Wednesday, March 19, 2008

My New Best Friend




Should anyone find their way to this blog, let me warn you that I am a newbie to the blogging world! But I wanted to talk about my new best friend.

Gregory became a part of our household almost two months ago. After reading an email I received from Bestfriends.org that listed a number of animals who were looking for a "forever home," I came upon his story. It broke my heart and made me want to give him a life of love, comfort, and security. He had been abandoned and chained to a tree with no food or water when his family moved out of their home. The police were called in and when they came to rescue him, he was so afraid that when released from his tether, he belly crawled instead of walked. He was taken in as criminal evidence against his previous owners. And although I do not know what happened with that situation, I do know that Gregory had suffered things he should never have had to live through. His face is very scared and from what I don't know. He also has deep scars across his body where the hair will no longer grow. His back hip bones are bare of fur from where he sat on the concrete no doubt day after day. And he has patches of hair missing from what my vet feels were flea and fly infestations. These are what she feels caused his loss of teeth. His teeth are completely missing or so totally worn down that they don't even come above the gum line. The nerves are exposed and she thinks that all of this was caused from his gnawing on himself and possibly the chain or rope that kept him imprisoned.

After being tended to by a vet hired by the county, he was released to a shelter after his rescue. He stayed there for six weeks with no takers. Than an angel appeared in the form of an LAPD police woman who took him home and fostered him until she could find him his "forever home."

That's where I come in. I had heard about this thing called "Black Dog Syndrome" (which I will blog about later) but in short, it's a theory that black dogs are the least adopted of all dogs in shelters. I don't really know why this is so because it certainly shouldn't be. Gregory is definitely an example of that. I read his story and feared that at eight years of age (or so they think) he may never be placed with a loving family partly because of this syndrome. So we called, she brought him, and he has been with us ever since. We are working through his fears: his absolute inability to understand the concept of play, his need to bury any toy he is given, his fear of food, and his withdrawal from physical affection. And we are being successful! In less than two months he has become ravenous about food, eager every morning to go for walks with the three dogs that are his neighbors, and he is learning to LOVE pets and affection. I have fallen in LOVE! He is my constant companion who bares with my noisy sewing machine and obsessive concentration on my projects. But he is there, my steady friend. And I could swear I see him smile every day now! I am incredibly thankful that he has come into my life! It amazes me that they have the capacity to forgive as they do and to allow themselves to be loved again.

Mary Ann @ BestFriendsStudios.com

1 comment:

  1. Mary Ann,
    What a beautiful story. Gregory is so lucky to have found you and Mike! I know your story will inspire others to do the same. Enjoy your new companion!

    Kathy in Dallas

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