Get Your Kleenex! Puppy Mill Rehab Story

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

This is a story about a dog who was rescued from that nasty puppy mill in Quebec not too long ago, and about her amazing rehab. Get out your kleenex before reading...unless you have a doodle nearby to clean up your face.

 

 

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Amy and her puppies are learning to live normal lives – with regular meals, clean bedding, toys, and affection – after being removed from a puppy mill.

Photograph by: Suzannah J. Vanson

Suzannah J. Vanson is one of the Quebecers who have volunteered to offer a foster home to the more than 500 dogs seized by animal-welfare officials in a raid on a kennel in the Outaouais region in September. Amy and her puppies have been at Vanson’s home in Dollard des Ormeaux for the past seven weeks. Here Vanson writes of the experience – from Amy’s perspective.

I am not very old – probably under three. Until very recently, I had never seen the light. I didn’t feel the ground. I didn’t know warm touches or a warm bed. Fresh air was foreign to me. I was used to breed, litter after litter. My puppies were all I had and I took care of them well, even though I was sad and in a lot of pain from a large bladder stone that would soon be discovered.

One day we were all taken away from the puppy mill and brought to a new place, a shelter. I was part of the largest-ever puppy-mill seizure in Quebec or Canada. I sat with my five babies, scared and alone, in a cage. A woman came one day, and I heard her say, “It doesn’t matter which one I take – whoever needs it the most.” The vets pointed to me.

The next thing I knew my babies and I were in a cage in a car – that was scary. Then I was brought into a room that was bright and clean, and so quiet. I had never known quiet before. There was a cage, and warm, clean bedding, and bowls of fresh water.

Food was brought to me every four hours. The woman kept talking to me, but I made sure to hang my head low, never to look at her, and to stay in the back of the cage.

I knew my place.

After a few days I got curious about this woman, and I would peek around the corner at her. That was the start of what she calls my rehab into normal life.

The woman kept calling me Amy. No one ever called me a name before, or sat with me to pet me. She always cleaned up after me. I never sat in my own filth any more.

The woman kept coming into the room and just sitting with me. I wasn’t sure why, or what she wanted. She held my babies, but always gave them back. She offered me cheese, but I was too frightened to take it, so she left it for me and I ate it as soon as she left. Slowly, with time, I started to eat it in front of her, and then I even took it from her hand. I started to learn that her hands don’t hurt.

She cut the hair from my face, and I could see. (She says I have Bette Davis eyes, and keeps kissing my nose.) She gave me a bath. I was terrified, and tried with all my might to get away, but finally I just sat as she washed me and then held me in a heated towel. It was an ordeal, but it felt good not to have filth on me.

I am terrified when she has a leash. I cannot help but shake and hold my head down, and cower in the corner. I wish I could tell her what happened to me with a leash. Then she would know why it frightens me so much.

On warm days she sits outside with me and holds me. I am scared of the bright sunshine and the noises, but I am starting to look around. This world seems to be full of so much I have never seen before.

I feel happy when I see her now. I even caught myself wagging my bum. What a curious feeling – can it be joy?

The woman brought toys. My babies wanted them, but I think I liked them even more. I never had a toy before. The woman brought many more, so we all had toys to keep next to us.

One day when the woman was sitting with us, playing with my puppies, I suddenly had the urge to do something I had never done before. I got up and I nudged her with my nose: “Pay attention to me, lady. Those kids can wait.” The woman turned around and realized it was me asking, and she started to cry. She seemed to think she had “got me” – that I had made the leap from puppy-mill dog to a friend who lives in a home.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/viewpoint+from+misery+bliss/579...

[Donna K & Quincy]

Sherrie, I did not want to read this but I couldn't help myself. Nothing like starting your day with a good cry. I just thank god that there are so many good people who are helping to take care of all these dogs and that the good outnumber the bad by so many. I will never, never understand how some people can be so cruel. They're going to let them off with a fine, where is the justice? Justice would be keeping them in the same conditions that those poor dogs were kept in and even that would be too good for these monsters.

[Carol and Banjo]

The photo of the momma dog and her beautiful little puppies is priceless.....warm, clean, safe......

It's so difficult to comprehend how a human being could offer any less than this.

[BG and Gavin]

Yep, nothing like a good cry in the morning!  Here is a story about a seizure that happened yesterday near Woodstock (Ont).  Disgusting!  http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111130/woodstock-puppy...

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

oh my. why oh why. I just don't understand.

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

I did not want to read this either but I love to hear the rest of the story when it comes to situations such as this.  Sometimes it does not always turn out well but thankfully in this case it has.  What an amazing person this foster mom must be to want to take the one that needed her the most.   What a testimony that shows how something bad can be turned around to something good.  Thanks for sharing!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

As the proud mom of a puppy mill baby - I say thank God for the people that shut this place down and thank God for all of the people kind enough, gentle enough, strong enough to help these dogs with a paw up to a better life.  Stuart being born in a place like this is enough to make me so angrey - thankfully his mom and sibs were all adopted out to loving families but we CAN ALL HELP PUT A STOP TO PUPPY MILLS.  Please educate your family and friends to NOT purchase a pet from a pet store or flea market or parking lot - EVER.  Don't buy food, toys, anything from a store that sells dogs or cats.  They aren't helping to save that puppy, by putting money into the pockets of the puppy mills - ensures that the abuse continues.  Our best defense is to not let them make money!!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen, Jane, couldn't have said it better. Jackdoodle came from a place like this, too.

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

So did Winston. :o(

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Great story, reminds me of when Mitzi came home and walked on grass perhaps for the first time in her life..  How curious she looked, and then she looked up at the sky and just stared. Guess six months in a cage can have a similar reaction,  even though she did not come directly from a puppy mill and was much  luckier in that aspect than Amy was.

[Anneeb]

I just finished reading this myself. So sad.I hate knowing that something like this happened so close to my home. Glad things are looking up for so many dogs.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

A very touching story.  Thank you for posting it, Sherri.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Can't stop crying...I keep asking "why".