Dog of the Day

September 10, 2008

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Ginger Snap, the Dog of the Day
Name: Ginger Snap
Age: Eight years old
Gender: Female Breed: Dog
Home: Kentucky, USA
 
   Miss Ginger Snap became my special baby in June, 2001. I was visiting some family one day in rural Grayson Co. Kentucky and noticed her walking down the road. I approached her to see if she was wearing a collar - but she was very timid and scared of me. She ran into a nearby field. I tried for at least 30 minutes to coax her out of some thick brush - then I just gave up figuring she belonged to one of the local farm families. I walked back to the house where my family and I were sitting out on the front porch enjoying a nice early summer evening. I actually forgot about her until I saw her come into the yard about 30 minutes later. She was looking right at me as she slowly crept onto the lower porch away from where we were sitting. She laid under a lawn chair and looked at me as if to say - "OK, here I am. Please help me!" As I got a better look at her - I saw that she was terribly malnourished and infested with ticks and fleas. I immediately bundled her up and took her home with me.

    The next day - I took her straight to a vet office. The doctor who examined her figured she was about one year old at the time - basing her age on the condition of her teeth. I am not exaggerating when I estimate that I removed at least 100 ticks and parasites from her little dehydrated body. I also noticed that she would try to catch bugs outside in the yard and eat them - I'm sure that's how she survived until I found her.

    After a week or so of constant love, good food and water, and multiple baths - she began to wag her tail at me and actually bark when the doorbell rang! She was home! I have always said that when she came into the yard the first night I saw her - she picked me to rescuer and friend. As she has aged, we have continually had issues with anxiety and socialization with other people - especially children. She has never been aggressive around other people, she just hides under my bed when company comes. I'm again guessing that she must have been abused in some way the first year of her life. Six years ago, someone missed the opportunity to provide Ginger with, at the very least, basic shelter and food. I truly believe that that person's neglect and abuse is still in her memory. She has come a long way though. She is a little clown when we play games and she'll pose for me in multiple positions waiting for me to say "Oh, that's cute!" She gives high fives and insists on a belly rub before we go to sleep.

    I have never been sure of what breed or breed mix she is - although she does have purple patches on her little tongue. It doesn't matter to me what kind of dog she is - I just know that I could not have gone to a pet store, animal shelter, or breeder and found anything as perfect as she is in my eyes! So please, if you ever see a starving animal or an animal that is being neglected and abused - take the time to do something to help. Dogs and cats especially - they depend on human beings for basic needs... and in return give the love and devotion no human being could ever be capable of!

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