Pet Rescue: Meet Our Pet Family! Part 2

Welcome back to our pack!! Today we introduce what I call ‘project pets’. They took work and commitment to acclimate them to their forever home. They came from sad beginnings and our goal here is to give them the best life possible from here on out. Remember, a dog or cat from a shelter has no idea what is going on, who you are, or what might happen next. It may take them a minute to figure it all out. Please allow them this time and you will not regret it.  

Cricket: we adopted Cricket from the Humane Society of Ocean City NJ. They had limited history on her, just that she had come from down south somewhere and they rescued her from a high-kill shelter. We had to drive from Maryland with our two dogs (at the time) for a meet and greet. All went well and Cricket came home. 

Cricket was very anxious. She busted out of two crates. She ate the arms off two recliners. Next came the blinds in the windows. Cricket would not eat any food. This went on for two weeks. I was perplexed; how do I make her comfortable? I started watching her closely for clues. One, she became very attached to my granddaughter (she lives with me). Two, I discovered her in the kitchen eating all the cat food. The shelter had sent food, telling me that is what she had been eating. She didn’t like it!!! Cricket was very food insecure, so I got her new food and made her own special feeding area away from the other dogs. I wanted her to know this was hers and hers alone. Overnight, she was a different dog. No wonder, she probably thought, who are these people and why are they starving me?! Cricket found her person and had her own eating station. The anxiety drastically decreased.  

Cricket is almost a different dog these days. I say almost because she still has some anxiety around strangers, especially men. She barks but thank goodness, does not bite. Cricket loves all the dogs here and really loves cats. All she needed was some time and love.   

Belle: I adopted Belle from Baltimore Animal and Rescue Center (BARCS). Belle was involved in a criminal abuse case. I wasn’t given any details but was told she could not be adopted until the trial was over as she was evidence. When I finally got the go ahead, I brought her home.

 For one night, she slept in my granddaughter’s bedroom but the next day, she disappeared somewhere in the house. For two weeks, we did not see her. I had a good guess she was in the basement, so I set up food and water. Even after she came out, she wanted nothing to do with us. One thing I did notice: Belle was infatuated with the dogs. Ok, whatever it takes to make her happy. Warming up to us was slow. Belle also gets her own food station so she knows no one is taking her food from her. This has helped. 

Belle has been here a little over three years and only this year has she taken initiative to jump up in a lap. Also new for her, Belle finally is sleeping on the bed with the other cats. That’s what some of our cats do during the day but she would never join in. Cats weren’t her thing. Now suddenly they are! I even caught her snuggling with Gizmo one day. Belle is the sweetest ever. She just needed time for her stellar personality to shine through. 

My hope is this gives you some insight into the time it might take for a shelter pet to decompress and become the loving pet that is locked inside. See you next time with more of our family.