Breaking the Cycle of Abuse

Pet Talk – October with Naomi McDonald

Last month I shared the story of a sweet Pug named Bill who was rescued on the streets of Tulsa, OK and found his forever home in Los Angeles. I always learn so much from the adventures of our four legged friends but there was still more for me to experience from Bill’s journey to California. As I mentioned in my last article a client of mine involved with Collie rescues connected me to this incredible woman, Joan who sits all day at her computer contacting and organizing people to help transport dogs and cats to their new homes or rescue organizations. She works with an amazing network of volunteers who donate their time, energy and fuel usually in two hour legs to help animals find better homes. For example Bill’s journey was going to take 17 legs or hand off points to travel about 14 hundred miles.

My husband Mac and I were planning a road trip to Colorado so we offered to help Joan transport Bill, two Border Collies and a Siberian Husky, named Dina on the first leg of their journey, which was to Albuquerque. I noticed on the description sheet of each dog that Dina had been abused, was a “high flight risk” and two collars and leashes recommended at all times. So on a rainy Tuesday morning we set out with Bill from Tulsa to pick up the other three dogs. The lady who so graciously agreed to keep them had to go to work and wouldn’t be able to help us get the dogs into our SUV. The Border Collies were very energetic and a little hard to handle, but it wasn’t difficult getting them into their crates. We were instructed though to have Mac stay far away while retrieving Dina because she was deathly afraid of men.

Dina had two collars on so I attached two leashes and was able to easily walk her to the back of the car but she didn’t know how to jump up. When I bent down to help her everything fell apart. As soon as I touched her body, she whimpered, squirmed out of my hands and threw herself against a nearby fence, trembling. After I ran over to her she rolled onto her back and the look of terror in her beautiful, human like blue eyes made me start to cry. I knelt beside her sobbing and tried to pick her up but just wasn’t strong enough. Finally I called for my husband and hoped for the best. Mac has such a sweet Soul that thankfully Dina was fine with his help. While he was getting her into the car I stood there crying, covered in mud and thinking, “what kind of a monster could have done this to this dog.”