A local humane society asked us to take Andy into rescue as he was terrified of being in a cage and was doing poorly at the shelter. We agreed to help and one of our fosters picked him up and took him home. After two weeks, there was no improvement. His fosters asked us to take Andy to White Dog Cottage, TBFR's Sanctuary and Hospice, as they could not handle him. He was wary, distrustful and his fosters couldn't put their hands on him. It turned out, he was especially afraid of men. Andy loves his new "mom" unconditionally but is terrified of the rest of the human race. Sessions with a behaviorist, a course of basic obedience, a thorough check up at the vet followed. Andy improved a bit and the behaviorist feels we are working with a dog with problems akin to PTSD. We don't know how long he was out on the streets. We don't know what happened to him there and what may have happened to him prior to street living. Andy is very active and playful. He has graduated to rubbing along with his foster dad. Because of his bite history and his fear of most people, Andy will stay here at White Dog Cottage permanently.
Max was given up to a local shelter when his owner, who had cancer, could no longer keep him. In the shelter, Max started to have seizures and the shelter put him in one of their foster homes. The loving foster felt that working full time and leaving Max alone was contributing to his seizures, which were uncontrolled even by medication. And so Max came to rescue. Max is doing wonderfully and everyone who meets him loves him. His seizures are controlled by medication and diet. He has blood work every six months to ensure his meds are appropriate. His dental health is very important and yearly dentals are in his future. His diet is measured and low fat, and there is someone home with him nearly 24 hours a day. This seems to be the recipe for his success. Max is a very demanding little guy who wants constant attention.
Monty was rescued from a Puppy Mill Bust. He is extremely shy and doesn't understand or relate to things that most dogs and their owners take for granted. He ignores other dogs; he doesn't know what toys are; he is not food motivated and he is afraid of most people. He does like to sleep in bed with his foster mom and follows her everywhere. With much love, time and patience we hope that this very sweet boy will start to relax and enjoy his new life.
When seven-month-old Rosie came to rescue she weighed less than 5 lbs. -- half of what she should have weighed! Purchased at a local pet store by pathetic excuses for human beings, she lived outside and was being starved. She was poisoned and her owners refused to pay for her treatment at the local emergency vet. She was signed over to the vets there: treated, saved and sent to TBFR where she has remained over the years. She is still extremely distrustful of most people and is aggressive to other dogs. She feels safe and is happy in rescue. She will always have a home at White Dog Cottage.
17-year-old Savannah, a Bichonpoo, came to Rescue last Christmas Eve. Her eye sight is poor but her hearing is good and she is generally healthy: extremely healthy for a 17-year-old! She is quiet and sleeps most of the day, until her inner alarm clock rings: MEAL TIME! Then you will see her running circles around the kitchen, baying with her Basset Hound voice!
Sissy, a Morkie, came to White Dog Cottage with a Bichon several years ago. Both were adopted but she came back to us when her adopter died. She is receiving a chemotherapy drug for a mass on her epiglottis as well as a mass in her bladder. She is doing very well and is due for her one-year post diagnosis check up!
Thelma and Louise were found by good Samaritans in a ditch at the side of the road. Thelma had a zip tie around her neck and one of her back legs hog tied with another zip tie. This leg was so badly damaged that she can only use it for balance. She has a partial front leg which the surgeons agreed was not a birth defect but a "traumatic amputation." She has only two legs to get around on. Both girls were heartworm positive and needed dentals as well as spaying.
Thelma now has only 3 remaining teeth. The others were so badly decayed that they were extracted. Thelma, who runs at the speed of light on two legs, is the Queen Enforcer of White Dog Cottage and thinks it's her job to keep the other dogs in line with her fierce growling. They humor her (they seem to know she now has only 3 teeth)! After treatment, they are now both heart worm negative.
Louise had to have emergency surgery on her left eye because of pressure behind the lens. The operation saved the eye but not the sight in that eye. She had an infected cornea in the other eye as well as high eye pressure. She is fully sighted in the right eye but needs 10 eye drops daily (down from the daily 27 drops she required previously). She needs a monthly visit to the ophthalmologist to monitor the pressure in that eye, as well as having her medications adjusted when needed in order to keep her from going totally blind. She has Cushings disease and requires three medications a day.
When she first arrived at White Dog Cottage, she would nip people in the calf or ankle and then run. She no longer is so fearful that she feels she has to defend herself and Thelma from her fosters but is still wary of strangers. In fact, she quite enjoys being held and kissed on the top of her head by her foster mom and likes to sit in the recliner with her foster dad while he watches TV. These two girls are precious, funny characters and we love having them here at White Dog Cottage.