Cassidy
08-30-2007, 03:39 PM
I had been waiting a long time for a dog. My husband and I were renting a house where we could not have dogs, only cats (which we had 3 of). I, needing my fill of canine companionship, signed up to volunteer with my local humane society. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for handicapped and elderly animals in need of a home. They are so often overlooked at the shelter I wanted to be able to concentrate on those dogs and ensure they got showered with love and attention while they waited for a forever home.
I established myself as a reliable volunteer and when an opening became available for a volunteer in the medical department, I jumped at the chance to be involved in this capacity. One year later, my husband and I had saved up enough money to buy a home. One month before our closing, a sweet angel girl was brought to the shelter. She had been found on the side of the road, beaten and shot in the leg. The vet did everything he could for her, but the decision was made to amputate her leg. I was there the day after her surgery and that strong little girl was already up and walking around. She was VERY timid with a face that could melt your heart. I decided this was the dog for me. If all went well with her healing, the timing would be perfect, we would be in our house eagerly awaiting her with open arms and hearts. And it was perfect timing. Physically she healed fine, emotionally not so much. Cassidy was a lot of work. I stayed home from work the first week I had her and bonded with her as much as she would allow. I didn't push her and eventually she became very attached to me. However unfortunately she wanted nothing to do with my husband, she would bolt any time he went near her. God bless him, he was so patient with her.
We discovered the "other side" of Cassidy when a friend came to visit with her dog, a beautiful husky. Cassidy was beside herself with joy. She had no fear of my friend, she smiled ear to ear and those two dogs played all afternoon. I then spent every spare moment I had bringing her to the dog park and having "play dates". But I knew what Cassidy truly needed was another dog in the home. A constant companion. I really had to twist my husband's arm with this one, but he could see the good it did for Cassidy to be with other dogs. Two months later I walked into the medical department of the shelter one Saturday morning and the vet tech on duty said "I found your dog". I peeked into one of the cages and saw the sweetest pair of brown eyes looking up at me. But I still had to ask "why did you pick this one for me?" and she said "look closer". He shifted his weight and I saw the shaved area where his back leg should have been. "He was hit by a car and the owners waited too long to do something, we couldn't save the leg". And Dusty came home with me 3 weeks later and was an instant hit. Cassidy and Dusty acted like long lost siblings.
It was around the time Dusty became part of our family that Cassidy decided her Daddy wasn't so bad. He is now her favorite person, she runs to see him whenever he enters the room - tail waving madly in circles. And Dusty is just a friendly old boy who wants to roam the world and meet as many people as possible. He showed us every unsecured area of our fence that we thought no dog could get through. We would get phone calls from our neighbors "Dusty is visiting", "I've got Dusty in my house". It was no mystery how Dusty got hit by a car in his former home. But now with the fence 100% secured he has not had any further wandering instances, however we keep him inside whenever we are not at home now - just to be safe.
Cassidy is still very fearful of people - unless they show up with a dog. Every Thursday I get together with 3 of my girlfriends and their dogs. She thinks my Thursday friends are quite wonderful. She is getting better and better, "baby steps" I call it. I can't blame her for fearing humans. They did quite a number on her. But that dog loves my husband and I with every ounce of her being. However we definitely had to earn that trust.
I am blessed to have two beautiful tripods in my life. Their sheer bravery and strength is inspiring. They run like the wind and their handicap doesn't set them back at all. I do get funny looks when I walk them and the "awww, poor dogs" comment when we're out in public. But I tell those people "poor nothing - these dogs don't even know they're missing anything".
Dusty and Cassidy - my shelter dogs, my tripods - beating the odds and winning. They have brought such joy and love to my life, I cannot imagine my life without them.
I do want to say thank you, because I did post on here for advice about adopting Dusty. I was a little nervous about it and everyone who responded encouraged me to do it. I am so glad I did!
