Dog Survives Rollover Crash with More Than 50 Other Animals, Finds Forever Home
Guest Contributor
The following story was submitted in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest. The top three finishers received $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. To read more stories, click here!
Archie, a poodle-Maltese mix, came to us under protective custody after being pulled from a rollover wreck involving over 50 animals (10 dogs, one rabbit, and the rest were cats). The crash happened as the hoarders were attempting to leave town. Once he was evaluated, treated, and cleaned of his feces-matted hair by the Humane Society of the Ochocos, the local no-kill shelter, it was apparent that he needed a quieter environment in which to recover.
PHOTO: GAYLE RASTORFERAs a foster volunteer at the shelter, my husband and I agreed to bring our two little "foster failures" for a meet-and-greet.
Apparently they had a doggie conversation that let him know we were a safe haven, since he willingly jumped into the travel crate in our car and, once home, immediately hopped up on his blanket placed on the sofa (it's called "fur"niture, after all!), and rolled onto his back for a belly rub. Never once has he attempted to bite us, despite his history of defensive aggression.
PHOTO: GAYLE RASTORFERA few months after he was officially adopted into our fur family, we happened to be cheering on a contestant named Archie on America's Got Talent when our little guy, whose kennel name had been "Steve", excitedly barked, jumped into my lap and uncharacteristically put his paws on both sides of my neck, licking my face. From then on, his name was changed to Archie.
His favorite things to do, when he's not on alert for "that big brown truck" that leaves packages at our door, are to demolish his stuffed toys after he gets tired of leaving them in our path to kick out of the way, providing endless fetch opportunities; going on daily walks and occasional hikes; and cuddling with our little Freddie Mac (sadly, our other dog, Fannie Mae, passed away last year at age 19). He has proven repeatedly that rescues are the best!
PHOTO: GAYLE RASTORFERThis story was submitted by Gayle Rastorfer in support of The Humane Society of the Ochocos. To read other stories from the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest, click here!
