The community of Lincoln County saw a great display of empathy and caring over the last few weeks. With the help of an inspiring group of people, a situation that could have been tremendously sad turned into a stunning story of a dog, a shelter and love.
Our hero is named Dog. He is a deaf Rottweiler who lost his loving owner when she passed away. He was placed in a home with family members. After a while, they could no longer care for Dog and put him up for adoption. They placed an announcement on the Lincoln County Garage Sale page on Facebook. Dog needed a new home.
A few people stepped up to the plate and offered to take him in. Responses came in from Alamogordo, Roswell and even neighboring states. People asked for more information about him. They showed interest. Unfortunately, none of the interest panned out. Dog needed some good luck.
Finally, Dog got lucky.
Luck appeared in the form of several angels in Lincoln County who had watched the drama unfold on Facebook.
The first person to step forward was Peggy Whitlock, who was able to pick up Dog and take him home to meet her furry companions. Dog was able to stay with Whitlock as the Facebook group worked diligently to find a more permanent home. It was with Peggy that Dog’s hearing loss was first discovered. Dog is a sweet, older dog who is thought to be between 8-9 years old. He is good with other pets and he seeks love and attention. He appears to be in good health.
“This poor dog had been through a lot. I am sure he missed his original owner, who cherished him. This is what drew me to help him. He just had to go through a lot more than some other dogs. He needed a break,” said Whitlock.
After a few days, Mirissa Good emerged to rally the troops and look for long-term care. “I didn’t say anything at first. I have four large dogs, so I knew I couldn’t take him in myself. But all of these homes that were lined up just kept falling through and I thought, ‘Alright, that’s enough, let’s find someone who can take care of him.’”
Good placed a call to her former boss Heidi Barnett of the Thundering Paws dog and cat resort in Alto to see if she could provide foster care until Dog could find a permanent home. Heidi obliged, having seen what happens to good animals who are homeless.
Barnett opened Thundering Paws after knowing that she had to make a difference but finding there was not enough of her to go around. Between fostering four dogs, owning three more of her own and working in finance, she was hyper-extended. She ultimately chose her passion for animals and sought a career that would allow her plenty of room in her life.
“The idea hit me about opening a pet resort that would provide me with a career doing what I love and give me the facility and means to foster a handful of animals in need on a continual basis. I am fortunate to have been in business now for eight years. We have placed nearly 100 animals in forever homes,” Barnett said.
Barnett echoed the sentiment that The Nest knows all too well: “Some people are able to donate money to a cause close to their heart or even their time or supplies. Others have the means to get the word out about those in need. Be it large or small, we have within ourselves the ability to make a difference and that is exactly what everyone involved in Dog’s story has done. The community came together to provide him with a second chance. Great job, Lincoln County!”
The next obstacle that needed to be overcome was how to get Dog from Whitlock’s home to Thundering Paws. The weather was brutally cold, dipping into single digits at night and creating unpredictable road conditions. Enter Angel #4. Lynn Myers, a past board member and community volunteer of HEAL and the Nest Domestic Violence Shelter, entered the picture. Despite the challenges winter threw out, Myers was able to get to Dog and transport him to his new foster “home” at Thundering Paws.
As the saying goes, “we are all a sucker for a happy ending.” We are pleased to announce that fortunately, through the efforts of many on Facebook, Dog has a new forever home in Alamogordo.
If Dog’s story touched you, please consider opening your heart and home to one of the other fostered pets at Thundering Paws. You can call Thundering Paws Pet Resort at 575-336-PAWS (7297) to set up a time to go meet these wonderful pets.
Pictured is Dog while at his temporary home at Thundering Paws.
