We have a beautiful look at me now update from one of our volunteers who lovingly cared for and then adopted a severely traumatized dog. Who remembers Angel? Grab a Kleenex and read on... By Rhonda McDougall Today is January 9, 2015. It’s hard to believe that Angel has been with us for about 5 ½ months! I remember how timid and frightened she was when we met her on July 21st. That day she trembled from the tip of her nose to the end of her stubby, docked tail. She panted constantly and saliva poured from her mouth in a steady stream. At home the crates (one in a bedroom and one in the family room) were immediately Angel’s ‘safe place’, her ‘sanctuary’ … and she curled up as far away from the open door as she could manage. We tucked a bowl of water inside so she could drink ‘in safety’. By the end of that first day I was exhausted … and could only begin to imagine how Angel was feeling. I fell asleep thinking “Oh my God ….”. These 3 words were followed (alternately) by “… that poor dog!” and “what have we committed ourselves to?” July 22 … Hurrah! Angel went to the bathroom for the first time! While outside, I combed her a little to remove the worst of the tangles. She was patient but listening for noises … and ready to retreat to her crate in the family room. By the end of the day she was eating a little so we were encouraged and relieved. Evening saw Angel move to the front of her crate but wouldn’t yet stick her head out. She slept for hours … part of her healing. And she had already stolen our hearts. The timing for Angel’s arrival was perfect as I’d broken the big toe on my right a few days earlier so wasn’t moving too much. The family room, windows open to welcome the breezes, was our ideal ‘getaway’. Angel slept in her crate, Faith on her doggie bed and I sat on the chesterfield to read and nap. I sang (thankfully they were the only ones within hearing distance!) and talked to the ‘canine kids’ – about nothing – but thought it couldn’t hurt for Angel to get used to my voice. Angel would leave her crate (to go outside or upstairs at bedtime) only if we looped the soft lead around her neck … and then she was compliant and gentle. Grooming sessions are a peaceful way to continue bonding with our pets. An added bonus is those ‘stop the world and let us off for awhile’ minutes – time to sit quietly and enjoy each moment. I hadn’t tried brushing or combing Angel since the first morning – had decided to give her ‘space’ and ‘time’. But, a few times a day, Faith and I had sat on the floor close to Angel’s crate – Faith would sprawl out beside me while I brushed her. The afternoon of the 29th was momentous! Faith had stretched out on my left side – but this time Angel ventured out of the crate and lay down on my right side, tight against my outstretched leg. Trust had been established! Tears of joy and gratitude ran down my cheeks. Jim was out with friends on a photo trip that day … I was over-the-moon and couldn’t wait until he got home so I could share the excitement. Angel welcomed the grooming, most likely because her thick, matted fur still had bits of dried blood and scabs buried throughout. She seemed to want the human contact. I brushed and combed until she’d had enough, at which point she’d retreat to her crate for awhile. But before too long she was stretched beside me and we began again. After a few days (and many bags of hair) Angel emerged with a new look … and a new ‘size’. Another ‘red letter day’ was August 12th. That day we were in the family room and Angel lay on her back for the first time! Being a self-confessed ‘romantic’, I took a photo of that special moment. Jim and I were happy that she was comfortable enough to expose her tummy to the world. And she began to wag her tail! Faith and Angel play together in short spurts but they seem to welcome each others presence always. We were told she was Golden Retriever cross but the DNA revealed that Angel is Australian Cattle Dog, Greyhound and Irish Terrier. Over the years I’ve read a lot about PTSD. Thankfully Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is being acknowledged these days and people are more forthcoming about their ordeals. Sufferers are learning to talk about their feelings as well as the lasting impact on themselves, their families and friends. Living with Angel has exposed us to the far-reaching effects that trauma can have on living beings – and on those who are unable to “make the bad memories go away” for their loved ones, including pets. Since Angel joined our family I’ve attempted to uncover more of her story, thinking something might offer a little bit of insight into what she’d been through in her previous lifetime. Recently I connected with Shastta, the compassionate young lady who transported Angel from the community where she was rescued to the veterinary hospital in Lloydminster. Thankfully, she was able to fill me in on a little more of Angel’s Story. It’s not definitely known how much time passed before Angel was ‘rescued’ but it was likely 12 to 16 hours after the savage attack. “I was a little wary when I first saw Angel,” Shastta told me via Facebook message, “because I didn’t know how she would be with a stranger — especially when she had open wounds, skin hanging, was still bleeding and in pain.” Angel was bigger than Shastta had thought she would be so she asked an RCMP officer to help her get Angel into the back of her car. “Angel smelled faintly of skunk … and she bled through the blankets under her.” Because she was dirty, matted and drenched in blood, it was impossible to see the extent of Angel’s injuries to her ears, scalp and throat area. Angel was panting and in shock during the ride to Lloydminster but she got out of the car on her own and they got her into the hospital. “Angel did very well at the vet’s,” Shastta told me, “and she leaned into me while she was being sedated.” Angel’s “angel” sent me some photos taken during that trip – they’re upsetting but show the shock that had set in. “It was difficult for the owners to give up 5-year-old Angel because they clearly cared about her,” Shastta mentioned. “Nobody knows if it was the 10 dogs she lived with that attacked her or if it was a wild animal. But, because she’d been beaten up before, the owners felt it was best to surrender her.” Thankfully Dr. Newman, the veterinarian at the Lloydminster Animal Hospital, performed ‘magic’ in re-constructing Angel’s ears, the right one in particular. Initially there was some concern that the skin graft wouldn’t work … but it did! The first weeks she was with us we were feeling the wound to make sure the tissue was still warm to the touch. Because of the damage, we cover Angel’s head with a “snood” for protection — fleece for winter, waterproof nylon for rain and lightweight fabric for windy days. I can say, without a doubt, that she doesn’t appreciate having anything on her head. I’m grateful that there are caring people, volunteers and professionals, who are willing to help living beings … be they human or animal or bird … or whatever. When humanitarians work together, we can begin to transform the World!! One act of loving kindness at a time … Angel’s ghosts remain a part of who she is but she’s made tremendous progress! Outdoors she is hyper-vigilant to sights, sounds and scents … fearful of strangers (people and dogs) – time will tell if that ever changes. At home Angel obviously feels relaxed and comfortable but is ‘on alert’ when she hears an unexpected sound such as the furnace coming on. Did she ever live in a house that was heated by a furnace? Most nights she sleeps little, moving from bedroom to bedroom, sometimes lying down briefly. But when we’re awake (daytime for example) she crashes close by and sleeps soundly. We still have unanswered questions that might offer glimpses to understanding what she’s experienced during her lifetime. There is no way to foretell the future. Angel might never fully recover from her trauma – apparently there was more than one ‘event’. She has proven that she ‘remembers’ locations. Whatever lies ahead, we (and Faith) plan to be with her every step of the way. A breath at a time. A day at a time. With hope. With laughter. With gratitude. And likely, with some tears, too. scarscare.ca/angel-an-update/
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 23:25:32 +0000
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