Lady Red, adopted after 6 years at the shelter!

Labeled as dog aggressive for most of her life, Lady Red waited 6 years for a family to call her own.

After her shelter, the Calhoun County Humane Society, started implementing more enrichment into their daily routine (in part thanks to a fundraiser I held for them a few months back!), Lady Red proved everyone wrong and showed her playful side with other mellow dogs.

I met Lady Red back in 2016, during a trip with my friend Erin of Susie’s Senior Dogs. Lady was a shy, precious soul. But I never got to share her portraits back then, as the shelter was reluctant to advertise her too much online because of her “dog aggressive” label. They are located in a rural area of Alabama, where dog-fighting is a regular occurrence. A local shelter had reported a break-in, during which the perpetrators had opened kennels and encouraged dog fights. So Lady Red’s shelter kept dogs like her offline, only introducing her to rescue partners and the rare potential adopters coming through their doors.

A few weeks ago, the staff informed us that Lady Red had proved playful with other mellow dogs. Erin and I decided to give her a big push on social media. Our posts caught the attention of many, but it was Laura who just couldn’t resist the sweet Lady Red!

“There was something about her sweet face that just grabbed my attention. I shared her story on Facebook and said “If no one adopts her I’m going to have to!”

24 hours later I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I emailed the shelter on a Sunday morning, and submitted my application for her on Monday. There was just something about her that clicked for me and I knew I had to have to her. I saw how many times the post was shared and commented on, and I figured there was no way I’d be lucky enough to get her but sure enough, it worked out! Shelly, the shelter’s director, was kind enough to bring her to my house for a home visit.

I have an almost 13-year-old pug that I’ve had since he was a puppy. He mainly just keeps to himself in his grumpy old age! But my other dog Dobby is an almost 2-year-old rescue with endless energy. Gradually, Lady Red has started playing with him more and more and they love to wrestle and roll around in the yard. And on my bed! You can’t even tell she’s a senior lady when they’re playing.

Her favorite place to be is right by side wherever I am. She loves everyone she meets and is so gentle with kids. My 3-year-old niece can even walk her! She’s the sweetest and most gentle dog I’ve ever had and she fits in perfectly here. It didn’t take her long to figure out how to get comfy on the couch and bed. The ottoman is her favorite place to lay and chew on her bones that she gets every day. I love her so much and she’s been the perfect addition to our pack.”

Sadly, the morning following Lady Red’s adoption, I received a heartbreaking email: Lady Red had a seizure and was rushed to the vet. The vet found nothing abnormal, and sent her home. A week later, another seizure. Since then, things have been touch-and-go for Lady Red. As I type her story, she currently is doing well. But for a split second, the thought crossed my mind: “perhaps we should have left her at the shelter?” What if getting adopted and all the excitement had been too much?

But I quickly caught myself. I watched videos of Lady playing with her new family, I observed the photos of her lounging, content, snuggling with her human and dog brothers. And it was clear to me, Lady Red was exactly where she belonged. Regardless of what the future holds for our girl, Laura is dedicated to her and her well-being.

“I don’t know how much time I’ve got with this sweet girl that I love so much, Laura wrote. But the time I’ve got will be spent loving and spoiling her and giving her the life she’s always deserved.”