Betty is finally home

Betty, after four short days, is finally home. She has captured the hearts of all the adults in my house and although she is still trying to find her spot in the pack, the dogs are slowly beginning to accept her.

She now sleeps on an orthopedic bed, which should help her comfort level due to her crippled leg. Her knee was apparently dislocated years ago and was never fixed by her previous owner. The shelter vet tried, unsuccessfully to rebuild her knee but it won't stay in place because of the previous damage. Although she walks funny, when she spots a squirrel she can run like the wind.

She travelled with me to work last night to keep me company, and made herself at home in my truck on the way going and coming. She laid down on the comforter I brought for the night, and only moved when I did.

She is a velcro dog and I cannot move out of her sight without her coming to find me. After looking at her paperwork, I discovered she was a senior. She is 7 years, 2 months and a few days old. She is also a county dog and was picked up as a stray by Sarasota County who did not have the funds to fix her leg. They knew what a great dog she was, so they called Satchel's Last Resort, the shelter I volunteer at to see if we had room for one more. As is the case more often than not, we made the room.

She doesn't like treats and eats very sparingly so is still a little on the thin side for me, but due to her leg issues, the weight is probably a good thing.

As you can see by this picture, she smiles. She rolls on her back for a belly rub, with all four feet in the air and then smiles.

She is home. She will never have to wander the streets or struggle to find food. If she begins to have issues with her leg, I will take care of it. She doesn't ever have to live in a kennel again but will have run of the house and a backyard to chase squirrels for as long as she wants.

For anyone who believes there is something wrong with shelter dogs, I would like for you to contact me. I would like for you to come and meet Miss Betty or Buzz, her companion. I would like for you to see what awesome pets these two dogs have turned into. I would like for you to experience Miss Betty's smile or feel her happy tail beating against your leg as you pet her.

If you are considering adopting, please consider a senior or special needs dog. These dogs are killed in shelters on a daily basis because to some, they are not quite perfect.

But I can dispell that rumor. All you have to do is meet Betty. She would grab a piece of your heart. She did mine and now she is finally home.