On February 14 (ironically Valentine's Day!), a very cold day in the middle of the snowiest winter ever, an animal shelter in Franklin County, Virginia, near the Blue Ridge Mountains, took in a 3 to 4 year old German Shepherd mix named Herbie, brought to the shelter by a local resident who recognized him as a dog that belonged to a family in her neighborhood - except that family had been forced to move away 3 months ago! Herbie had been abandoned! By the time Herbie arrived at the shelter - he weighed only 37 lbs and had a body temperature of 94 degrees, 6 degrees below normal. He was emaciated and near death.
A few weeks later Herbie was wagging his tail, devouring his food and watching the Olympics from the comfy couch at the home of his new Foster Family and is - slowly, slowly - on the mend.
The Shelter in Virginia contacted Lucky Dog Animal Rescue - http://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/ - who brought Herbie up to the D.C. area last week, committed to providing Herbie with the medical care he needs and a foster family to take care of him while he heals.
Not only did Herbie have to fend for himself in the worst winter in years, Shelter staff think that Herbie was attacked - twice - by a pack of dogs - leaving him with multiple bite wounds and gashes on his neck, face and back of both front legs. He endured two blizzards, nothing but garbage to eat and arrived at the Shelter in very poor shape. What smarts and courage Herbie must have had to survive on his own for 3 months!
When Herbie first arrived off the transport from south-western Virginia, he was a bit bewildered. At his foster family's home, his tail was tucked in, he didn't want to eat and his tail would not wag. He hardly left the couch, and when he did he stepped gingerly on his right front leg and did a 3 legged-hop. And naturally, he did not want to go outside in the cold at all!
After a few days of lots of affection and good food (his appetite is back in a big way!), Foster Mom reports he is settling in nicely. Newly named "Love Bug" Herbie for his tail wagging ways, he has happily joined in the family, friendly to people, dogs and even cats! His happy-go-lucky personality has started to emerge, now that he is in a place of trust.
And on Day 5, two big firsts for Herbie:
1. He has started to use his right front leg, ever so tentatively at first but more and more.
2. And when a TV crew from Fox News, Channel 5 in D.C. showed up last night to interview him (and his Foster Family), they were surprised that he met them at the front door with an affectionate greeting and then proceeded to ham it up in front of the cameras!
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue will stick with Herbie - the luckiest survivor of this brutal winter - as he heals. His medical costs could rise up to $5,000 to make sure he can again easily walk on all fours. His Foster Family will keep showing him that there is a lot of love in the world until he finds his forever home.
Please help Herbie Heal! Go to - http://www.luckydognanimalrescue.org/ - to donate to help with Herbie's medical costs.
Once Herby is fully healed, he will be available for adoption. As his Foster Mom says, whoever adopts this dog is getting one special canine companion.
Help Herbie Heal - at http://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/!
A few weeks later Herbie was wagging his tail, devouring his food and watching the Olympics from the comfy couch at the home of his new Foster Family and is - slowly, slowly - on the mend.
The Shelter in Virginia contacted Lucky Dog Animal Rescue - http://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/ - who brought Herbie up to the D.C. area last week, committed to providing Herbie with the medical care he needs and a foster family to take care of him while he heals.
Not only did Herbie have to fend for himself in the worst winter in years, Shelter staff think that Herbie was attacked - twice - by a pack of dogs - leaving him with multiple bite wounds and gashes on his neck, face and back of both front legs. He endured two blizzards, nothing but garbage to eat and arrived at the Shelter in very poor shape. What smarts and courage Herbie must have had to survive on his own for 3 months!
When Herbie first arrived off the transport from south-western Virginia, he was a bit bewildered. At his foster family's home, his tail was tucked in, he didn't want to eat and his tail would not wag. He hardly left the couch, and when he did he stepped gingerly on his right front leg and did a 3 legged-hop. And naturally, he did not want to go outside in the cold at all!
After a few days of lots of affection and good food (his appetite is back in a big way!), Foster Mom reports he is settling in nicely. Newly named "Love Bug" Herbie for his tail wagging ways, he has happily joined in the family, friendly to people, dogs and even cats! His happy-go-lucky personality has started to emerge, now that he is in a place of trust.
And on Day 5, two big firsts for Herbie:
1. He has started to use his right front leg, ever so tentatively at first but more and more.
2. And when a TV crew from Fox News, Channel 5 in D.C. showed up last night to interview him (and his Foster Family), they were surprised that he met them at the front door with an affectionate greeting and then proceeded to ham it up in front of the cameras!
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue will stick with Herbie - the luckiest survivor of this brutal winter - as he heals. His medical costs could rise up to $5,000 to make sure he can again easily walk on all fours. His Foster Family will keep showing him that there is a lot of love in the world until he finds his forever home.
Please help Herbie Heal! Go to - http://www.luckydognanimalrescue.org/ - to donate to help with Herbie's medical costs.
Once Herby is fully healed, he will be available for adoption. As his Foster Mom says, whoever adopts this dog is getting one special canine companion.
Help Herbie Heal - at http://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/!
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