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Coco (front) relaxing with her two new dog friends.
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Monday November 18, 2002
Sitting in a conference call meeting. Looking out window. A dog walks by. Hmm,
where’s the human? Wait. Oh no! No human. Catch coworker’s eye. She motions and
whispers, “No collar.” Not good. Excuse myself from meeting. See dog who looks
over shoulder and hurriedly moves away from me. Call sweetly, dog pauses but
continues to move away. Go to car to retrieve collar, leash, and cookies. Damn.
Dog is gone.
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Same coworker (Marjorie) calls from car. “The dog is in the parking lot.”
Gather collar, leash, and cookies and rush to find dog. See dog, call sweetly.
Dog moves quickly away, and somehow vanishes. Damn. Dog is very good at stealth
retreat. Marjorie and I set up food station. Marj reveals that others have seen
the dog starting about four days ago. Suspect pregnant.
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
At work early. Food and water are gone. Good! No sign of dog though.
Refill food bowl and retreat to viewing spot inside office. Dog arrives to eat
within moments of refilling bowl. Dog is watching me! Rush to a local pet
supply store to buy fleece bed. Set up bed, refill bowls and retreat. Dog
is eating within minutes. Try another attempt to befriend, but dog hastily
retreats. Worried about chasing dog into traffic. Needs a good, strong name I
can use with love. Decide to name dog Coco.
Thursday, November 21, 2002
It’s very cold. Almost sure Coco is pregnant. Catch her in bed again. Must take
action. Call Washington County Animal Services. Ask for assistance to trap
Coco. They can’t make it today. Refill bowls and attempt to befriend Coco. She
pauses an extra beat (hope it’s because I’ve given her a good new name), but
retreats again. At least she has a name and seems to understand that I’m trying
to help.
Friday, November 22, 2002
Officer Renfro calls to say she can set a trap, but she is quite ill and can it
wait til Monday? I beg to have Coco trapped today or tomorrow. Officer Renfro
agrees to come out this morning. She is quite ill so can’t stay after setting
trap. Trap is set. Coco is trapped. Coco growls and bares her teeth in trap
when Officer Renfro is near. “It’s the uniform.” Coco relaxes when I am near
and talk softly to her. Glad she is trapped, but feel horrible when truck
leaves the parking lot with a very confused and betrayed Coco inside trap. Send
e-mail message to all coworkers to help. Desperately seeking foster. People
have Thanksgiving plans so can’t help until they return from break. Call
shelter manager and plead that they not euthanize Coco. Have possible foster
but not for another week or so. Call Heather to explain what I’m trying to do.
Tearfully reveal that I realize that there are MANY Coco-like dogs. Abandoned
and terrified. But feel responsible for THIS dog. As always, Heather
understands and encourages me to continue.
Saturday, November 23
Go to visit Coco “in jail” at Washington County Animal Services. She’s in
“Stray Row.” Notes on her kennel say “Caution, will bite.” She’s been labeled
aggressive. Cowers in the back corner and growls. Offer cookies to her, but she
continues to growl. Decide to share cookies with all Stray-Row dogs. When I
return to Coco’s cage, she’s at the front. Likes cookies. Offer some cookies
and she retreats to back. Another trip up and back. There she is again. Eats
cookie in front of me. Eventually, takes a cookie from my hand and I pet her
through the cage. The tears start. A couple of shelter techs and a volunteer
observe me with Coco, but the aggressive dog label stays. Spend the next few
hours coming and going, giving lots of cookies. A tiny bit of progress!
Tuesday, November 26
Heather and I talk about how to emancipate Coco because she is definitely
pregnant and in trouble. Shelter tech explains that they will order euthanasia
if puppies are born. Call Bethany Family Pet Clinic. Arrange boarding for
Thanksgiving. Heather and I drive to shelter armed with wet food and Valium.
Spend the next hour sedating Coco. Finally calm. Place crate with food in cage.
Coco walks in. Heather locks door. Hurrah. Deliver her to Bethany.
Wednesday, November 27
I make the difficult decision to end Coco’s pregnancy. She is not yet bonded to
a human. Jeopardizing the safety of a foster guardian, Coco, or the puppies
seems too much risk. Coco gets spayed.
Friday, November 29
Coco is recovering. Visit Coco at clinic. Buy bag of most expensive cookies.
Coco growls and cowers. Three cookies later, open kennel door, put on collar.
We’re off on our first walk. She’s fabulous outside cage. Sniffs EVERYTHING.
Group of kids panic her, but she’s calm when we pass them again. Group of dogs
in park panic her, but she’s calm when we pass them again. Hmmm, a little
pattern? It’s as if she’s relearning how to be a normal dog. Back in the
clinic, cookie in hand, I say, “Coco, sit!” Boom. Down she sits. Techs stare at
me in disbelief. “Coco, down!” Boom. Down she goes. We shake our heads.
Whatever is this dog’s story?
Tuesday, November 31
Coco goes to her foster home! Coworker agrees to foster her, and if it works
out, permanently adopt her. Coco walks through the office. Definitely petrified
of men and generally shy of people. Have the expensive cookies with me so gets
lots of treats. Deliver Coco to her new foster home. Acts like she owns the
place! Meets new sister, Maggie, another rescued dog. Both about two years old.
Maggie runs away, but we’re sure it will work out.
December 1 – December 20
Foster gives me daily reports of Coco’s progress. She and Maggie are starting
to be very good friends. Coco is also making progress with human visitors and
even shows Maggie that it’s not bad to sit by them because they usually have
cookies and pets.
December 20 – January 6
Coco shares the holidays with me since her foster went to Australia for three
weeks. She continues to blossom, gains confidence, and starts acting like a
crazy puppy. Very inquisitive and playful. It’s truly a joy to be with her.
January 6
Our last day together. I’m happy for Coco. Foster decides to permanently adopt.
Will miss Coco terribly. We are very bonded.
Summary
This is the most rewarding dog rescue I’ve ever participated in. Coco was
definitely not going to make it in the shelter. Like thousands of others, she
was deemed too aggressive to be adoptable. But the truth is, Coco was not
aggressive, she was terrified and there is a big difference. Please read our
update on the Doggie Rehab program at Washington County Animal Services. I’m
thrilled to be a part of it. I believe we can spare a few lives by
rehabilitating a few more Coco-dogs. She is proof that with food, shelter,
love, and training, she overcame the indignities of being abandoned, and is a
fabulous companion.
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