"Linda" was one of these dogs. Her owner had lost his job and home in North Carolina and had to move his family to an apartment in Miami, where he had found a new job. He could not find a place where Linda could go with them. Linda had also always just lived in a fenced backyard, and did not understand crates or anything that would have been needed to housetrain her.
In desperation, her owner even took her to two different veterinarians and asked them to euthanize her, because he did not want her to have to spend her last moments in a "pound" which might not have been as kind letting her go. Thankfully, her owner eventually found an email address for the Central NC Siberian Husky Club, they posted an email about her and I forwarded it on to Southern Siberian Rescue.
It just happened to be a sad time in general, as when I heard back from Dawne Howard, the director of SSR, she told me that her mother was in her last days of life, in another state. Dawne said "Melanie, please take this dog and keep her for me until my family crisis is over, and then I will take her."
We did take her as a "temporary foster" but as it worked out, Linda had a few special quirks and needs that made it clear to me that it would be very different for her to get adopted at her age. But within the weeks that she was here, while we were waiting for Dawne to get back home, Linda became very comfortable in our foster dog environment, and loved to follow my husband around when he was caring for the dogs. She did not know how to interact with other dogs and seemed to have no idea what a toy or even a chewbone happened to be. But she learned to get her confidence up from just "helping" Rick when he was cleaning up the yard, to learning how to play "zoomies", run around and really stretch her legs when let out of her kennel to run in the fenced yard. It was a joyful day when Linda started doing zoomies! She was very careful to do them only when there was not a young dog out who might play too rough. Although she tended to keep to herself as far as other dogs, she loved our family, as long as we did not have a brush in our hand! She did NOT appreciate having hair combed or brushed but she didn't know we have help! Last summer even our friends Jon & Robin Tuttle came up one time and Robin helped me get Linda brushed out, because Robin has worked with special needs dogs and she has the patience of Job!
We have had Siberians liive to be as old as 15 1/2, so we hoped to be able to give LInda several more happy years. Unfortunately, we lost her about six weeks ago. It is still too painful to really "talk" about but we wanted to post her photo as a memorial to her, because she is so grealty missed and we also wanted to pass along a few thank yous.
Thank you to Southern Siberian Rescue (who were willing to take her if we had not been able to keep her here) and to Central NC Siberian Husky Club for networking for her. Also, although many would criticize her owner for leaving her behind, people in our country are living through very difficult circumstances and I am just happy that he kept searching until he found some help. When we first got her, we were able to email him and tell him we were keeping her and he seemed very grateful. Thank you to my husband, who called Dawne on the day we were to deliver her, who said "Dawne, we know you have lots of foster dogs, Miss Linda can just stay here." And thanks to my son Eric and my friend Robin who helped me get LInda through the shedding months!
God speed Linda. We know we will see you again. But no waiting at the bridge, okay? I want to think that today you are doing zoomies in heaven's most beautiful grass field, and you are doing it with all those who have gone before, no more fear Linda....just lots of joy. You can play with other pups and with the angels until we get there to see you again.
I miss brushing Linda. She was not a problem for me since I had plenty of past experience with Marley.
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