Second Chance: Loving Bear, Saving the 24

07 Sep Second Chance: Loving Bear, Saving the 24

My name is Bear. I was rescued a few weeks ago from a very serious situation by Second Chance Humane Society, along with 21 other amazing Border Collie/Cattle Dog relatives. The story of how we got here is one filled with heroes, fortuitous (divine?) circumstance, and happy endings, all of which I now share with you….

Bear

There were 32 of us living in rather tight quarters in eastern Colorado. One of my sisters felt that it was too crowded for her and her pups and decided to leave. (That is her story, but I think she knew she needed to save all of her relatives.)

A kind-hearted woman named Drew found everyone on the highway and took us all back to the place we all lived. There she met the elderly man who was our caretaker, a pet hoarder, but kind. The man asked Drew to help him find homes for us because he was terminally ill. She agreed. Knowing that we would now be cared for, he died later that very day.

Fortunately Drew kept her word, returning to our property just in time to stop the local sheriff from shooting us all. The sheriff gave her a week to find us all homes. Drew then went to work on our behalf. She found some of us new homes locally as ranch dogs but with time running out, Drew had to look further away. That is when she found a place for the rest of us here at Second Chance.

Because we had lived our lives in a small backyard interacting with only one human, you can imagine how frightened we were throughout this ordeal. Fortunately, when we arrived, the staff and volunteers did not push; instead they gave us space to settle in. They were kind and gentle and that allowed us to respond positively to their love and attention. They were quickly able to see what strong spirits and sweet temperaments we all possessed.

Our ages range from a few months to just a few years old. Some of us are more trusting than others as we learn new things – like that collars and leashes are not scary. We are all super eager and committed to bonding with the kind people around us and we are making huge progress every day. In fact, I am excited to report that my courageous cousin Sprite was adopted last week – only two weeks after our arrival.

As we gain our confidence, some of us have graduated to learning basic training and spending time up at the Cat Castle to adjust to being in a home environment with people coming and going. We also love getting out in the shelter’s dog yards with other dogs, where our true personalities emerge and we are most confident.

Me and a few others even went on an adventure to Telluride for an adoption event and were smothered with love and affection, which now we really can’t get enough of. And that showed me how ready I am for a family of my own. I just need whoever adopts me to understand I will take more patience and gentle guidance than other dogs – but I am so committed to growing into my new life and I do not think it will take long to adjust to this scary, but fun new world.

Silky

Coming from such a cloistered situation, we had no idea how many other animals were in search of a good home. I met a friendly feline the other day who is also in the midst of her search. She’s the cutest, fluffiest little kitten I’ve ever seen; her name is Silky. So if you’re more of a cat person consider Silky, and even if you’re not adopting, come in and spend some time in the kitten room.

And don’t forget to come meet me, Bear, and my 21 other friends in need of a home.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup or get your pup (or adult dog) trained than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)

Dr. Michelle and Wallowby