From Hoarder to High Life!

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog!

Chevy aka “Doc” joined our family in March 2008. We had seen a horrific story on the news in February: “Today 85 dogs, 20 cats and two birds were rescued from an animal hoarder in Ohio.” The pictures were horrendous of the living conditions and the condition of the animals. This was way too close to home, and my husband and I decided then we were going to rescue one of the dogs.

The local humane society needed a couple of weeks to process and evaluate them; all malnourished, many with mange or worse. My first visit to one of their Adopt-A-Thons, I broke down in tears. How could anyone do this to these poor dogs? After spending over an hour visiting with them, the “right one” was not there. I spoke with one of the volunteers and she said that they would be having another Adopt-A-Thon the following weekend with more dogs; this upcoming group needed an additional week of care and nourishment.

So off I went with our rescued fur baby, Beamer, the following weekend. This event was held at a PetSmart and they encouraged bringing in your existing pet for compatibility. In we walked, looking in the cages at all the unsure eyes of precious scared fur babies. Beamer quietly sat next to a cage as I looked around. The volunteer said, “I think she has chosen her friend.” I turned and peered in.

Way in the back of the cage was this thin, black and tan baby, trying to make the world go away. The volunteer got him out of the cage and he sat quietly in my lap, careful not to make eye contact, nothing but skin and bones, his hair stained by urine and feces. Beamer and “Doc” connected, the deal was done. Renamed Chevy (as he was thought to be part Cavalier King Charles – for those that remember the “Chevy” Cavalier), he clung to his sister and began to trust me, but he was scared to death of my husband. We surmised he had been abused by a man, as both of his canine teeth were broken, probably by being kicked, and his lip was scarred and puckered.

After a few months of love, patience, snuggles, and FOOD, he started to settle in. To watch a severely abused animal blossom into all that they can be is amazing and heartwarming; we couldn’t have been more proud of him. Happy months turned to happy years, but in December 2018, reality hit our happy, perfect family. We lost his sister, Beamer, and were devastated. We picked up the pieces and became a family of three, forging new roads, spending as much precious time and travels as we could together.

Then 2020 came along, we had managed through the large bladder stone surgery in 2019, but now we had irritating skin growths that needed to be removed, done. March came with a diagnosis of Cushing’s disease. He took that in stride, too. Then along comes April… inflamed gallstone. Due to his Cushing’s he needed a specialty doctor for that surgery.

He must have decided he had had enough surgeries, as he crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 30, 2020. We are beyond devastated, but know that he had the BEST life ever with us and we are better humans for being his parents. Please adopt, don’t shop, as there is no truer love than from a rescued fur baby.

Story submitted by Linda Johns from Oak Harbor, Ohio. Chevy’s story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!