Stevie

Some of the earliest dogs I featured on the blog were part of Rachel's pack. They are beautiful animals, Mika, Dio, and Logan. 

from left to right: Stevie, Logan, Mika, Dio

If you don't remember them or didn't meet them you should take a few minutes to check them out. Dio's behavior will probably get you belly laughing. Anyway, Rachel and her husband do more than adopt rescue dogs- they foster them too.  Many times the dogs aren't even with Rachel long enough to get their stories posted on the blog, but Stevie is a special case. 

Stevie and a few other dogs were seized by animal control in Greenville, Mississippi last October. They were starving and chained outside. Stevie was so emaciated and her collar was so embedded in her neck that animal control didn't think she would survive, so they took her to the vet to be euthanized.  

Well, Dr. Wilkerson, who Rachel says is an amazing person who devotes much of his time, energy, and money to saving animals, thought Stevie might have a chance. He operated to remove her collar, then put her on steroids and vitamins. She weighed less than 30 lbs and of course was heartworm positive. Once he thought Stevie had a real fighting chance he started sending her information around to various rescue groups in the south he thought might be interested. 

Of course that's how Rachel found out about her. The timing seemed right. Stevie still had to spend a bit of time recuperating at the vet's office before she could be fostered, and Rachel had a foster dog who was due to go to his forever home right around the same time. Her rescue group agreed to take Stevie in.  Amazingly, two people volunteered to do the entire rescue transport for Stevie, driving to Greenville and back to Nashville all in one day, just so the dog wouldn't have to go through the stress of switching cars and drivers after everything she'd already been through. 

The volunteers left at 4am on November 1, Rachel's foster dog left later that morning, and Stevie arrived at 7 that evening.

When Stevie arrived she was still a bag of bones but very social. They took her for a short walk and introduced her to each of their dogs, one at a time. 

There was a little skirmish with Mika, who is used to being in charge, but it was resolved quickly and Stevie took a nice nap until it was time for bed.

That first night, Rachel and her husband encouraged Stevie to get on the bed and sleep with them and the other dogs, just to give her the safe feeling of that experience. She was too weak to jump onto the bed.  

They picked her up and put her on the bottom of the bed and she slept deeply and soundly. I cannot imagine how safe and relieved Stevie felt that night.

Since then Stevie has settled into being a sassy girl. She doesn't take any crap from anybody but is still super sweet and affectionate.

 She is smart and Rachel says she doesn't have that independent, cat-like nature of husky. In fact Rachel says she doesn't act much like a husky at all. She doesn't run off, she doesn't howl, she comes when she's called, and she's silly, clumsy, and floppy. 

She is a jumper, though, and will leap so high she's eye level with Rachel. She  gets distracted easily and spins like crazy when she sees people or even, as Rachel says, butterflies. She has also gained 17 lbs! 

Rachel thinks Stevie would be a great dog for someone who likes huskies but isn't quite ready to deal with the demands of the breed. I know I rarely feature available dogs here because I don't want people to stop reading out of guilt or frustration over dogs they want to save but can't. However, this cuddly doggy is available!

 You can click here to see her post and here to see other dogs available through Southern Siberian Rescue. 

And now for some fun trivia. . . Rachel and her husband name all their fosters after rock stars. This girl is named Stevie after Stevie Nicks, because she "broke the chain." If you know Fleetwood Mac you'll get it. If you don't, you can click here for a link to the song "The Chain." I bet you'll recognize it when you hear it.  Such a cool idea! I love it Rachel. 

Thanks for sharing Stevie's story, and of course for sharing your home and your other rescue dogs with fosters who need to learn what it means to be part of a house full of love!

Stevie, you are destined for great things. I hope whomever adopts you keeps us posted on your new fabulous life! 

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