up against
her company so that they can put one arm around her and pet her with
their other hand.
It became obvious very quickly that Susie (now called Circe) had
been as badly abused before Animal House rescued her as Anubis had
been during his racing career. And, like him, once granted love and
affection, she's like a little canine sponge, soaking up just every
bit she can get. And then gives it right back tenfold.
Thank heaven for people like the volunteers of Animal House Rescue
who find time in their busy lives to insure these wonderful animals
are given a second....or a third...or a fourth or even a fifth
chance at the only thing they truly want -to love and be loved.
Susie loves her backyard and exploring it with her "brothers". It's
impossible not to smile watching those short little legs prancing
behind the two long-legged greyhounds. Her legs have to move a lot
to keep up with theirs but keep up she does! And when she goes for a
walk, she walks politely beside me like the lady she is but she
steps high, her tail straight up and wagging furiously, exuding
sheer unadulterated joy. Every stranger who comments "She's
certainly a happy little thing, isn't she?" makes me realize just
how much difference a small amount of love and time can truly make.
Dogs like Susie/Circe who've experienced bad treatment in their past
offer much bigger rewards for those of us fortunate enough to adopt
them than we could ever offer to them. Undying appreciation,
loyalty, and love are only the beginning. The best gift is one
impossible to describe unless you've experienced it. It starts with
the first time you see them do something a dog who's always been a
cherished pet would do. And it continues every day after that when
you begin to understand what a wonderful change it's made in your
life and your home to have it filled with a constant supply of that
much sheer happiness.
For everything else, there's Mastercard.
Here's a recent picture of Anubis and Susie who finally found love
in the right place. And, yes, her legs really are shorter than his
head is long!
|
