Main picture: Mike and his adopted dog Scrappy. Several months ago, Mike came into the shelter looking for a new family member…
He saw the beautiful blue eyes of Scrappy, a young mix breed medium sized dog. He needed to meet this dog, so he took him out for the required time to get to know him. Well, it turns out it was love at first sight. While out playing, the two started to bond. Mike knew this dog needed him and his family, and they needed him as well. Mike and Scrappy sat outside the shelter, in front of the window that talks about finding your forever friend and Mike promised Scrappy that this was it, he would never want for a home again. He had found his family.
Well a couple days later and all the paperwork is finished, leashes and dog bowls ready, it is time for Scrappys homecoming. Everyone is excited and Scrappy is learning all about his new home and family. There is lots of love, kisses, toys and petting, it is a dogs dream come true. Then Scrappy found out that sometimes, his family had to leave him for a time and this upset him, a lot. That is when the destruction began.
It turns out that Scrappy has severe separation anxiety, something that, as a stray, would never have been known before adoption. So every time Mike would come home from work, there was destruction. Damage both major and minor. But Mike knew that it wasn’t Scrappy being bad, it was Scrappy being scared that he was abandoned again. So Mike started looking for ways to help Scrappy.
He researched, he asked questions of everyone he could (especially shelter staff), he bought Scrappy a Thunder coat for his anxiety, he did everything he could. It was a lot of work but Scrappy was worth it. Then Mike came home one day and his world was shaken. Just as he was coming in the door, Scrappy was lifting his leg to an electrical socket, it sparked and would have started a fire had Mike not been there!!! He could have lost everything! His baby was upstairs in bed, and if he hadn’t come in at that time, what could have happened is unimaginable. So Mike had to admit that maybe he couldn’t keep Scrappy, he had to think of his families safety. So he called the shelter and told them he was bringing Scrappy back.
Mike pulled into the parking lot of the shelter, with Scrappy in the car. It just so happened that he pulled into a parking spot that was right in front of that same window about forever friends. He couldn’t get out of the car, this dog was family, Mike couldn’t give up a family member. He called his contact at the shelter and she went out to talk to him. She found Mike in his car crying, because he knew this was a mistake, he promised Scrappy that he would never want for a home again and he couldn’t break that promise.
Well time has passed, and Scrappy still has separation anxiety and Mike still deals with it. One of the things he did for Scrappy was find a new job that would allow him to bring Scrappy with him when needed.
Mike now works for the Niagara Falls Humane Society, helping all animals.
Below, some of the animals up for adoption now at the Niagara Falls Humane Society: Below, Dundee a German Shepherd Lab Mix. For more information click HERE.
Simon below, is a comical little guy looking for a new family. For more information, click the link HERE.
Beautiful Darla, below loves other dogs and is about 5 years old. For more information click HERE.
Check out these adorable kittens below! Meet Haku and San, a bonded pair that need to go home together! For more information click the link HERE.
This week’s column written by Naomi Kelley
For more information on all the animals up for adoption visit the website: www.nfhs.ca
To receive similar content, “Like” us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/niagarabuzz.ca
