Happy Trails and Tails

King is a dog who came to us from a hoarding case in Oklahoma where 87 dogs were rescued from a single wide mobile home . I remember seeing pictures of King and the dogs from the hoarding case he came from; it broke my heart. They all were so fearful. King wasn’t exactly friendly at first but now with all the patience and work of the barn volunteers at the sanctuary he has came to be one of the friendliest dogs. He loves to give kisses, get pets, join roll call and play with his friends. He is now in his forever home with one of our volunteers. He has learned about all kinds of new things like backyards and pup cups and doggie cookies and car rides and making snow angels which is one of his favorites.

Remember Lanie “now Coco”, the smallest and sickest of the Australian Shepherd litter from St. Landry’s who developed Parvo. Well, “Lanie” is now a happy and healthy 3 ½ year old living a great life with her family in Marshall, MI. When Lanie first got out of the hospital after spending two weeks there, she was so much smaller and weaker than her brothers and sister. Her foster was nervous at first being her foster. She worried all the time that she wouldn’t make it as she had developed a respiratory infection while in the hospital too along with her brothers and sister. The 3 pups and their foster mom spent many hours sitting in the bathroom with the hot shower running creating steam for them. Every day they got a little stronger and now Lanie, Bear and Bailey are all in their new loving homes and so are their brothers, Sam and Sully. Coco now has 3 fur brothers and sisters to play with and loves playing with Gracie, Piggy, and Jazz. She is her mama’s girl and loves sleeping with her head on her mom’s pillow at night, loves to snuggle and picking on her brother Jazz. Thank you, Melissa and barn family, for rescuing them and taking them to the Vet to start their healing process and to all of our wonderful supporters who helped with their bill. This young litter of pups is only alive today because of all of you.

Blackie, a black Labrador retriever/chow mix dubbed Blackie by residents near the Historic Woodlawn Cemetery came to the barn in November of 2015. Neighborhood residents were quite sure Blackie once had an owner. One of the local residents of that neighborhood said that she’d regularly see an older man with gray hair walking a young Blackie along the cemetery fence before resting on a bench and surveying the neighborhood. They had a bond like you wouldn’t believe.” She said. Then one day they were gone until the following summer when she would see Blackie taking that walk by himself and stopping at the bench. He just looked so sad. The neighbors believed that Blackie’s owner died, and the man’s family turned him out. Blackie had consistently eluded capture, and several residents were caring for him as a neighborhood dog. The residents began feeding him and caring for him although he would not allow them to touch him. contacted Melissa. Blackie developed a severe limp, and there were serious threats to harm him. So, residents contacted the Devoted Barn for help.

Blackie became a part of the Devoted Barn’s Feral dog program and found his very own forever home.

In his forever home, Blackie's favorite thing of all times is getting dessert after he eats. He does a happy dance every mealtime. He loves to snuggle with his stuffed toys and stealing Sophie's bones and hiding them in his crate. It took some time, but he has bonded with me. I don't even have to leash him when we go outside as he never leaves my side and always keeps a watchful eye over me. Everyday something new happens which makes us realize that he feels like he's at home.

His new families’ cats, Sweetie and Kira are obsessed with him especially Kira. she rubs all over him all the time drives them nuts. Blackie does not bark which is a trait of the Chow. But when he wants something, he will whine until he gets my attention.

Lastly and most importantly we love Blackie and he's part of our family and he's here to stay forever.