April 19, 2011
Guest Blogger, Elise Bissell, Founder & Director of Take Me Home Pet Rescue shares Forrest’s story …
On the evening of March 23, 2011, upon my arrival to the Richardson Animal Shelter for an Animal Shelter Advisory meeting, I noticed there to be a lot of commotion going on behind the front desk. I peered over to see what all the fuss was about and saw shelter staffer, Kym Lewis, offering water and food to a very lethargic sandy colored dachshund. The story was the young dog’s apparent owner had attempted to surrender him just an hour or so before but because he was not a resident of the City of Richardson, he was told they could not legally accept the dog. So, the dog was left tied to a dumpster near the shelter.
Following the meeting, Dr. Erica Erickson of Breckinridge Park Animal Hospital who serves as Vice Chair for the Advisory Board, and I took the little dog back to her clinic. I personally was skeptical that the dog would survive as he was so dehydrated and unresponsive. After filling him full of IV fluids and medications, Dr. Erickson said, “I am going to call you Petey.” She told me, “Elise, I will call you in the morning to let you know how the night went.”
The next morning, Dr. Erickson delivered the great news that Petey was almost back to normal and after a few days he could go home. That sent me in a panic as I had not lined up a foster home ahead of time. So, a plea went out to our contacts by email and Facebook and a foster home was found right away. Well, Petey’s foster family decided to adopt little Petey after just a couple of days and now his name is Forrest and he is living a wonderful life where he is appreciated and well loved for the amazing dog he is.
Editor’s Note: Animal Rescues like Take Me Home Pet Rescue are able to respond to emergencies like this one because of funding from donors. If you would like to support TMHPR, you can do so by clicking on this link to their donation page. Take Me Home Pet Rescue is a 501c3 and will mail you a tax receipt.
What a lucky guy!! Have a great life in your new home Forrest!! oxoxox
What a great looking guy! Glad he has a second chance!
AHHH – he is just too cute! Why would someone do that to such a sweetie – makes my blood boil! Congrats Forrest-enjoy your new life…
The story said that they tried to surrender him “to the clinic”, but was refused due to their current residence…sounds to me like an exception could have been made to assure the safety and well being of the animal to begin with….so this could have been handled very differently in the beginning. But Thank God Petey (Forrest) is safe in a loving home now!
By no means am I condoning what the owner did, but initially he was refused!
So Glad He was saved and adopted… now as for the owner……………………can we find him and tie him to the dumpster for a week or so?
Thanks to the good people who worked to keep Petey alive and who rehabilitated him. It’s heartwarming to see a HAPPY story in the midst of all the bad ones. Yay for Petey and his new, wonderful home!