Rosie the Velcro Dog

Rosie, our 7-year-old Red Heeler, is the sweetest dog you ever met. We call her our Velcro dog because her favorite place to be is right next to you, preferably leaning on your legs. She loves scratches, chasing cats, and pestering the other dogs -and somebody threw her away.

That's right. Rosie was one of the millions of unwanted pets that are abandoned every year in the US.

Early in June of 2001, a local family became concerned over the very friendly half-grown puppy that had been running loose in their neighborhood for a couple of weeks. After some deliberation (and pleading on the children's part) they managed to get her in their car, and they drove around the neighborhood looking for her owner. They had no success, and it was getting very late. They were about to give up and take her to the local animal shelter, when one of our neighbors thought they recognized her. "I think that's Effie! Her family lives across the street." They knocked on our door not knowing that just that very morning, Effie, our beloved Dingo mix, had died peacefully of old age.

The other family could not keep Rosie because their dog was old, blind, and grouchy. Mom decided that since we had dog food and room for her that we should keep Rosie until we 1) found her owner or 2) found a good home for her. Three weeks went by. We had put "found dog" ads in the newspaper and on local radio (free for found pets) with no success. By this time, love had sprouted, and we decided that we couldn't bear to give Rosie away.

We had thought from the size of her head and feet in relation to the rest of her and the usual size of her breed that she was about 6 months old. However, when I took Rosie to our veterinarian to get her vaccinations and license, he said she was probably a year old - she was just that malnourished. She also had a bad case of tapeworms.

Later, as I stood at the counter in the vet clinic's waiting room to pay my bill, I saw there with his person the biggest bulldog I have ever seen. After a double-take, I realized it was a very old, very fat Boxer - and it seemed to know Rosie. His person turned around and saw her and said delightedly "Where have you been!" I wanted to cry. I thought, "Great. We're going to lose her too." The man saw my expression and said "No, no, she isn't mine! I was trying to find a home for her." He told a rapt audience (I think everyone in the building eventually gathered around) this story: "Last spring a friend of mine called me up and said that there was a Cattledog pup running loose on his ranch harassing his cattle, and he asked if I would come get her before he had to shoot her to keep her from running his cattle to death. She was a sweet little dog, and I started to look for a home for her, because this big guy [the Boxer] eats so much I can't afford another dog. But every time we'd go out or go to work I had to put her out in the yard because she wasn't housebroken yet, and she kept jumping the fence as soon as we left. I bailed her out of the local dog pound twice, but the last time she left I couldn't find her anywhere." He then asked me how I found her.

I explained that she had been found wandering around our neighborhood. He was quite surprised because he lived in a town about 10 miles away. "That's a long walk!" was his comment. As he left, he gave Rosie a last pat and wished us well, content that Rosie had found a home.

Six years later, Rosie is healthy, albeit very small (35 pounds). She may not live as long as she would have if she had not been abandoned and starving, and she sometimes requires a great deal of patience and understanding because even though she is usually a quiet, cuddly and sweet dog, if she thinks she is in trouble, she becomes so frightened that she will run and hide under the nearest bit of furniture and take a snap at whoever comes too near. But she is getting better all the time, and usually if you leave her alone for a few minutes and then speak to her reassuringly she crawls out and creeps over to you for a cuddle.

Over the years, we have found that rescuing dogs is not for the faint of heart, but there are few better rewards that I know of than when a formerly abused, frightened animal begins to look at you with love and trust in their eyes.

If you would like to adopt an abandoned pet, please check out your local animal shelter or if you live in the US or Canada, go to Petfinder.com to find a pet that needs you. If you are not able to adopt a pet, you can help by donating your time and/or money to your local humane shelter. There are many ways to give.