DogTown

by Stefan Bechtel

  But when he took his first steps outside, the wide-open space was like heaven to the dachshund. Parker reveled in the myriad smells in his nose and the new textures under his paws. During his first week, Parker found a favorite place on the backyard deck. With his ears erect and his eyes alert, Parker perched up high and watched the world go by. Within weeks, Parker’s confidence grew and grew. He quite literally found his voice and began barking for the first time since he had left Whispering Oaks. His mouth was healing nicely from the surgery, making it easier for him to eat. He made friends with Juliette’s dogs, especially her dachshund Rosie. Things were looking up for Parker.

  From the beginning, Parker’s story had been featured on Best Friends’ Guardian Angel website (http://www.bestfriends.org/guardianangel), a place dedicated to showcasing the stories of the shelter’s special-needs animals. Most of these animals have conditions requiring a lot of medical care, and these pages offer a place where viewers can monitor their progress. Best Friends’ staff update each animal’s progress journal with news and events. Through the Guardian Angel program, sponsors can donate money toward the care of these animals and people can apply to adopt them. It was through this amazing program that Parker found his forever home.

  After the story of Parker’s rescue and surgery was featured on the Guardian Angel site, it only took a short time before a potential adopter appeared. Parker’s moving tale charmed a woman named Becky from St. Cloud, Florida. Becky had six rescue dogs at home, two of whom were dachshunds. It would be an ideal environment for Parker, one in which he could learn to socialize with other dogs as well as with his new people. Becky and her family were well aware of Parker’s background and felt up to the challenge of giving this boy a good life.

  Becky traveled all the way to Dogtown from Florida to meet Parker personally and to bring him to his new home. When Michelle brought Parker out from behind the counter at the welcome desk, she said to Becky, “Would you like to hold him?”

  “I’d love to!” she answered.

  “OK, Parker, be a good boy,” Michelle said, handing him over. “I know you’re going to have a good life!”

  Parker gave Michelle one of his sly—now toothless—old Parker grins. Then Becky took him and held him tight, and Parker didn’t seem to mind one bit.

  Mei Mei’s big personality charmed the Dogtown managers who traveled to Los Angeles on a puppy mill rescue mission.

  MEI MEI: BIG-EYED LITTLE SISTER

  In puppy mills, the breeding dogs often have medical problems, but there is another huge, mathematical problem: Puppy mills produce an estimated four million dogs for sale each year in the United States. At the same time, there is an enormous overpopulation problem, with an estimated three to four million homeless dogs and cats killed annually, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

  “It’s a national travesty that the puppy mill industry is allowed to flood the market every year with so many dogs being killed each year in animal shelters,” said Julie Castle, Best Friends’ Director of Community Programs and Services. For the average animal lover, the solution can be summed up by the slogan of one recent campaign: Puppies Aren’t Products. This campaign has a logo of a soulful, sad-eyed pug puppy with a bar code across its forehead.

  Because the problem is so widespread, Best Friends has developed several programs within its Puppies Aren’t Products campaign to address the whole issue at several different levels, from the facilities themselves to the pet stores that are knowingly buying and then reselling these dogs. The campaign also seeks to educate buyers about the problems. The goals are to help shut down more puppy mills and to encourage people to adopt homeless dogs from shelters.

  In 2008, Best Friends brought its Puppies Aren’t Products campaign to Los Angeles to fight breeding in and sale from puppy mills and their importation in the Los Angeles area. After an undercover investigation by a Los Angeles–based animal rights group, Last Chance for Animals (LCA), in conjunction with the local CBS-TV news station, a Los Angeles County puppy mill was found to be keeping 402 dogs in inhumane conditions. Among other outlets, the operation had been supplying puppies to a pet store in Beverly Hills called Posh Puppy, where they were selling for as much as $4,000 apiece.

  Since the kennel was only licensed to keep 100 dogs, it was ordered to release the remaining 300. Approximately 200 were sold or passed along to other breeders; 50 were dropped off at the Lancaster Shelter, where they were quickly placed by local rescue groups; and another 40 were rescued by a joint LCA/Best Friends operation. Michelle traveled 450 miles from Utah to L.A. to see which of the dogs most needed the special care that Best Friends specializes in providing.

