This is Charlie – one of the 60 dogs rescued from Marjorie’s Kennels Puppy Mill by Suncoast Keeshond Rescue, along with Keeshond Rescue Ontario, Chesapeake Keeshond Rescue, and worldwide support from Keeshond lovers. (The dogs were rescued from November 2013 - March 2014. Marjorie had agreed to turn over 100 but she reneged – the other 40 continue to suffer). Charlie was transported from NY to Ontario, Canada in the middle of winter. The transporters had to drive with the windows down because Charlie and his 5 friends from the mill smelled so bad due to the fact they had been living in their own feces and urine. After a very long journey, Charlie arrived at his foster home and he was terrified because it was first time he had ever been in a house. He had been living in a cramped, cold, cement floored cage with a large number of other dogs. So while he was glad there were 2 dogs in his foster home, he was really afraid of the humans because he had had no previous human contact. Charlie stayed away from his foster mom for a very long time, running away every time she even smiled or spoke softly, trying to reassure Charlie that life was going to be better - and feeding him scrumptious dinners instead of the cheap, unhealthy kibble he had been subsiding on for the past 3-4 years. The only place Charlie felt safe was in the crate, which for him, resembled his small cell back at Marjorie’s Kennels…except this one was clean and comfy. When Charlie first arrived at his foster home, he got a bath – another frightening experience. He had never had a bath in his entire life, but it ultimately made him feel much better. He was also given medicine because he had a terrible case of intestinal worms. As time went on Charlie started intently watching from a distance as the other dogs in the household received petting and hugs. Charlie had never been petted and it took many weeks to gain courage enough to allow his foster mom to pet him. Turned out, it was the best feeling ever for Charlie and he has now even learned to paw at her when he wants to be pet! Charlie also came to his foster home with a significant limp. X-rays showed that Charlie’s knee was affixed to the inside of his leg and the specialist said that the chance of a successful surgery was only 50/50. It was recommended that Charlie see another specialist in Michigan and so Charlie made yet another very long journey back to the U.S. The surgery was quite an ordeal and Charlie was in a lot of pain, on a lot of meds and had to go through extensive rehabilitation. A few weeks later, he was back in Ontario where he continued his rehab. It took 9 weeks before Charlie was out of pain and could walk normally. But his foster mom was finally able to see Charlie run! When Charlie went to his first obedience class, his foster mom had to carry him in he was so petrified but he got braver and braver and after 6 weeks, he graduated with the rest of his class! All of the other dogs that Keeshond Rescue got out of Marjorie’s Kennels in 2013/2014 have found their forever homes. Charlie is the last of 60. As I write this, we are waiting to hear if he has finally found a home where he can grow, learn, and enjoy the rest of his life in the loving care of a family he will call his very own. Paws crossed
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 23:59:41 +0000
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