SUZY is one incredible little girl with an amazing story!  Less than a year old, she has survived complete neglect, near total starvation, abandonment, and weeks alone on the mean streets.   Yet she's full of life, love, is bouncy and sweet - and so very grateful to have a full tummy and be safe!  

Suzy's story is almost unbelievable.  She was spotted by a passing rescuer as he drove out of the city shelter in Kansas City.  She was starved literally to the bone, her coat was unrecognizable, and it wasn't even clear what breed of dog she was.  All the rescuer could tell was that she was in serious trouble, terrified, and close to total collapse.   He called the shelter for help and together they coaxed her with food - her extreme hunger was even more powerful than her fear.   But she was absolutely terrified of the animal control truck and fought them, so the rescuer simply walked her slowly to the shelter.   Suzy cowered and shivered the whole way, clearly convinced the end had come.  Once in a kennel she slunk to the back, her whole body shaking, just waiting for the final blow.

When we met Suzy, we could barely breathe for the shock of seeing her condition.  She brought tears to our eyes.  She had been dumped some weeks previously and had rapidly deteriorated.  She was one of the worst starvation cases we've seen.   Those who found judged that she would have died of starvation within a few more days.

Suzy's coat was also unbelievable - a complete and total mess.  Fur was missing in many spots, her entire body was filled with filth, much of it embedded down into the skin.  In other parts her fur was spotty and had dried blood.   Her fur was all different lengths.  Just touching her made you want to run and wash your hands.

The shelter gave her FIVE baths yet still the embedded dirt in her skin remained.   Our  little Suzy had been living in hell.

NOTE:  SEE VIDEO OF HER AFTER 2 WEEKS IN BOARDING. 
The other dog is Toby, also a MOGS dog.  Suzy and Toby were both brought into the shelter as strays around the same time, but from very different locations.  Ironically, they look like brother and sister - both were starved almost to death and had exactly the same horrible, unrecognizable coats.

  
BUT NO MORE!  She's now safe and sound, and gaining weight.  She's been groomed, bathed and brushed multiple times, til there are no more pockets of embedded filth and no more clumps of fur.  Her fur is still short and looks spotty (see the pictures) but is now an even length and will grown back in quickly.  She actually looks like a German Shepherd now!

Suzy has one toenail that sticks straight up and will have to have surgery when her body condition allows.

Due to a lack of people willing to foster. Suzy is unfortunately in a boarding kennel.  But she is doing well there, with the love and care of the wonderful staff.  We have her on a regular feeding schedule three times a day, with a high-calorie, high-nutrition diet.  And it's starting to show.  She knows she's safe.

What's more, she seems to be a real sweetheart!  She's showing typical puppy behaviors - she loves to play, she loves attention, she's got that bouncy puppy energy.  She plays with several other of our MOGS dogs at the same kennel and adores her play time.   She would adore having a doggie buddy to play with!  We haven't yet tested her around small dogs or cats, so that will have to be tested.

We think Suzy will make an excellent family pet for some wonderful family who is willing to complete her journey back to love and a normal family life.    Suzy definitely needs training, since whoever owned her before clearly never gave her anythingi but total neglect.   She needs to be potty trained and leash trained.  She also needs basic general house manners (such as no jumping, no counter surfing, etc).   But she's a smart little girl and is eager to please, so we believe she will be easily trained as long as you give her consistent, loving leadership.

Suzy may be a little intimidated by other dogs who get right up in her face at first - we suspect what we've seen is due to her time on the streets and having to defend herself against others.  But we see her making progress every day -- gaining confidence as she becomes more convinced she's safe and all is well.

The only behavior her new family needs to be aware of on the negative side is that she does still display some food aggression with other animals (not humans).  This is a normal reaction seen in many severely starved animals, and with consistent calm, wise training generally disappears.  We will happily work with her new family on methods for resolving this all together.

DOGS:         Yes, she'd love a play buddy
CATS:          Unknown, would have to be tested
KIDS:           Unknown, would have to be tested.  We believe she will do well
IDEAL FAMILY:   An active, loving family with another dog and the patience to help Suzy with final stage of her recovery from her near death on the streets.  A family with the ability and patience to deal with the remains of food aggression (toward animals, not humans).

If you're looking for a gorgeous sweetheart
who will break your heart, love you forever, and capture your heart,
SUZY is your girl!

 

SUZY's ADOPTION FEE:   $300
This fee covers only part of what we spend to vet, board and rehab the dogs we save. On average we spend over $450 on each dog. We made a decision to keep our adoption fee at the 2005 level even though vet prices have doubled and tripled since then. We are constantly fundraising to cover the deficit. At minimum, your adoption fee includes the dog's spay/neuter, heartworm test, heartworm treatment if needed, rabies shot, distemper/parvo shot, bordatella shot, deworming, monthly heartworm and flea preventives, and microchip. In many cases it also includes surgery and various types of vet treatment for standard issues such as hot spots, ear infections and so on.
 
INTERESTED IN ADOPTING SUZY?
Complete an Adoption Application Now!

STOP!! READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER!

1. We're picky about our adopters. 
2. Are you sure you're up to having a GSD?  They're not for everyone.  They take a lot of time, effort, training.  They shed year round.  They're big.  They scare lots of people.  They "mouth" and herd.  They're usually strong-willed and stubborn.  You have to have references and a home visit.  If you're not willing or able to deal with any of this, please don't waste your time or ours applying.  
   
3. Will the dog be an inside family pet? We do not adopt to outdoor-only homes. All dogs must be indoor dogs.
4. Do you leave your dog outdoors when you're not home?   We do not adopt to homes that leave their animals outside when they're gone.  You must put your dogs indoors when you're gone.  A 3 yr old adopted MOGS dog died when the owners went to run errands, left her outdoors, the gate was somehow opened, and she was hit by a car.  Tragic and 100% preventable. Even privacy fences get broken into.  Gates are opened.  Thieves steal dogs. Never leave your dog outdoors when you're not home!!
   
5. What's your plan for unexpected events and major changes?  New baby? Divorce?  Moving?   How you will provide for your dog if your family breaks up? 
   
6. Will you make a lifetime commitment?  It's your responsibility to keep your dog safe, loved and cared for FOR LIFE.
7.  Do you understand we expect you to keep that lifetime commitment?  It's YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stick by your family member -- no matter what.
8. Are you unable or unwilling to make a lifetime commitment? Do not apply.

 

Have Questions? Email us at mogsrescue@gmail.com

Thank you for considering a homeless dog or cat.