Beverly shares double the love with two success stories:
Nandi (black dog) and Tigger (orange dog)
Nandi (which means joyous one, and she is) was adopted in 2013. Prior to her rescue by Muttville she had possibly spent many (guess age at 9) years in a cage having pups we think twice a year. When she was released she could not walk very well, her hind legs were atrophied, her hind end was small from non use, her teats were dragging the ground, most of her teeth were ground down from chewing on her cage bars (a guess), and most of her hair on her hind quarters was gone from flea infections.
She then came to me after some great care from Muttville, she was spayed, 5 tumors removed from her chest and her teats were sewn up (boob job), she had a few cracked teeth removed and remaining stubs cleaned, her sore skin had salve applied, and currently is given weekly shots for her severe arthritis in her right shoulder (bone on bone).
She began to walk without stumbling, could walk up the stairs with no help, and finally started to run. (I cried the first time she ran on the beach) Her hind end filled out and her back legs got stronger and longer, her hair grew back and became shinny and healthy so she looks normal and people sometimes think she is a puppy.
She now loves to run after her ball and hunt for at least an hour a day at the park or the beach. She loves chomping on carrots and chew sticks. She loves sleeping in bed with me (stairs were built so she can walk up – she still can not jump). Nandi loves human attention and affection.
Tigger
Tigger was adopted in 2014 at 10 years old – His original name was Tigre’. He was 3 days away from being euthanized before Muttville rescued him. He had lost a lot of weight pinning for his original owner , and for months ran up to any man with a hat and beard hoping that was his owner. The shelter believed he was tri-lingual (Spanish, English and French); and he ignored me in all 3 languages. He was well loved and spoiled until he was surrendered; his teeth were perfect (perhaps recently cleaned), had a very expensive custom made leather collar (with a South African flag attached to it), had probably never been hurt and did not know fear (my huge noisy rug washing machine can go straight at him and he won’t move), always demanded the front seat of the car, and pushed people out of the way to get where he wanted to go.
Tigger is obsessed with ball catching and would demand bark constantly until you threw the ball. He has now learned that time outs are required so he could catch his breath, now he has leaned to quietly lie down and waits for the ball to be thrown again. Most of his demand barking has been eliminated, and after lots of work and a barrier; Tigger no longer sits in the front seat of the car. Tigger has also learned to listen to me (which was very difficult for him since he seemed to have been very bonded to males and rarely listened to female humans) and he no longer goes on the stairs while I’m on them so he does not knock me over.
He would also wake up and bark several minutes uncontrollably, and now allows a few words to stop his (now very seldom) outburst immediately.
He has an hour a day of ball catching, and resting, he also enjoys chewing on bully-sticks, and has learned at night to sleep in bed with Nandi and I. He finally seems happy.
My Nandi and Tigger continue to be healthy, happy and they give me a great life.
6/10/15
Are you the proud parent of a Muttville dog? Send us your story! Include three of your favorite photos and send it to success_stories@muttville.org with the subject line 'Success Story'.
