Reilly - At Shelter

Name: Reilly

Age: 10 years

Breed: Retriever/Golden mix

Sex: Female (altered)

Location: Green Bay, WI area

Vet Info: Reilly is confirmed spayed.  She is next due for her rabies and distemper vaccines on 5/15/16, and her lyme vaccine on 5/15/14.  She is heartworm negative.  Her vet's office commented on what a good dog she is and said she's very sweet!  Reilly weighs about 55 pounds.

Owner Info: DOB 7/16/03. Reilly is a beautiful and gentle girl whose owner had to move into assisted living and is no longer able to care for her.  They spoke with their local humane society who did not want to take Reilly, and so now she is living with the owner's son.  They have her listed at work and a few other places, but have not yet had any luck in finding Reilly a new home. They have had Reilly for about three years and got her when they answered an ad on Craigslist.  Her owner writes that she's blind due to retinal atrophy and cataracts and except for her sight, she is in good health. Reilly is an indoor dog with run of the house, she is housebroken and leash trained.  She is good with people of all ages, both male and female dogs, and cats, and currently lives with another dog and two cats.  She is not possessive of toys, treats, or food, and has never shown any aggression.  They write that she's very passive and easy to take care of!

Update 2/12/2014: Riley's owners had contacted a shelter several hours away from them that does not euthanize for time or space, and Riley has been able to find a spot there.  We have spoken with the shelter a few times, and they are wonderful and very caring.  Riley is not in danger of being euthanized, but of course, they'd like her out of the shelter as soon as possible so that she can go back to living in a home.  They're recommending a home without other animals or children.  

Schultz - Adopted!

Name: Schultz

Age: 5 years
Sex: Male (altered)
Breed: Dachshund

Location: Massillion, OH

Vet Info: Schultz is confirmed neutered.  He is also up-to-date with his inoculations.  He tested negative for heartworm.

Owner Info: Schultz is a brown and white Dachshund who has been with his family since puppyhood.  He weighs approximately 18 lbs and has recently lost his sight.  The owner has two small children and Schultz seems to be unsure of what is happening to him and “seems sad”. Schultz is not housebroken but is leash trained, good with all adults and older children. The owner has written the following: “Our dog has become too much for me to care for with two small children. Since he lost his sight completely, he has been going to the bathroom all over our kitchen (where he must be gated) and has snapped when startled or unsure of what's happening. He just seems sad, I want him to be with someone who can work with him and be with him. I worry about the girls hurting him, because they trip over him all the time, and I worry about him snapping at the girls if he gets cornered or they fall on him. I also can't always get to his accidents before the girls do, and I CAN'T have that”. The owner reported that “His eyes are both permanently fully dilated, and the membrane protecting his eye ball is gone. His eyes are sensitive, and he squints a lot. He is totally blind”. He is otherwise in good health.

Update 4/3/14: Schultz was originally posted at the end of January. We posted him as safe in mid-March. Unfortunately, we've just received this email from his owners, and he is no longer safe (he is urgent):

"Earlier this week, my older daughter fell on him - by mistake - and he bit her face. It scared her more than anything. She didn't need to go to the doctor, and it didn't really bleed. But it left a big red slash across her nose. We have decided that if we can't find him a home within the next couple of weeks, we will have to put him to sleep. He can't be biting the kids. He also can't be happy just sitting alone in the kitchen. I would GREATLY GREATLY GREATLY appreciate ANYTHING you can do to find him somewhere. I know he's a good dog. He's just needs a little rehabilitation, and no little kids". 

Gracie - Adopted

Name: Gracie

Age: 9 years

Breed: Cocker Spaniel

Sex: Female (altered)

Location: About two hours south of Little Rock, AR

Vet Info: Gracie is confirmed spayed and up to date on vaccines. Her next rabies vaccine is due 4/28/14. On 4/29/13, she also received the distemper and kennel cough vaccines. She is heartworm negative and a fecal in April was also negative. They write that Gracie "became heartworm positive on preventions a year or so ago, was treated with Immiticide and later tested negative." Gracie weighs about 30 pounds. 

Owner Info: Gracie is a sweet and beautiful girl whose owner took a bad fall last month and is currently in rehab. When released she will not be able to return home and the apartment she is going to will not allow dogs. A vet tech from the office where Gracie is a client is trying very hard to help Gracie's owner find a new home or rescue for sweet Gracie, and she writes, "Her situation has touched me and I'm trying to help her find placement for this dog. Both for the dog's sake and so the owner knows she's safe. Our local pound is not a place I'd like to see any dog go to, let alone an older, vision impaired dog. "  Gracie is currently being cared for by neighbors. Gracie's owner has had her since she was about 8 months old.  Gracie is an indoor dog with run of the house, she is housebroken and leash trained.  She has never lived with men or kids, but her vet and groomer are both men. She's lived with other female dogs and gotten along well with them all, and lived with an older male dog when she was first adopted.  Gracie can sometimes be possessive with food or treats, but they say she has never been aggressive about it, and has never bitten or snapped.  She does very well with the people coming in to the house to take care of her.  Gracie's owner is uncertain as to the cause of Gracie's blindness, but believes it may be dry eye.  There is no mention in her vet records as to the cause of her blindness.