  When she arrived, Michelle found the caged dogs had been numbered for identification purposes, but they had no names. She was looking primarily for elderly dogs that might have medical problems or might be unattractive in other ways that made them difficult to adopt. It was as if she were answering a reverse personals ad: “Seeking someone old, sick, and ugly.”

  Michelle and her assistants chose six small dogs and were about to call it a day when she sat down with a Chihuahua who was not old, or sick, or ugly. The little short-haired dog, with fur the color of banana pudding, had large, round, expressive eyes, with a black muzzle and a pronounced underbite. Her upper lip kept getting snagged on her teeth, exposing a single, comical fang, as if she were attempting to look fierce and failing. She was wearing a pink collar bearing the number 15.

  The little dog started prancing daintily around the enclosed side yard at the foster facility where the dogs were being kept. Her upturned, curlicue tail, almost like a little pig’s, bounced and jiggled as she frolicked and played with a plush toy dog. Unlike many dogs from puppy mills, who can be traumatized and unapproachable, this little lady seemed hungry for affection, bounding into Michelle’s lap and trying to lick her face.

  In many cases, puppy mills are not illegal. Often, hundreds of dogs can be kept in cages for their whole lives legally as long as they are provided with food, water, and shelter.

  “This little dog started running around and just being very silly, and playful, and very charming, and we decided”—here Michelle broke into a huge, irrepressible grin—“that we might just want to bring her back.” The little pudding-colored dog became known as Mei Mei, which is Chinese for “little sister.” The youngest of the rescued dogs, Mei Mei had a name that suited her sweet, high-energy nature very well.

  At the time, space at Dogtown was at a premium. The only space available for small dogs was for those that were elderly. Mei Mei was too high-energy for them, so Michelle decided to foster Mei Mei herself until a permanent adoptive home could be found. “I don’t really consider myself a small-dog person, but every time I say that, I wind up falling in love with a Chihuahua!” she said, laughing. Mei Mei would live with Michelle at her house, provided she could get along with Michelle’s cat and three dogs.

  After a physical exam gave Mei Mei a clean bill of health, the Chihuahua traveled to Michelle’s house for introductions. Upon arrival, Michelle brought Mei Mei into the backyard to meet her dogs: Citra, a large, 50-pound black-and-tan mix; Mona, an older dog of about 40 pounds; and Espresso, a long-haired, 20-pound mixed breed. Michelle looked on as her dogs sized up the new arrival and then sniffed her all over, even following her around the yard as she investigated her new surroundings. A little hesitant and slightly intimidated at first, Mei Mei soon realized these larger dogs meant her no harm. She relaxed and began to return their greetings, smelling her new housemates with gusto.

  When deemed ready for adoption, Mei Mei and other dogs like her often travel to off-site adoption events like this one to find forever homes.

  The introductions were going well: Citra and Espresso were relaxing alongside Michelle as Mei Mei continued to explore the yard. Then they heard a sharp little bark. And then another. Mei Mei had spotted Wesley, the cat.

  Ears up and alert, Mei Mei trotted over toward the large black-and-whi
te cat, who was sitting calmly alongside the garage. When she came within five yards of Wesley, Mei Mei froze in her tracks and stared at this strange creature, who sat motionless except for the flicking of his fluffy tail. It was most likely the first time that Mei Mei had ever encountered a feline, and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. The cat coolly stared back at the dog. Wesley was bigger than the Chihuahua, and, according to Michelle, could be aggressive with dogs if they came too close. Mei Mei smartly seemed to sense that the cat was something best left alone and turned away. “Good choice, Mei Mei! Good choice!” cheered Michelle. The introductions were deemed a success, so Mei Mei could officially move in with Michelle and begin to learn the real-life skills she would need for an adoptive home.

