Giving Thanks For Freckles
This is the month for giving thanks and we have so much to be thankful for. One true blessing is our new dog, Freckles. Like so many pit bulls, he has had a hard life. Somehow, his forgiving nature has seen him through.
From the day he was born, Freckles was set up to fail. The product of a backyard breeder, he was sold at just four weeks, too young to have learned proper socialization with humans and other dogs. Typical of the bully breed, he craved human attention but rarely received it. He grew up neglected and practically alone, his food bowl as his only toy. He had no way of learning how to live in a home as part of a family, and didn’t know what it felt like to be valued and loved. Also typical of his breed, he continued to love humans even though they betrayed him time and again.
This is the month for giving thanks and we have so much to be thankful for. One true blessing is our new dog, Freckles. Like so many pit bulls, he has had a hard life. Somehow, his forgiving nature has seen him through.
From the day he was born, Freckles was set up to fail. The product of a backyard breeder, he was sold at just four weeks, too young to have learned proper socialization with humans and other dogs. Typical of the bully breed, he craved human attention but rarely received it. He grew up neglected and practically alone, his food bowl as his only toy. He had no way of learning how to live in a home as part of a family, and didn’t know what it felt like to be valued and loved. Also typical of his breed, he continued to love humans even though they betrayed him time and again.
At about one year old, Freckles found himself starving and alone, wandering aimlessly looking for safety, security and love. Had he been dumped on the street? Did he escape? We’ll never know. When he was found by a caring human, he was dangerously thin and terribly afraid. As he regained his health, he felt happy for the first time. Sadly, it was not to last, for he shared his home with another dog who would not accept him.
Freckles’ Good Samaritan was kind but clueless and he managed to do everything wrong. Luckily, he reached out to Silver Rescue for help training Freckles and making his home and yard safe for Freckles and his other dogs. Freckles proved himself a loving, gentle soul with humans, cats, and other dogs but one particular dog in the home tested Freckles to his non-confrontational limits. The Akita, McGoo, hated Freckles from the first time he laid his eye on him.
Freckles’ Good Samaritan was kind but clueless and he managed to do everything wrong. Luckily, he reached out to Silver Rescue for help training Freckles and making his home and yard safe for Freckles and his other dogs. Freckles proved himself a loving, gentle soul with humans, cats, and other dogs but one particular dog in the home tested Freckles to his non-confrontational limits. The Akita, McGoo, hated Freckles from the first time he laid his eye on him.
Nothing kept McGoo from looking for chances to attack Freckles. When a gate was left open, the fight was on. This happened twice. It is hard for humans to stand by while dogs fight and hurt each other. The instinct is to separate them, and both times humans got hurt and the dogs were quarantined. McGoo was allowed to serve his quarantine at the animal hospital where he was widely known to the staff as one of the most aggressive dogs they had ever seen. Several were afraid to care for him or enter his kennel. By contrast, Freckles had never been accused of aggression. Nevertheless, he was blamed for the fights and banished to Animal Control.
We knew Freckles was a wonderful but misunderstood dog who did not deserve to lose his life. We bailed him off death row - twice – and promised to give him a chance to prove it. After his second release from Animal Control, Freckles’ family surrendered him to us. We were overflowing with animals as usual, so we began a search for a sanctuary for Freckles. Responsible sanctuaries are hard to find and very expensive, but luckily a loyal supporter helped us board Freckles with his trainer where he could live a normal home life, safe and loved.
We knew Freckles was a wonderful but misunderstood dog who did not deserve to lose his life. We bailed him off death row - twice – and promised to give him a chance to prove it. After his second release from Animal Control, Freckles’ family surrendered him to us. We were overflowing with animals as usual, so we began a search for a sanctuary for Freckles. Responsible sanctuaries are hard to find and very expensive, but luckily a loyal supporter helped us board Freckles with his trainer where he could live a normal home life, safe and loved.
Finally, after more than a year, Freckles joined us at Silver Rescue. We’ve said all along he is a good dog but he has turned out to be all we’ve said and so much more. He is a marvelous dog. He has made friends with the other Silver Rescue dogs and, like our “homeboys” Alex and Brad, and best friend LuLu, Freckles helps around the rescue training cats to be good with dogs, providing companionship and a calming influence, and making us smile at his happy face.
Because of his history and what we call his “rap sheet”, we knew he would be difficult to place in a suitable home. In three years, he’s attracted a handful of applications, but the right one has never come along. Maybe it was meant to be, because now that he is here, we cannot bear to part with him. So, it’s official: Freckles is no longer “adoptable”.
He has found his forever home at Silver Rescue.
Because of his history and what we call his “rap sheet”, we knew he would be difficult to place in a suitable home. In three years, he’s attracted a handful of applications, but the right one has never come along. Maybe it was meant to be, because now that he is here, we cannot bear to part with him. So, it’s official: Freckles is no longer “adoptable”.
He has found his forever home at Silver Rescue.
