Hueys 5 Week Rescue One of the toughest parts about being a street rescuer is when a dog you are trying to save doesnt realize youre there to help. Whether it is out of fear, a history of abuse, or he doesnt understand what its like to have human love, these types of rescues are certainly the toughest. Usually we can outsmart these dogs with a few simple tricks and perseverance, but then there are those dogs who outsmart every effort for weeks on end. Ultimately, while we may lose sleep and go a bit nutty while trying to save this type of dog, they are the one(s) that suffer the consequences ... Living outside, running across busy streets, scrounging for food and living in the freezing cold. This is Hueys story. Huey lived on the streets near a hospital in San Bernadino for somewhere between 2 and 6 months, depending on who you talk to. A caring woman that worked at the hospital, named Renee, made it her mission to help this dog and refused to quit, no matter how long it took. Someone connected Renee with my friend Faith Easdale and Faith began going out there nightly trying to rescue Huey. She could get close, but not close enough. He was fast, smart and not very food motivated. So late one night a few weeks ago, I headed out there to try with another one of my volunteers. For more than 9 hours Huey outsmarted all of our efforts. Not interested in a trap, scared of the gentle snare, too nervous to be cornered... Too fast for a grab and not trusting enough to just come to us. By the end of the night, I was convinced we had another Trixie on our hands and it would take a grand stroke of pure luck to save Huey. Faith didnt give up and neither did Renee. They scoured the area trying to find people who knew about Huey with the hopes of finding someone he trusted to get close enough. Many people knew about him, many people were feeding him, and several had been trying to rescue him. But no one could... This week has been one of the coldest on record for SoCal, with some areas getting snow and temperatures in the 20s. Time was running short and Huey needed saving fast... A new plan was needed. When, Lisa Arturo (who works with Hope For Paws) saw the below HEARTBREAKING video of Huey crying a few nights ago, she decided to make the long drive out there and give it a try. She had an idea... Maybe the trap we had been using was too big and scary for Huey? Maybe he would feel more inclined to walk into a small cat trap since it looked cozier? This would be something new and different for what we have seen in dog behavior, but she and Faith figured, why not? Lets give it a try? So they set the small trap and sure enough, Huey was interested! He wouldnt walk all the way in, but he was tempted and kept stepping inside it just a little bit. He wasnt quite ready, but he was getting there. They just needed to keep trying. So, again, Faith went out last night and set the tiny cat trap. Within minutes, Huey came running looking for the delicious bacon cheeseburger he knew would be awaiting him. He danced around it... a few steps in, then back out again... a few steps further in, then back out... But he couldnt resist the jackpot at the end of the trap - the delicious bacon, cheese and burger. He went for it! And snap! The trap closed! With Huey inside!! Faith and Renee over in complete shock and excitement! Their baby boy was finally safe!!!! Around 1:30 am this morning, I crawled out of bed and drove with Faith and Huey to our vet hospital here in LA. Even though I am still really sick, nothing could stop me from meeting this precious pooch and celebrating his rescue. As I held him in my arms, he used his paws to hold onto me as well. He was grateful to feel love. He was grateful to be safe. And now, he is cozy, warm at the vet and doing something he hasnt been able to do in months: Sleep soundly and in safety. With tens of thousands of dogs needing rescue at any given time in Southern California, sometimes it is hard to rationalize focusing so much energy on just one. But the tenacity shown by Hueys team of rescuers.. THAT is exactly what defines a hero. Someone who doesnt quit. Doesnt take the easy way out and doesnt look at a soul as just another number. From Huey and everyone at RFTH, Thank you to Faith, Renee, Lisa and everyone else who never gave up trying to save Huey. This video was taken four days ago by one of the security guards that was trying to help Huey. This is how close he would get to us... Any closer and he would bolt. Its heartbreaking to watch this video... You can hear how desperate he is to be saved, but too scared to allow it. After watching this video, click over to my Instagram page to see a few photos of Huey now safe and getting love. If you are an instagram fan, be sure to follow us there as well: instagram/rescuefromthehart
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:38:47 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015