Scooter Has Found a Perfect Home!

This is one of the bestest blogs I get to write ...... EVER! Scooter (now named COOPER) has a brand new home.

On Sunday morning a week ago I got a call from the folks at CHAT, the wonderful "no-kill" rescue shelter in Wakulla County. On June 3rd we'd taken to them this hungry, bruised, dirty stray Walker Coon Hound we'd found on the street across from our Models. We had the vet give him his shots, clean him up, and learned he was just a puppy, around 2 or less. He was skinny, scared, abandoned or lost, and cowered as if he'd been abused. CHAT gave him the best care, a clean place to sleep, food, daily exercise, the best of care. But no one would adopt him in all this time. They are an amazing program that we should all support.

I'm told that in these parts of Florida this is a very common breed of dog, that they are hunting dogs and are often shot or abandoned when no longer needed, and are treated pretty roughly in general. We tried to have him adopted out, running ads, speaking with folks and hoping the shelter would have someone offer him a great home. I went to visit him at the shelter and he was just adorable, still cowering though. I would have adopted him myself but I travel back and forth so much from California that it wouldn't be fair to him since he needs a lot of exercise, and proper care.

So when I got this call from CHAT they said that he was not adoptable locally and that I needed to come get him or he would be euthanized. Ugghh, I don't think so! I asked for the week to make arrangements to take him out of there, and our SeaSide office, Michael and Gaye, swung into action. I am in California during this time, so we arranged to transport him out to San Francisco on Delta on Saturday! Yup! This adorable fellow was moving across the country for me to find him a good home here.

I sent an email out with his photo to a bunch of friends, posted an ad on Craig's List and got some interest, and lo and behold, my one of my best friend Jane's 4 children, Julie, and her husband Kiley and their 3 adorable kids, agest 3 through 9, were looking for a rescue dog since last Christmas, know the breed and LOVE hounds, and were very interested. So was Jane's other daughter, Heather.

We checked on all the travel rules, CHAT got all the veternarian papers ready, gave him a bath, Michael got the properly facilitated crate, and on Saturday morning he picked him up and took him to the Tallahassee airport cargo, and off Scooter went on his journey to a new home.

I met him at Delta's cargo office at 6pm on Saturday night. We put his crate in the back as I put him on a leash, tried to get him into the back seat when he resisted, wouldn't jump in, got loose from the loose leash collar and started running down the road! Ohmygosh! I've just gotten him and now he's gone, scared out of his mind. I'm yelling "HELP HELP" so the cargo guys will come out as I'm trying to catch this fast little critter, which was not going to happen. A very nice young man who had also just gotten his dog ran after him in his flip flops as I ran to get my car to chase them by car. I turned and the fellow said he'd caught him for me, and that he was now on the side of the cargo building peeing. The young man leashed him again for me, and helped me get him in the backseat. So much for the day's adventure, and my nerves!

He was a little groggy and scared. I tried to hand him treats which he wouldn't take from my hand. I left them one by one on the console and he did eat them. He also drank lots of water, and went hovered between sleeping and sitting up watching the world go by.

We got to Novato and Julie and Kiley's house. They gently took him inside and to the back yard that has a very high fence as the 3 kids gathered around to gently welcome him. We hung out getting him acclimated a bit, and I left.

He spent the night out in the woodchips by the playground set, in his own corner. It was 50 degrees out, but he ate and drank out there, but would not come into the house. The next day, Sunday, they still couldn't get him to cross the back door threshhold to come in, but he did nap with Ava (6) in the woodchips. Julie was smart enough to call CHAT and spoke to Scooter's main keeper there, who said what a mellow nature he has, how much he loves walks, how well he gets along with people and other dogs, and that he'd been sedated to take the flight, so give him time to get his legs again.

Later that afternoon I brought my dog, Sophia, over to visit Scooter (now renamed COOPER by Ava), and it was like a personality transformation. Cooper came alive, running all over the yard with Sophia, all new energy and excitement, becoming very available for petting, taking treats out of a hand, and allowing a lot more cuddling. ALRIGHT!

He still wouldn't follow Sophia into the kitchen past the threshhold as Ms. Sophia was exploring the kitchen. She's not shy when it comes to looking for food. While the smells were oh so good, Cooper always stopped right at the door, fearful of going past.

Kiley mentioned that he hadn't wanted to walk on a leash, just froze. So now as I was leaving Kiley put Cooper on the leash and we tried out to see if he would follow the whole crowd of us as we slowly, casually entered the house with Sophia and me. And he did! He passed the threshhold without hesitation on leash with Kiley, stopped in the living room by my side for some petting, and then continued on with us outside to the front lawn! Then Kiley and kids took Sophia (no leash) and Cooper on leash for a walk up the block, back down the block, then Julie walked him on leash, Sophia and I got in the car and Cooper spent the night in the house, exploring and sniffing all around, then wound up sleeping with Ava on the floor on a bed she made next to her bed. Isn't this exciting?!! He went indoors! (You have to be a dog lover to understand all the nuances.)

On Monday they took him on walks and to a dog park with dozens of dogs and he had a BLAST! He ran like the wind, played with lots of other dogs, sniffed lots of butt, came home and, eventually, went back in the house and spent the night ON AVA'S BED!

I believe we have a keeper here! We've all fallen in love with him and Sophia and I are going back to visit on a regular basis to watch him flourish with his new home full of love and appreciation for a sweet being. His life is forever changed, so blessed, so perfect as he gets and gives the love he obviously is karmacally deserving. We should all have this life! I am, also, a very happy puppy. As I said, this is one of my favorite blogs and stories to share.