Kami's Freedom Ride

About a year ago I got a call from The HOWS Project. They encountered a dog in a bad situation, a white German Shepherd, and asked if I could take it if the owner was prepared to surrender it that day. I said yes, the owner said no, and Kami stayed where she was. The owner apparently did care about the dog, at least to some extent, and accepted HOWS offer of help to improve her living conditions. They also got her to a vet and got her spayed and HOWS stayed in touch with them helping out as needed. Saturday they visited Kami again and that day the owner was prepared to surrender the dog. They called and I agreed to take her and so it happened.

HOWS goes out to mostly rural areas in surrounding counties and offers assistance to people who are keeping dogs in substandard conditions. It's incredible work they do for people who have no business having dogs in the first place, but they refrain from pointing that out and instead do what they can to help the dogs. That generally means providing a decent house, a more humane tether, sometimes a fence to replace the chain entirely, and providing assistance getting dogs spayed/neutered, and basic vet care. Sometimes they encounter people who are prepared to give up the dogs and then they try to find the dog a foster home or another rescue group. That's where we come in.

We've taken in a dog or two in the past from HOWS. TJ was a HOWS Project dog, surrendered to them on the spot in February, 2017. TJ was a senior dog and not always the easiest dog so he stayed here until his death a little over two years later. Kami, however, is a young dog and I think she'll be very adoptable. HOWS already got her spayed and vetted. We just need to get her a bit more socialized and domesticated.

Meeting Maya

I picked her up late afternoon and it was dark by the time we got home. That's not ideal for bringing in a new dog, but sometimes it can't be helped. Kami hasn't lived with other dogs so we really had no idea how she would be. She met Maya, Trooper, Theo, and then Chloe. Her lack of experience with other dogs was apparent. She was overwhelmed and a bit intimidated, but she did alright. The Danes were really too much for her, especially Della. We set her up in crate in the kitchen so she could settle down, relax, and just observe. She was content in the crate all night.

Sunday morning was bright and clear so I took Kami and Chloe out to Daneland for the day. They immediately started running around, playing, chasing each other. Kami didn't really know how to play with another dog, but she had pretty good instincts and they worked things out pretty quickly with no problem. We had to go to town Sunday afternoon so we crated Kami and Chloe next to each other in the kitchen. Kami had turned down the food we offered Saturday night and Sunday morning, but when feeding time came around Sunday evening, she was hungry and she wolfed it all down. Welcome Kami to our isle of misfit dogs.

Kami sandwiched between Maya and Trooper

Kami looks very small next to Theo.

The girls felt each other out, but both wanted to play and
they never had any problem. I stayed with them until was
I confident that they could manage their play on their own.

Chloe and Kami are both young, about the same
size, and both need a playmate. I think this will
be a good pairing for both of them.