Gus the abandoned German Shepherd
Donation protected
Acting on a tip about another abandoned German Shepherd, I tracked him down to an isolated industrial area in Northern California. He had been out there for at least one week, if not longer, without food or water. Starving and thirsty, his needs overpowered his fear of me. Although, once he had his fill, his fear of strangers came swooping back. He even lunged and snapped inches from my crotch! It's tricky to muster the courage to stand your ground in a moment like that. But, for his sake, I had to be ready to take the bite. I got lucky.
At sunset that same evening, I brought with me aspiring animal rescuers, Jamie Reilley and Janessa Mosley, for the second visit. We discovered him laying alone in a pile of trash. I coaxed him into the open with more food and water, and gave him space across the street. Twenty minutes later he was circling my car, whining and begging to be saved from his hell of loneliness, hunger and despair. He loaded up very eagerly!
Upon arriving home, he met my dog, Maya. Luckily, they got along right away. Within minutes his entire demeanor changed. He had a person and a dog companion he could trust. I have never had a dog bond so deeply so quickly, let alone a German Shepherd. Around strangers they can be aloof at best, reactive at worst. His name now is Gus. Now the emotional and physical healing begins.
It's now been four weeks since Gus' rescue. Emotionally, his confidence grows every day with every new adventure. He can still be anxious and reactive to new people and dogs, so we have a lot of ambitious socialization work ahead. Although, once he gets acquainted with them, he handles their presence well. Now he has a couple of new people and dog friends. He's even getting accustomed to cats! At home, he is a big, goofy, and loveable boy. It's as if he is a puppy trapped in a ten year-old body.
Physically, however, he IS ten years old and has senior German Shepherd ailments and veterinary bills. This is where he needs everybody's help. When I found him he needed a lot of medical attention; skin allergies, digestive tract disorders, broken and missing teeth, and overall general senior dog health issues. He spent all last week at the vet's office getting patched up. This included; neutering, mass tumor removal, vaccinations, multiple tooth extractions, antibiotics, flea and tick medication, several bood and fecal tests, microchipping, and boarding. The grand total was north of $5000. Luckily, a rescue benefactor picked up the cost of a big portion of the bill. But, I am $3200 out of pocket. We need your help! Any amount, large or small, helps us. As usual, any money over our goal will be donated to other non-profit rescue groups.
Thanks, everybody!
At sunset that same evening, I brought with me aspiring animal rescuers, Jamie Reilley and Janessa Mosley, for the second visit. We discovered him laying alone in a pile of trash. I coaxed him into the open with more food and water, and gave him space across the street. Twenty minutes later he was circling my car, whining and begging to be saved from his hell of loneliness, hunger and despair. He loaded up very eagerly!
Upon arriving home, he met my dog, Maya. Luckily, they got along right away. Within minutes his entire demeanor changed. He had a person and a dog companion he could trust. I have never had a dog bond so deeply so quickly, let alone a German Shepherd. Around strangers they can be aloof at best, reactive at worst. His name now is Gus. Now the emotional and physical healing begins.
It's now been four weeks since Gus' rescue. Emotionally, his confidence grows every day with every new adventure. He can still be anxious and reactive to new people and dogs, so we have a lot of ambitious socialization work ahead. Although, once he gets acquainted with them, he handles their presence well. Now he has a couple of new people and dog friends. He's even getting accustomed to cats! At home, he is a big, goofy, and loveable boy. It's as if he is a puppy trapped in a ten year-old body.
Physically, however, he IS ten years old and has senior German Shepherd ailments and veterinary bills. This is where he needs everybody's help. When I found him he needed a lot of medical attention; skin allergies, digestive tract disorders, broken and missing teeth, and overall general senior dog health issues. He spent all last week at the vet's office getting patched up. This included; neutering, mass tumor removal, vaccinations, multiple tooth extractions, antibiotics, flea and tick medication, several bood and fecal tests, microchipping, and boarding. The grand total was north of $5000. Luckily, a rescue benefactor picked up the cost of a big portion of the bill. But, I am $3200 out of pocket. We need your help! Any amount, large or small, helps us. As usual, any money over our goal will be donated to other non-profit rescue groups.
Thanks, everybody!
Organizer
Matthew Daughters
Organizer
Crockett, CA
