Meet Anya the Dog

 ANYA

Anya really scared us today. She's been here a couple weeks. An elderly gal dumped at the pound all matted and unkempt. She had to be shaved down.  She’s lovely, gentle, loving, gets along with everyone, likes to lean against your legs. She looked out the cage and begged for a home.  And still nobody would adopt her. I cannot stand the seniors just left behind to be offed.  Once loved and cared for and here she sat, now loved by no one.

She's lucky and got to come to Rikki's to spend her golden years. She has to wear a coat when she goes outside till her fur grows back. She wants to be out all the time, but we don't let her, except on warm days, and then she must be in a fenced area or with someone. 

Well this morning somebody took her out to potty. Something happened, they ran for something else, one of those distractions that could happen to anybody, and when they realized it - Anya was gone.

Already too many tracks in the snow to track anybody.  All hands on deck and everybody went searching.  Soon all the 4wd vehicles were on the hunt too.  Then people were trekking in the wood.

She had on a bright orange coat, so she should be easy to spot.  After an hour and a half her coat was found.  And she wasn't in it. It'd gotten caught on branches and she'd wiggled out. Oh no, now this poor old gal, sight failing, not really knowing where home was, maybe trying to go home to her owners who’d abandoned her was alone, lost, no doubt cold, and trekking thru the snow covered woods and fields.  What would become of this poor gal. 

A couple volunteers showed up and started the hunt too.  We circled the perimeter road in case she finally came out the woods.  Thankfully we’re very secluded and surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of acres of woods and at least a mile from any road .... but ....  we were scared.  really scared.

We called all the neighbors. Went to the county shelter to let them know - they’re very close by and in case they got a call or somebody picked her up.  Nobody had seen her.  The nightmares going thru everybody’s heads were really scary.

After two and a half hours Valerie saw her and chased her down and called for a 4 wd truck to come pick them up as close as they could get to where they were in the woods.  Joe zoomed off and soon there was Valerie and Anya climbing out from the back of the truck. 

And what did Anya want to do?  Not go inside and sit by the heater and warm up.  Not dry her feet and thaw her toes.  No.  She wanted to head right back to the woods!  She fought like heck being hauled back inside!!! 

Soon as she was safely inside all the hoomans began to notice their freezing body parts and they wanted to hunch up by the heaters!!!  But no luck for them either!  Everybody’s work was two and a half hours behind schedule and it was time to hop to it!!!  Luckily Anne and Katarina and a group of volunteers were here to help!!!

Oh Anya, I’m so glad you came home

I was really missing my nice soft bed!  Who ever said cats and dogs don’t get along!  At Rikki’s Refuge we’re one big happy family!