03/17/2024
HOLY CUCUMBERS!!!!!!!!!! BUDDY HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!! Buddy needs a HOME!! He is a 6-7 yr old pit type mix NEUTERED male & has been at the SK Animal Shelter since November 2022. Buddy & his owner lost their home. His owner’s primary concern was to keep Buddy safe from the cold. When Buddy arrived at the Shelter, he gave the look… That look that says, “I don’t know you.. Back away!” Buddy grumbled his warning that I was a stranger & that he was uncomfortable. Buddy was provided with a kennel with a guillotine door so that he would not be forced to deal with staff until he was ready. This was a long process. Buddy did not understand the new smells of the shelter, dogs, cats, & others. The loud noises & barking were overwhelming. Buddy would exit through the guillotine door into a fenced in yard. His inside kennel would be cleaned, fresh water & his morning meal would be added. Buddy does well on dry dog food with hot water. He enjoys treats & likes almost every treat we give him. At first, he would just look & grumble, sometimes he would bark. Without knowing how long he might stay, we did not rush him. His owner would visit Buddy & walk him, give him a bath, take a nap together, or share some lunch. More dogs came in. Some were extremely loud &/or very upset or angry. Buddy witnessed it all. After a while, I entered Buddy’s yard with him to scoop. He was afraid. Buddy would walk around stiff legged & grumble. Inside, Buddy has a dog bed, a blanket, & some toys. He permits me to place a leash over his head to walk him outside. He likes the raised cot outside. He barks at strangers but is used to the staff. Each morning, I let out 2 dogs that live together while I get their meals together. I place the 2 dogs with their meals in their kennel. Next, I let Buddy out off-leash. He prances down the hall to the door & waits for me to open the door. He walks outside & waters a few things. I grab 4 meals & walk out to the dog yard. Buddy is busy sniffing as I place the meals in their respective kennels. As I walk to Buddy’s kennel, I say, “Hey? Bud….” He is quirky & sort of pretends to ignore me, so I say, “Buddy!” and he turns towards my direction. Then the weirdo (aka Buddy) stiff legged walks towards me & his kennel. His hair raises along his back & on his hips. Next, I say, “What are you doing??? Put your hair down, you silly boy.” It is as if he is trying to tip toe past me to get to his kennel. He slows down in front of me & I reach down into his raised mohawk & give him scratches. I let him know that he is a fruit loop & tell him to go eat. Once I stop scratching, he hops, prances, & bee-bops towards his food. Before taking a bite, he turns his head back at me, gives me a look; then, begins to eat. Of course, I tell him that he is an odd duck before going into the shelter for the next dog. As Buddy eats, he barks at the dogs as we walk by. When I bring Buddy inside, he is off leash & heads to the door as I carry his water bucket & fill it with fresh water. I cleaned his inside kennel, adjusted his bed, folded his blankets, & positioned his toys & treats. Buddy is excited & enters his kennel. He searches for his treats as I bring in the other dogs. By morning, Buddy has pushed his blanket off his bed & has moved his toys from where I placed them. He chews his toys but does not instantly destroy them. He takes his treats gently. We did try to have him wear a sweater, but Buddy rubs the sweater on the chain-link until it rips, then he goes nekkid. He seems good on the leash & is housebroken. Currently, Buddy is comfortable with the shelter staff & he has a goofy weirdo personality. He takes his time to get to know someone, & we did not push it because we hoped that he would be reunited with his owner, but after 500 days, it’s time for Buddy’s new home. This will be hard because Buddy is very stand-offish & it will take someone dedicated in giving him the time that he needs to show himself as the quirky guy that he is… Buddy’s coat looks great. It has a nice sheen to it. He has adjusted well to the shelter environment, but the shelter is not a place for a dog to live forever. There are too many changes. In the end, Buddy deserves a home. He would be a good candidate for the Pets for Patriots program. He needs someone special who will not give up on him. He may be best with a single person. He needs patience & time. If you are interested in the possibility of adopting Buddy, we would love to hear from you. Please call SK Animal Shelter at 401-789-5515.
