Episodes > 102 > Rescue Dog

This Week's Rescue Dog:

TOP RESCUE DOG: PETE with PAULA

Pete came into my life about six years ago.  I had just finished a volunteer session of tutoring my adult literacy student at the Van Nuys, California library, and pulled out of the library's driveway to see a group of young kids chasing a miserable-looking dog around in the street. 

Meddler that I am, I pulled over to talk to the kids.  They informed me that they had been feeding this stray dog, but that their mother wouldn't let them keep him since he had fleas. They begged me to give him a home.  Always a softie for a lost animal, the kids and I loaded this smelly dog into the backseat of my car.  I intended to drop him off at the local shelter the next morning, and let him sleep in my backyard that night.  We never made it to the shelter.  In the light of day, this sorry little mutt looked even worse.  He had lost about 70% of his hair, and his skin was red and cracked.  Still, he continued to scratch as he lay huddled in the corner of the yard.  He was so very pitiful - I just couldn't abandon him to the uncertain future he'd face in the animal shelter. 

Off to the vet we went, where we waited our turn among cute little toy dogs and shining Golden Retrievers.  Pete (his name wouldn't come until later) was very well-behaved.  He seemed to know that help was on its way.  The diagnosis:  fleas, ear mites, severe mange - all the nasty stuff that comes from street living.  The prescription:  daily baths, ear drops, pills.  Slowly but surely, the life came back into this little dog's eyes, he gained some weight, and his hair started to grow back. 

Today, Pete is beloved by all who know him, and he takes his job of protector very seriously, patrolling the yard several times a day to chase away any intruding birds or squirrels.  He retains some of his streetwise ways, and will steal any food within reach, but we've learned to live together, and I couldn't have asked for a better entertainer, friend, and companion.  Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?