Sophia - Adopted

Name: Sophia

Breed: Weimaraner

Sex: Female (altered)

Age: 8 years

Location: Charlotte, NC

Vet Info: Sophia is confirmed spayed and is up to date on vaccines.  She is heartworm negative and is on heartworm preventative.  She has "blindness secondary to diabetes" and receives 25 units of insulin twice daily.  Her vet said she's a fantastic dog!  

Owner Info: Sophia is a beautiful and very sweet girl whose owners are moving to a home that doesn't allow pets.  They are moving by the end of February.  They have tried other rescues and friends but have not yet had any luck in finding Sophia a new home.  They got Sophia from a breeder who is no longer in the area and have had Sophia since she was a puppy.  Her owner writes she has "one eye dead and one eye filmed over".  Sophia is an outdoor dog with a fenced yard, she is housebroken and leashed trained.  Sophia is a smart girl!  She knows the commands sit, lay down, and give me paw.  She is good with people of all ages, other dogs and cats, and has never shown any aggression.  She is not possessive of toys, treats, or food.  Her owners say, "she is the sweetest most lovable dog in the world!"  

Baby - In Memory

Name: Baby

Age: Estimated 5 years

Sex: Male (altered)

Breed: Border Collie Mix

Location: Wytheville, VA area

Vet Info: Baby is confirmed neutered and up to date on vaccines. He was given one-year rabies, distemper, and parvo vaccines on 12/4/13. Baby was heartworm and lyme tested on November 25th and both were negative. He weighs 45 pounds.  Baby's foster notes he may have a collapsing trachea as he does cough, and she said the vet did not find any evidence of a heart problem.  

Owner Info: Baby is a very handsome fellow who was pulled from a kill shelter by a local rescue right before he was to be euthanized.  They thought he was to head to another rescue; however he wasn't able to go to the other rescue.  While he's safe in his foster home, they're hoping for other rescue or adoption for Baby as the house has young children and it is too chaotic and busy for him, and the children make him very nervous.  The rescue is full and they do not have another foster home available.  Baby is an indoor dog with run of the house, he is housebroken and will walk on a leash, but "is panicky".   He is good with men and women and both male and female dogs and cats, but would do best in a home without children as children make him nervous. He is not possessive of toys, treats, or food, but if startled, he does try to bite, and so they let him know when they're going to touch him.   They believe Baby has been blind since birth, and his foster says there is no eye damage visible.  She believes he can see shadows, and he can hear perfectly. He loves to play!  "That's how he finds you by listening for you. He also will play with a tennis ball he listens for it to hit then goes that direction and moves his nose back and forth until he finds it."   His foster also writes, "I just need help finding a proper place for this boy. he is sweet as can be".

Dexter - Staying With Owner

Name: Dexter

Age: 5 years

Sex: Male (altered)

Breed: Labrador

Location: Near Charlotte, NC

Vet Info: Dexter is neutered. He is up to date on rabies and distemper. He is heartworm negative. He is blind and healthy. 

Owner Info: Dexter was advertised on craigslist as "free to a good home" and his current owner saw the ad and did not want Dexter to fall into the wrong hands so brought him to her home. The prior owner said that Dexter was a breeder's dog. The prior owner knew that Dexter, the runt of the litter, was not receiving appropriate care, so the prior owner adopted him, but then posted him on craigslist because of financial reasons. Dexter is currently living outside. He will sit and come when told. He is good with adults and with dogs and cats. He is not possessive of food, treats or toys. He is a quick learner, and learned how to do the steps at his new home after just a few tries. Dexter is blind due to cataracts. He weighs 60 pounds.  His current owner writes: "Dexter would be the perfect family pet! Other than the fact that he needs to be housetrained (he doesn't poop in the house), he has no wants! He loves to play tug but is not hyper like a pup. He loves to cuddle, and sticks close to his human when outside. He honestly is the perfect dog."

Spot - Outcome Unknown

Name: Spot

Age: 5 years

Breed: Jack Russell/Chihuahua Mix

Sex: Male (altered)

Location: New Richmond, WI area

Vet Info: Spot is confirmed neutered.  His next rabies vaccine is due 2/7/15.  He is overdue for a distemper vaccine and has not been recently heartworm tested.  Spot is microchipped.  He weighs approximately 17 pounds.

