Feral dogs and abandoned puppies deserve a chance for a better life

Here are two recent stories that show how far people will go to help a dog who is terrified of humans and a puppy lodged under the hood of a car.

Dog captured after over 80 attempts

A 2-year-old Australian Cattle mix may be ready for adoption in August after finally being caught by animal services and socialized by an incredible lady.

The dog nicknamed “Highway Man” was first noticed on Highway 1 near Santa Cruz, California in early January. Fearing he would be hit by a car, animal services attempted to capture him by going out to the area over 80 times. But they reported that all they saw was his butt as he was running away.

Humane traps were laid down and he ingested tranquillizers. The Highway Patrol even got in the act, shutting down the highway for short periods of time. But for three months he outsmarted them all.

Finally in late March he was captured. Because his experience with people had not been pleasant, he remained extremely shy and very fearful while being kept at the shelter.

Then 69-year-old Rena Cochlin, an animal volunteer for over 16 years, agreed to take him as her 71st foster.

She said: “Sometimes dogs really do not do well in the shelter and end up being euthanized, which is a shame because they are good dogs. With the foster program we are able to save lives, it's very simple."

After months of being introduced to different people and animals, Highway Man is finally becoming less fearful and more social.

"If I'm standing, he'll get scared but when I'm sitting he'll come to me," Cochlin said. "He still has a long way to go but the good news is he can possibly live with other dogs and definitely has a need and desire for human contact."

She is hopeful that Highway Man will be ready to go to a forever home in the late summer. Information on adopting Highway Man

Puppy survives 30 mile trip wedged in a car engine

A North Carolina woman, Darlene Broome, was rushing to the hospital early one morning following an ambulance carrying her husband who was suffering from chest pains.

About 30 miles from her home she stopped at a red light and heard a strange noise coming from under the hood…not an engine noise, but a distinct whine. She pulled off the road, opened the hood and found a tiny furball of a puppy stuck on top of the transmission under the air cleaner box.

Frantic to get to the hospital, she waved her arms for someone to help her. And here’s the good part. People stopped to help.

There was Matt Baxley, a mechanic, who had the knowledge but no tools to rescue the pup. There was Sam Tate who called his friend Dennis Willoughby from the gas company, who rushed there in a truck with the tools to free the dog.

Baxley lifted the dog out of the car and agreed to take her to the veterinarian so that Ms. Broome could go to the hospital. The puppy was treated for a burn on her stomach, and sent on her way to a new owner that Baxley found.

"When I found her, she was roughed up some, but she just needed somebody to look out for her," Baxley said.

Mr. Broome was treated and released from the hospital that evening. When they returned home Mrs. Broome found four more puppies from the same litter that had been abandoned nearby. From the Charlotte Observer

While there are cruel and thoughtless people who abandon dogs, it would seem that there are  more who go  out of their way to help them.

Comments

[Khyra]

Some of my mom's transport passengers are puppies just like that ;-(

Here's to Highway Man - maybe he should meet Chapel!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra & Khousin Merdie

[pam]

Two great stories. I have no doubt that Highway Man will find a very good forever home.

[threecollie]

Great stories! Thanks!

[cube]

Two very uplifting stories. Thanks for sharing.

[jackie]

i love happy endings

[Charlie]

Wow!

[Karen Friesecke]

Sometimes I think that all of humanity should be flushed down the toilet and then I read the story of the puppy stuck in the car motor. Humans *can* accomplish good thing when they work together, I just wish that it was more often.

[Dennis the Vizsla]

It's nice to have stories like this that balance out the "people suck" stories. :-)