This is Yeller and he's spent six years in the small cage in the first picture. Rain, shine, snow, 0° to 90°...a lot of us who live around here have watched him grow up in that pen with very little human interaction.

When I moved home last spring I heard some stories about people who tried to rescue him. Some who tried to steal him and some who were kicked off the property. A no trespassing sign was put up last year due to people stopping and harassing the owners. I also heard they were complete assholes so I didn't have high hopes for the dog.

I figured my chances of getting him were slim to none, but I learned a long time ago that when you approach someone with zero judgement, they're usually more interested in listening to you and having an honest conversation, so I stopped last week and bravely knocked on the door. I made Bubby and his gun go with me in case of emergency but they stayed in the truck.

Turns out the lady that answered was super nice and super open to listening to my speech about letting me take the dog. She was honest with me that the dog belonged to her son who spent no time with him. They had tried to put him in the house at one point but he marked everywhere so back outside he went. Turns out he's not neutered so that's probably why he was marking and she had no idea that if you fixed him, the marking would most likely stop.

We went back and forth for about a week and she texted me yesterday and said I could have him. So today I drove dad's 900 year old Suburban down to Fresno and loaded Yeller up and away we went to start the most exciting adventure of his life.

He's six years old, needs vetted, neutered and bloodwork done. Chances are pretty good he's heartworm positive but I won't know that until next week's vet visit. Then he'll be looking for his true forever home.

If you live around here and have worried about this dog...and I know there are a lot of you...now is the time to help him out with his new life. The fundraiser below will pay for his vetting next week and his neuter. And if no one donates, he'll get it anyway. For the first time in my life, I can't tell you that your donation is tax deductible because I'm just a crazy dog lady out here on her own trying to save as many as I can in lifetime. And I'd you're not able to donate, share the word that this loveable dude needs a home.

Yeller was loved by his previous family. I know that for sure. But they weren't able to provide him with the life I would want for every dog. Not everyone views dogs the way I do and that's ok. I'm determined to change people's views about outside dogs one person at a time.

Today was six years in the making. I've driven by him a million times and felt so sorry for him. But today he's tucked into one of the empty kennel runs that's heated and he has a huge dog bed to nap on...and that's exactly what he was doing when I just checked on him.

Anyway...moral of the story is that one person can change an animal's life if they make the effort. And if you're scared to stop and talk to someone about their animal, call me. I'll go with you. I learned a lot from my time at the SPCA. No judgement is one of the most important lessons of all. Yeller is proof of that.

#freeyeller #happilyeverafter #crazydoglady #yellowlab