We have a new family member, Barney Bolton! We met him at an Animal Aid adoption event this afternoon at the Petsmart in Troy, and felt he would be a perfect fit for our family. So far, so good! He is doing well with the kids - loves licking Ella, seems good with cats, walks well on a leash, hasn't barked yet, hasn't jumped yet... We are keeping our fingers crossed that he is really this perfect!
Here is Barney's sad story:
Two volunteers were checking out an abandoned house. They waded through plaster, insulation and trash, working their way to a large room in the back. It was unfinished, with open doors and a hole in the roof. While looking around they noticed a dog lying against a wall. He never moved or made a sound. He was so thin and silent they thought he was dead. But then they saw his eyes were open, looking at them. With some coaxing, they got him up he was so weak he was shaking. He ate a packet of wet dog food and then he ate a packet of dry. He looked up, wagged a little bit, and followed them out of the house and into their car. He'd been alone for a long time, slowly starving, still seeking shelter in the building that had once been his home. A sad, defeated, scruffy brown dog, with a ridge where a collar had once been.
Barney is now in a foster home with other dogs and people who love him. He still eats quickly and howls when he wants to eat, which is often. He is still thin, and a little shaky, but he's getting better every day. Barney is house trained. He gets along well with other dogs. It's sad, but he seems surprised when he gets a little affection. It seems like he hasn't had any for a long, long time.
It is estimated that Barney is between 3 to 5 years old. Barney would love a home with someone to spoil him rotten and show him that the world can be a very wonderful place. He needs a family to love for the rest of his life.
