 Madison
This is my girl...& boy has she changed the way I think about certain aspects of life. Her name is Madison. I call her all sorts of nicknames as a way to help her forget the 8-years of ABUSE she suffered before she found me. Not only is she an abuse survivor, but a cancer survivor too. I believe her tough journey will help lead to the enlightenment of pet owners around the world. This dog is a survivor and she's driven with purpose in many regards.
Back in 2004 I was out running errands when I was approached by a local business woman. She told me a customer of hers had 'dumped a Golden Retriever at her place of business' because he was moving his family out of state. I love animals, so of course this pulled at my heart strings. A water dog was also VERY APPEALING to me as I always wanted a dog I could swim with.
HOWEVER, I had obstacles and thought about them the entire drive to meet the dog. I live in a condo, NOT a house, was there room for another dog? My son had been bitten/attacked by an extended family member's German Shepard two years previous and I was still working him through the dog phobia that came as a result. I also had a big dog already, a Norweigan Elkhound-Great Dane mix (Murray, RIP 2007) who wasn't known for his social graces around other animals.
My son was the biggest concern because he truly was terrified of dogs. My treatment of his dog phobia was understanding, yet demanded he face and conquer the fear. I told him he couldn't fear all dogs because of one bad dog. I told him the world was full of bad people too etc. I also knew showing such intense fear around dogs could lead another dog to go on the defensive, so from small dogs up; I made him pet and get to know dogs. All the dogs we met were friendly and little by little, my son's confidence returned.
But he wasn't too pleased when I showed up with a big MANGEY and SICKLY dog. She didn't look like a Golden Retriever. I even remember thinking that, when I walked up to where the lady had Madison chained up on the porch. The dog looked so bad I figured she must have lied saying the dog was a 'pure bread' to get me over there. Of course, I don't care if a dog is pure or not...my point is the dog looked nothing like the Golden Retriever she now looks like.
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She had missing paw pads from being locked in some sort of small container. Bald spots, open wounds and what appeared to be burn marks marred her body. She was underweight and I thought, on death's door.
Poor girl held together the limping when I came to to see about taking her in. She sidled right up to me as if begging me to take her. And when I took off her ugly nasty coller she followed me without being called to my awaiting car.
When we got to my house she fell apart. She laid on the floor in pain and misery as my family and I cleaned up her wounds. She followed me around so much I feared her paw pads would never heal. This dog also came loaded with many 'fatty tumors.'
I started researching. I was determined to heal the dog. My guess is because she was 8 and in a poor state of health her previous owners didn't want to be bothered with that or the expense.
I remembered at the very least hoping to see her able to play, maybe run. Fast forward 4 years and she's still here and healthier than ever. |
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