Update on Addie

The amazing story of the rescue of a puppy mill girl  from NEBTR’s Placement Coordinator and all around wonder, Jodi Groff, which was featured first on Julie Klam's Blog.

Every foster I take teaches me a new lesson but it is my first foster that opened my eyes to a world I knew existed but never understood. I anxiously awaited my first assignment. I had agreed to foster one of five dogs being tossed aside by a puppy miller. I was asked by several people in the group if I thought I was ready for such a big assignment and I kept thinking what could be so bad? Well, my no name foster came and any denial that I had about how awful dogs are treated in a mill went out the door- the terrible pictures you see are sadly accurate. When this little 14 pound peanut was put on solid ground she froze, unable to move for what seemed like half an hour because she was never on grass, outside a cage or handled gently by a people…essentially she never felt an ounce of kindness or love. She was five years old and I wondered on a daily basis if she would be able to overcome her demons from years of severe abuse and neglect. (She apparently had a litter only a few days before. Our thought was that she had a litter of still born pups because of a uterine infection which is why she was given up by the miller…only in that world is having a litter of still borns be a ticket to freedom.)

She needed a name and we decided on Addie. It took months of slow interaction and lots of patience but Addie gradually began to show small signs of improvement. Even the smallest gesture like eating her food with a person in the same room was reason to celebrate…calmly of course because you didn’t want to scare her with sudden movements). Right before Christmas an application was submitted and something was telling me that it was Addie’s new family. I cried at my computer reading it because I couldn’t believe I was going to agree to give her up but I also cried because I was happy that she was finally getting the life she deserved. The family was perfect and up for the challenge to continue what was started. On a cold December morning three days after Christmas they officially adopted Addie. Rescuing these dogs is a team effort but it is the families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to the imperfect and difficult dogs that are truly the backbone of what we do. These families have the strength to love the dogs that others will not consider and they take on the challenge with a joyful heart. They practice the true definition of rescue.

Now, just close your eyes and imagine a filthy, flea infested, frightened, continuously abused, feral dog that spent her entire five years locked in a cage breeding with no human interaction. Then see the magic of patience and love by watching Addie on the video her family sent me to celebrate her one year adoption anniversary. (She is actually coming up on her SECOND anniversary December 28th!!)  I have to give all the credit to her family because this amazing transition was the result of LOTS AND LOTS OF HARD WORK.