Owner Info: Spot is kept in a crate most of the day as his owners have several children, including one-year old twins, and their house is too chaotic for him.  It is not safe for him or the twins.  His owners are hoping for rescue or adoption for Spot so he can have the life he deserves!  They have had Spot since he was a puppy and were told his parents had the same eye issue, but they do not know the cause of his blindness and cannot afford to take him to a specialist.  They say that he is completely blind in one eye and has very little sight in the other.  Spot has been blind for about two years.  Spot is an indoor dog who is crated, he is housebroken but not leash trained.  He is good with the husband in the house, but he doesn't seem to like other men.  He's also good with women and cats, and he's good with some other dogs, but he prefers calm dogs, and does not like dogs who are hyper and will jump on him.  He should not live with young children, but is fine with the older children in the house.  Spot is possessive of food, and does not like if you try to take his food or toys away, although he is OK if you take away his water.  He is fed in his kennel.  He has snapped, but has never broken skin.   A visitor to the house wrote, "When I was visiting, the one year old had him cornered and he bit her arm. Made 2 indentations, did not break skin or draw blood. When he was neutered, the vet called the owner to come get him out of the kennel before surgery as he was growling & showing teeth". The visitor was able to hold him and said that the owner handed him to her backward, which the owner had been advised to do by her vet.   They love Spot and are very much hoping for a less chaotic home for him so that he can have everything he deserves!  

Update 4/15/14: Spot's owner said he is doing well but really needs a new home!!!! Please help him find that home if you can!

Sadie - Adopted

Name: Sadie

Age: 2-3 years

Sex: Female (altered)

Breed: Border Collie/Labrador Mix

Location: Near Hagerstown, MD

Vet Info: Sadie is spayed. She weighs 51 pounds. She is up to date on her shots and is heartworm negative. 

Owner Info: Sadie is housebroken and can be food aggressive; she may bark when a dog comes by her crate while she is eating. She has snapped at the owner's toddler but she thinks her toddler makes Sadie nervous. The owner wrote: "I rescued Sadie from Alabama.  She is considered a border collie/lab mix by their vet. She is spayed and currently up to date on her shots. She's between 2-3 yrs old. She melts when she's petted and eventually ends up on the floor for a belly rub. I do have her crate trained. She is either too hyper for my other rescue dogs or they sense she's different because now it's to the point where my other rescues get into it with her so she has to be taken out separately. She is blind in her left eye so she walks on your left so she can look up at you. You can't tell she's blind in one eye by the way she runs and plays and used to play with my lab mix. She's curious about cats but is a little too playful when near mine and scares them off. I believe she would be best as an only dog with someone who can provide her the attention she wants. She doesn't mind kids - it's just she's hyper and my toddler doesn't know any better so probably no young kids. As far as other dogs - she does get along with a few of mine but sometimes tiffs break out between 2 of them but something may have brought it on...whether it was her or them...not sure. Cats - same problem. She doesn't attack them but scares them some because she's got her nose all on them but my inside cat ignores her. She's not cat aggressive, but curious and may learn once she's around one enough. With dogs, the food issue may be a problem but she eats in her kennel. She's not a bad dog, just isn't in a calm environment right now where others aren't barking at her or jumping on her on the way to the front door or trying to fight her. She may calm down once in a stable home and not in a crate more than out and about freely with no issues. She may be too hyper for an older dog but with a friendly younger one who likes to play, I think she'd be fine."  

Update 4/15/14: Sadie's owner said she is doing fine but has to spend a lot of time in a crate because she and another dog do not get along very well. Sadie really needs a new home soon!!

Shadow - Adopted

Name: Shadow

Age: 6 years

Breed: Black Labrador

Sex: Male (altered)

Location: Chaska, MN

Vet Info: Shadow is confirmed neutered and up to date on vaccines.  His bordetella and distemper vaccines are next due 5/22/14, and his rabies vaccine is next due 5/22/16.  He is heartworm negative.  A tick panel was run at the same time, and that was also negative.  Shadow weighs 70 pounds.

Owner Info: Shadow is a very handsome boy whose owner has to move, and she is unable to take Shadow with her.  She is very much hoping for rescue or a permanent home for sweet Shadow!  She has asked everyone she knows to put the word out, but she has had no luck so far.  Shadow was saved from a shelter in KY where he was slated for euthanasia, and she has had Shadow for about two years.  She believes Shadow has been blind since birth.  Shadow is an indoor dog with run of the house, he is housebroken but not leash trained.  Shadow knows several commands including sit, go on, come, and shake for food.  Shadow's owner writes, "he seems to be mostly comfortable with women. He barks at men he doesn't know, but it seems to be more about being skittish than anything else. I have not seen him around children, so I do not know how he is with them".  She adds that he may bark at people he doesn't know, but he is never aggressive. Shadow is good with other dogs and is not possessive of toys, treats, or food.  His owner says that he is in good health.  He drinks a lot, but tests did not find any cause for this.  She writes, "He is very sweet and gentle and playful. Incredibly sweet and very loveable!"