  HOUSEBREAKING MEI MEI

  Mei Mei’s sparkling personality made her a strong candidate for adoption, but there was just one problem—and it was a big one. Mei Mei was not housebroken.

  Like many dogs raised in puppy mills, Mei Mei had been kept in a small cage where she ate, slept, and eliminated all in the same place. Besides being unnatural and filthy, such a situation did not require that she learn to control her bodily functions. To improve her chances of adoption, Mei Mei had to learn to go to the bathroom outside. That was the primary task before the two of them when Michelle took Mei Mei home.

  At first Mei Mei would go outside, busily sniff all the bushes, and then go back inside to do her business on Michelle’s bathroom floor. So Michelle started working out a routine, taking Mei Mei outside when she first got up in the morning, after she ate, and then again just before bedtime. Many dogs have a preferred bathroom pattern, and by watching her closely, Michelle realized that Mei Mei preferred to relieve herself after meals. So she began taking her outside into the yard right after she ate. When Mei Mei cooperated, Michelle praised her lavishly: “Good girl, Mei Mei! Nice job!” If Mei Mei had an accident, Michelle ignored it. The best strategy, Michelle felt, was to reward Mei Mei for doing what she wanted to see happen and not to punish her when she had an accident.

  The routine and the praise seemed to be working for the confident little dog. Michelle kept up a consistent routine for Mei Mei, taking her outside after mealtime and encouraging her when she took her bathroom breaks in the yard. Smart little Mei Mei was catching on to housebreaking and had made enough progress to be put up for adoption. As much as she enjoyed having Mei Mei living with her, Michelle thought the little dog was ready for a new forever home. “She may need a little work on house-training when she first arrives, and she may be nervous with new people, but I think she’ll adjust pretty quickly.”

  THE MOST POPULAR POOCH

  Michelle learned that after a lifetime of little human attention, Mei Mei quickly figured out that she wanted it all the time. Mei Mei started to come to work each day with Michelle and soon had many more fans at Dogtown because she was so charming. The dog wanted to be held constantly, and everyone was powerless to resist. Mei Mei got quite spoiled by all the attention, but Michelle remained her favorite person. If Michelle needed to go to a meeting, Mei Mei would curl up on Michelle’s chair or sometimes right on her desk, looking like a little paperweight while she waited for Michelle to return.

  All of this socialization plus the housebreaking efforts had greatly improved Mei Mei’s chances at finding a home. Michelle was confident that Mei Mei would catch someone’s eye at an upcoming adoption event held about 80 miles away at a pet-supply store. Mei Mei and a small group of other dogs were crated up and then loaded into an air-conditioned van before making the trip.

  Once they arrived, Mei Mei’s exuberant personality came shining through, and she became as popular with the crowd as she had been with the Dogtown staff. First, children mobbed her. Then a burly man with a barbed-wire tattoo gently picked up the Chihuahua and petted her. Last of all was a sweet-looking woman named Beverly, who calmly stroked Mei Mei as she held her. Mei Mei sat contentedly in Beverly’s arms, as if she knew this was a good match for her. Beverly had a 12-year-old shih tzu named Lacey at home and was looking for a perfect younger companion to complete her household. Mei Mei, it turned out, was it. “She just caught my eye,” Beverly said. “She’s so cute!”

  An estimated 2,698,176 puppies who have originated from puppy mills are sold annually.

  When Beverly got Mei Mei back to her house and introduced her to Lacey, the two dogs hit it off right away. About the same size as Mei Mei, long-haired Lacey enthusiastically accepted the younger dog and scampered after her as Mei Mei explored her new home; it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. “When I heard Mei Mei had been in a puppy mill, it just made me furious to think that people could treat animals that way,” Beverly said. “I just wanted to rescue her.”

  It’s sobering to think of what might have happened to Mei Mei and Parker if they had not been rescued. Mei Mei, with her expressive, almost human eyes and her insatiable hunger for human attention, would probably have been confined in a tiny cell for her whole life. Parker would probably have continued to live in his ramshackle rabbit hutch with the three other dogs, though he probably would not have lived very long because the raging infection in his mouth would most likely have gone untreated.

