We are swimming in tears... WYLIE ADOPTED! This is a story of patience, persistence, love, and opportunity. At 7 months old, Wylie was scheduled to be euthanized. He had landed in an animal control agency and was unable to function in the presence of people. It would take months, even years, to get him to the point of being a normal dog. When Wylie first arrived at CRCS he was paralyzed with fear. His past simply would not allow him to go near people, be touched by people, or make eye contact with people. He did not know even the simplest of things like how to eat out of a dog bowl, play, or positive interactions with humans. The first week he was with us, he cowered in the corner of his room, unable to move. By week two, he would only stand up and move around when he knew no one was watching. Slowly but surely, he would stand up while in our presence. Slowly but surely, he would allow us to slip lead him and take him on walks. Slowly but surely, we could touch him softly, harness him for walks, and watch him learn the beauty of play. After months and months of sitting with him in his room, taking walks, introducing him to toys, dog food bowls, and playing with other dogs, Wylie had reached a point in his recovery where it was time to present him with opportunities that he would face in real life. His next biggest challenge? The car. With lots of practice sessions, words of encouragement from our team, volunteers, and his best canine buddies here at the center, Wyle began to love the car. It meant hiking, swimming, time outdoors, and play. After 9 months in our program, we had taken Wylie as far as we could without actually having him in a loving home. He needed to learn what a house was, a bed, a couch, TV, and expand his social circle. It was time for him to meet new people, learn life outside of CRCS, and bond with a family. It would require a very special person willing to go slow. Wylie would need to build trust and learn to view his new family as providers of food, entertainment, stimulation, and finally... life as a normal dog. Months ago we met Veronica Bennett. She would be his angel. Veronica spent one month visiting Wylie at our center, taking him on walks with her dogs. Month two was spent taking Wylie on afternoon outings with her dogs such as hiking, swimming, and car rides. By month three, Wylie had things all figured out. He would see his mom and canine brothers and jump in the car with the expectation of a sleepover, weekend long camping trips, and more. Our work was done. It was finally time to let go of Wylie and allow him to fly. Yesterday, he jumped in his car with his mom and dad as he had been doing for almost two months. Only this time, it was different and he knew it. It was forever. Wylie absolutely adores his new brothers (of the canine kind) and has already built a wonderful bond with both his mom and dad. Wylie, we are at a loss for words. Your progress has been an absolute pleasure to watch. We are forever grateful to have had the opportunity to show you LIFE. While we are sad to see you go, your leaving CRCS means that another dog who is feeling just like you were feeling last year, can come into the program and receive the help they so desperately need. We are so blessed to have known you. Veronica Bennett and Gregory Fleischer, you are angels and we love you dearly for all your patience and love for Wylie! Thank you for going through our process. Blessed. FLY WYLIE FLY!
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 19:27:09 +0000