SPCA Reject-The Dog Nobody Would Take Home

Stephanie, a chow mix had been at the SPCA for months. Nobody would take her home.

We had gone to the SPCA and had see
Stephanie, but ended up taking another dog home and had to return him, only to find out that he had been destroyed. We were offered the choice of another dog. While waiting, one of the shelter workers was getting ready to walk a dog, and that dog was Stephanie. Nobody wanted Stephanie, we were told. Stephanie was a very timid dog, and probably had been abused, and certainly was afraid of men. My fiance, Michael, was with me, but when he sat down, much to the surprise of the shelter staff, Stephanie jumped up and laid down beside him, as if to say, “Please take me home with you.” We took Stephanie home that day.

We found out that she had never been tested for heartworms, and she had been infected. Michael took her to the SPCA to get her treatments, over 10 trips back and forth. Stephanie, was so sick, we thought she was going to die while we were trying to save her life. It took almost a year to get Stephanie healthy again.

Stephanie, a 40 pound, Shepard-Chow mix, was afraid of everything, even her own shadow. She ran from the sound of rattling paper. She hid under the sofa, under the bed for over a year. She was afraid to go outside. It was so bad, our private veterinarian tried medication to help her. However, she had a seizure; so we stopped the medication and had to accept her for how she was.

While she was still afraid of everything, Michael ended up paralyzed and on life support. He remained in a medical facility for over seven months before he came home. From the day, Michael came home, Stephanie was never the same. The timid dog nobody wanted because she was so afraid, turned into a barking, I dare you to come in this house, stay away from my daddy dog. She became Micheal’s protector. She knew he was ill before anybody did. I knew while he was in the hospital how he was doing in the middle of the night, by the way Stephanie acted.

From the day Michael came home, she was his best friend, his protector, and the one thing that would help his depression. She knew not to go near his trach. She knew she had to be gentle with him. If I was out of the room, and his alarms went off for his ventilator or his pulse oximeter, she came to let me know.

Michael, passed away on April 30, 2010. Stephanie is very sad, but she is now my protector and there when I am having a bad day. I truly believe that Michael has communicated with her and has told her what she needs to do now.

All those people who passed her by because she was so afraid, don’t have any idea as to what a terrific dog they passed up. Our little Stephanie, finally got a home with us, and is no longer that shy, afraid, paranoid dog anymore.

Stephanie, the SPCA reject, isn’t a reject anymore. She is a prime example of what patience and love; will do for an abused animal that needs a home. The love she has given to us, the help she gave Michael, is so much more than all the love and attention we have given her for the past four years of having her in our home.

Yes, our little Stephanie, finally found a home.
Written By Linda Smith