Here are some pics of my "kids":
Cassidy "before" picture - at the shelter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/before-1.jpg
Cassidy "after" picture
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1039.jpg
Cassidy with her first friend and current boyfriend
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1016.jpg
Dusty "before" at the shelter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/dusty2-1.jpg
Dusty "after", this past winter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0826.jpg
Instant friends
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0295.jpg
Playing with a friend
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0949.jpg
Hanging in the yard
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1037.jpg
I established myself as a reliable volunteer and when an opening became available for a volunteer in the medical department, I jumped at the chance to be involved in this capacity. One year later, my husband and I had saved up enough money to buy a home. One month before our closing, a sweet angel girl was brought to the shelter. She had been found on the side of the road, beaten and shot in the leg. The vet did everything he could for her, but the decision was made to amputate her leg. I was there the day after her surgery and that strong little girl was already up and walking around. She was VERY timid with a face that could melt your heart. I decided this was the dog for me. If all went well with her healing, the timing would be perfect, we would be in our house eagerly awaiting her with open arms and hearts. And it was perfect timing. Physically she healed fine, emotionally not so much. Cassidy was a lot of work. I stayed home from work the first week I had her and bonded with her as much as she would allow. I didn't push her and eventually she became very attached to me. However unfortunately she wanted nothing to do with my husband, she would bolt any time he went near her. God bless him, he was so patient with her.
We discovered the "other side" of Cassidy when a friend came to visit with her dog, a beautiful husky. Cassidy was beside herself with joy. She had no fear of my friend, she smiled ear to ear and those two dogs played all afternoon. I then spent every spare moment I had bringing her to the dog park and having "play dates". But I knew what Cassidy truly needed was another dog in the home. A constant companion. I really had to twist my husband's arm with this one, but he could see the good it did for Cassidy to be with other dogs. Two months later I walked into the medical department of the shelter one Saturday morning and the vet tech on duty said "I found your dog". I peeked into one of the cages and saw the sweetest pair of brown eyes looking up at me. But I still had to ask "why did you pick this one for me?" and she said "look closer". He shifted his weight and I saw the shaved area where his back leg should have been. "He was hit by a car and the owners waited too long to do something, we couldn't save the leg". And Dusty came home with me 3 weeks later and was an instant hit. Cassidy and Dusty acted like long lost siblings.
It was around the time Dusty became part of our family that Cassidy decided her Daddy wasn't so bad. He is now her favorite person, she runs to see him whenever he enters the room - tail waving madly in circles. And Dusty is just a friendly old boy who wants to roam the world and meet as many people as possible. He showed us every unsecured area of our fence that we thought no dog could get through. We would get phone calls from our neighbors "Dusty is visiting", "I've got Dusty in my house". It was no mystery how Dusty got hit by a car in his former home. But now with the fence 100% secured he has not had any further wandering instances, however we keep him inside whenever we are not at home now - just to be safe.
Cassidy is still very fearful of people - unless they show up with a dog. Every Thursday I get together with 3 of my girlfriends and their dogs. She thinks my Thursday friends are quite wonderful. She is getting better and better, "baby steps" I call it. I can't blame her for fearing humans. They did quite a number on her. But that dog loves my husband and I with every ounce of her being. However we definitely had to earn that trust.
I am blessed to have two beautiful tripods in my life. Their sheer bravery and strength is inspiring. They run like the wind and their handicap doesn't set them back at all. I do get funny looks when I walk them and the "awww, poor dogs" comment when we're out in public. But I tell those people "poor nothing - these dogs don't even know they're missing anything".
Dusty and Cassidy - my shelter dogs, my tripods - beating the odds and winning. They have brought such joy and love to my life, I cannot imagine my life without them.
I do want to say thank you, because I did post on here for advice about adopting Dusty. I was a little nervous about it and everyone who responded encouraged me to do it. I am so glad I did!
Here are some pics of my "kids":
Cassidy "before" picture - at the shelter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/before-1.jpg
Cassidy "after" picture
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1039.jpg
Cassidy with her first friend and current boyfriend
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1016.jpg
Dusty "before" at the shelter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/dusty2-1.jpg
Dusty "after", this past winter
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0826.jpg
Instant friends
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0295.jpg
Playing with a friend
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN0949.jpg
Hanging in the yard
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/nushikitty/DSCN1037.jpg