Meet Sophie, the "little black dog" so many kind residents
searched and prayed for during three long, hot days and dark,
scary nights in August. Sophie has a message for everyone who
walked, drove around, and knocked on doors, circulated flyers
and more, she wants you to know, "I'm so grateful YOU DIDN'T
GIVE UP!"
Special thanks to: Ms. Faith Easdale and her volunteer crew
who finally lured Sophie to safety; to Ms. Lynne who took her
in and cleaned off all the prickly burrs; and to Ms. Elaine who
bathed and groomed her and gave her more love in just a few days
than she's EVER known.
The good people at Save A Small Dog Rescue had Sophie
microchipped, spayed and updated with vaccines. She now
knows she's loved by many, but especially by her new mom,
Rhodus. Sophie is SO happy to be safe in a loving home where she can go on walks and meet all who have made it
possible for her to have a wonderful life with no more stress -
just lots and lots of love!
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Sophie is an incredible story! We are fortunate to live in a gated community with several hundred acres of wetlands, natural grasslands, and several miles of graded hiking trails. Ricky and I first saw Sophie in "the wild" on our walkies at the beginning of last August. We tried to lure her with treats so that we could take her into our immediate care. She was very scared and stressed and she would run away from anyone trying to help her. We have lots of bobcats, coyotes, rattlesnakes as well as speeding cars on the roadways and "the little black dog" was in immediate and severe danger. Many of our neighbors joined in the hunt for her over the next three weeks. We called Animal Regulation on our cell phones when we spotted her but that was a joke. They would not show up until an hour later and then spend 10 minutes looking for her, but she was long gone by then. We finally made contact with volunteers at a local shelter who spent three days trapping her. They had the experience and equipment to trap "wild animals."
Nobody knows how Sophie survived for those three + weeks in the wild. Where she foraged for food or where she found safety to sleep is anyone's guess. She proved to be very self reliant and a survivor.
The Vet who gave her initial medical attention estimated her age at about 2 years. He said he thought she was part Portuguese Waterdog breed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I am no expert, but she looks exactly like a Havanese to me, right down to the tail arching over her back and almond shaped eyes. She is the same size as Ricky and has all the Havanese mannerisms. It is remarkable how much THIS Sophie resembles the OTHER Sophie who is a favorite on HF. And for the record, I had no participation in naming THIS Sophie, it is mere coincidence.
We see Sophie occasionally on our walkies with her new owner and new brother dog on leashes. She is still working on her socialization skills with her new Mommy but she is making lots of progress. And she is putting on a bit of needed weight!
Sophie had a rough life but she has now found heaven on earth. Some stories do have a happy ending!
Ricky's Popi