  Fortunately, that did not happen. Instead, a new ending has been written for them. Parker and Mei Mei are bound for a better life than most puppies in the windows. Thanks to Dogtown, they are happy, healthy, and in good, loving homes.

  Exuberant Annie had to overcome a bite history to find her forever home.

  06

  Annie: One Bad Decision

  In human society, first-degree murder is the unforgivable sin—the sin above all others. A person convicted of that unspeakable transgression is often sentenced to life behind bars, or even death.

  But for dogs, the bar is set much lower. If a dog bites a human, it is often considered unforgivable and punishable by death. Even worse, if a dog attacks and bites a child, retribution from human society is usually swift and terrible.

  That’s what happened to Annie.

  Her life changed one summer afternoon when someone left the gate to her yard open and she slipped out of her suburban backyard into the yard next door. Annie was a petite Australian shepherd–retriever–cattle dog mix, mostly black and gray, with white feet, a white-tipped tail, a white brushstroke up her nose, and a white belly. Like most “Aussies,” she was high-spirited, energetic, playful, and eager to please. But when Annie found herself in unfamiliar situations, she got scared, which led her to make bad decisions.

  When she entered the neighbor’s yard that afternoon, she was startled to see a two-year-old toddler at play. Annie wasn’t used to small children, and the toddler frightened her. Anxious and confused, she started barking at the child. When the toddler’s father heard all the commotion, he burst out of the house with an infant in his arms. He bounded down the stairs, yelling and gesturing at Annie, convinced she was about to attack the child. But the man’s behavior scared Annie even more. That’s when she made a bad decision—one that put her life in danger.

  She jumped up like a circus dog and bit the infant in the father’s arms. At that instant, Annie’s world changed forever. Annie’s owners, informed about what had happened, took her back to the shelter from which she’d been adopted, to have her euthanized. This incident was the first time Annie had ever bitten anyone, but it didn’t matter. A first-time offense could certainly be her last.

  Thousands of dogs are “put to sleep” every year for biting children and for any of a dozen other reasons. In fact, according to the American Humane Society, about five million animals are euthanized each year. Overall, about 56 percent of the dogs that enter shelters are euthanized, usually by lethal injection. But a dog entering a shelter with a bite history like Annie’s had only the slimmest chance of ever getting out alive.

  At the shelter, Annie was essentially put on death row for dogs, waiting for an injection of pentobarbital or some other sleep-inducing barbiturate, which would cause unconsciousn
ess and respiratory and then cardiac arrest within about 30 seconds. Annie needed a lucky break.

  Rather than giving the go-ahead for lethal injection, someone at the shelter called Sherry Woodard, a Behavioral Consultant at Dogtown, wanting to know if Sherry would be willing to take Annie and try to rehabilitate her, so that she might be adopted. The shelter staff knew that Annie wasn’t a vicious dog; she had been put in an unfamiliar situation and had reacted badly to it. They knew that Annie would need someone like Sherry with time and resources to help her work through her fears and make better decisions in the future.

  A HIGH-ENERGY DOG

  Annie certainly didn’t look like a vicious dog. She was less than knee-high, with warm, amber-brown eyes filled with a look of expectancy, as if she were just waiting for the next game. (Aussies are sometimes called ghost-eye dogs because a number have an eerie, gray-blue eye color—but they can also have an amazing variety of other eye colors, like a kid’s sack of marbles, including green, hazel, glassy blue, or, like Annie, amber-brown.)

  Aussies are herding dogs developed on the ranches of the American West (not, as their name implies, Australia). Sheepherders from the Basque region of Spain brought an ancestral breed to Australia and then to America, where they developed into the modern breed. They’re famous for their intelligence, trainability, energy, and eagerness to please. They are “perpetual puppies” who love to play. They excel at dog agility games, flyball (a dog sport that began in the late 1960s), and Frisbee, leaping through the air as if they were about to grow wings and fly. And normally, they’re great with children—loyal, playful, and gentle.