| April 2013 - Hi. My name is Ricky. I am a purebred, male American Akita. My life has changed a lot, recently. But, now, I have a loving, forever home. My new owners . . . well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me go back a few months. I lived in Memphis, Tennessee. My original owner kept me chained up outside, without shelter, food or water. The neighbors complained, so someone from Memphis Animal Control came out and told the owner that he couldn't keep me like that. So, what did my owner do? He moved me over to a tree near his garbage can. I guess he thought the tree qualified as shelter and the garbage as food. Sure, the tree provided some shade from the summer sun, but it wouldn't protect me from the heat, or the cold, or the wind, or the wet rain. And, I did find some food in the garbage, but there was never enough to eat and it wasn't good for me. He didn't give me the medical care that I needed, either. So, all the fleas, ticks and mosquitoes had a place to stay. And, they brought all their friends with them. The fleas brought along their worm friends. The ticks brought their disease friends. And the mosquitoes brought their heartworm friends. |
 |
 |
And then, my owner
moved away and abandoned me, leaving me chained to the tree. I
don't know if the neighbors complained again. But, someone
from
the Memphis Police Department came out, and then someone from Memphis
Animal Control came out again and this time they took me to their
shelter. I was very ill, dirty, underweight (75 lbs or 95 lbs, depending on the source),
undernourished, dehydrated, worm and disease ridden, in a strange place
and scared. They didn't bother to clean me up. I didn't
like the people there very much, so I growled at them. But,
they
put me in a kennel next to a female Akita, and I liked her. I
became very fond of her. Then, a few days later, a nice lady, Debi, came in to rescue the female Akita and found out I was there, too. So, she came back and looked at me and talked to me and she could see how sad and unhappy I was. She took me out of the kennel and walked me outside. I liked Debi, so I didn't growl at her. Then Debi talked to Karena, a lady in Colorado who runs the Blue Moon Akita Rescue (www.bluemoonakitarescue.com). Debi told her that she saw a LOT of potential in me. Karena agreed and told Debi to rescue me, too. |
After
giving us a preliminary behavioral evaluation, Debi took me and the
female Akita out of the shelter and sent us to an animal
hospital. There, they gave me a nice bath and gave me flea and
tick medication. They also gave me medications to get rid of
all
the worms (except heartworm) that I may have had. They gave me
some vaccinations and did some blood work to check for
heartworms. Since I came in starving and underweight, I was
put
on a high recovery diet. They gave me plenty of food and lots
of
fresh water. The next day, Debi talked to Karena about what
names
should be put on our charts. They finally settled on Lucy for
the
female Akita and Ricky for me. As in, Lucy and Ricky of the
old
1950's Lucille Ball television show, "I Love Lucy". Just like
at
the shelter, Lucy was kept in the kennel next to me.
Two days after we arrived at the animal hospital, Lucy gave birth to eight puppies. Even though we were in separate kennels, I watched over those puppies like they were my own, and I was very protective of them and Lucy. They gave me a sense of purpose and made me feel worthwhile, again.
Also, the lab results of the blood test came back. It showed that I had heartworms. So, for two weeks, they gave me antibiotics to make sure the only thing left was to treat me for heartworms. During this time, I was treated again for worms, just to make sure they were gone. Then they started me on the heartworm treatment. The heartworm treatment was very hard on me. Many dogs do not survive the treatment because the medications are very toxic. To increase my chances of surviving, I was kept on the high recovery diet and was allowed very little exercise. It also helped that I'm still so young. The heartworm treatment lasted 30 days, and then I had to go through a 30-day recovery period.
Two days after we arrived at the animal hospital, Lucy gave birth to eight puppies. Even though we were in separate kennels, I watched over those puppies like they were my own, and I was very protective of them and Lucy. They gave me a sense of purpose and made me feel worthwhile, again.
Also, the lab results of the blood test came back. It showed that I had heartworms. So, for two weeks, they gave me antibiotics to make sure the only thing left was to treat me for heartworms. During this time, I was treated again for worms, just to make sure they were gone. Then they started me on the heartworm treatment. The heartworm treatment was very hard on me. Many dogs do not survive the treatment because the medications are very toxic. To increase my chances of surviving, I was kept on the high recovery diet and was allowed very little exercise. It also helped that I'm still so young. The heartworm treatment lasted 30 days, and then I had to go through a 30-day recovery period.
| Finally, the vet certified me as well
enough to travel, and to a higher elevation. I was moved to
the
animal hospital's boarding facility (away from Lucy and the puppies,
I'm sad to say) where I waited for Karena to transport me to the Mile
High city of Denver, Colorado. When, at last, she was able to
arrange for my transport, I was - it's a misery, but I have to say it,
pardon my language - I was NEUTERED. They also microchipped me
at
the same time. After the health certificate for interstate transport was acquired, I was transported to Kansas City, Missouri. I was there for about a month before taking the second and final leg of my transport to Denver. |
 |
I was delivered
directly to the Blue
Moon Akita Rescue (www.bluemoonakitarescue.com)
in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. There, I met Karena
for
the first time. She placed me in the kennel for 10 days to
relax
and to get used to the people and the kennel schedule.
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
I
met some dog friends at the kennel. They told me about their
homes and their people. More than anything, they want their people to
come get them and take them home, and they are excited when their
families get back from "vacation" and take them home. As for
me?
Well, the only home I remembered was where I was on that chain in the
backyard. The only food I got was what I got out of the garbage can and
usually it was nasty. I sat outside on that chain in the hot days and
the cold, rainy days. I grew up on that chain.
I liked it at the kennel -- I had lots of friends, plenty of good food to eat, a clean, warm place to sleep (I arrived in the middle of Colorado's winter season) and when it rained or snowed, I was inside and I didn't get wet. There was an old dog there, and I told him I didn't want to go back home, because that home made me very sick and unhappy. He told me that my life was going to be better because now I have a rescue and they will keep me safe and well taken care of until my forever family finds me. But, try as I might, I couldn't imagine a better place than the kennel. Could the old dog really be right?
After I got used to the other dogs and the people there, they did a more thorough temperament evaluation on me. Then, they enrolled me in dog school for two weeks. I learned some basic obedience skills, and they crate and house trained me. They cat, dog and child tested me to see if I could live with other animals and/or children. Now, I was ready and available for adoption. People would come in and visit with me and take me for quick walks around the outside of the kennel.
And then, one day, I was adopted and taken to a home. But, it was not my forever home. After a few days, they decided they were not dog people. So, they returned me to the rescue. Another few days later, Jeff and Dion came in and looked at me. I liked them and I could tell right away that I could trust them. I immediately laid down on my side and let Jeff rub my belly. They took me out for a quick walk and treated me very nicely. One week later, "daddy" (Jeff) came to pick me up. I was outside when he arrived. I started wagging my tail when I saw him. Then, he took me home. And, this time, it really is my forever home.
Do you believe in Spirits? When Jeff and Dion lost Molly, their previous dog, they made a memorial poster and a memorial video of Molly. At the centerpiece of the poster is a poem called "I Loved You Best", written by Jim Willis, a veterinary doctor. (The memorial poster is also featured at the end of the Molly Memorial Video.) Jim told Jeff and Dion that the spirit of Molly would lead them to their next family member. Did she influence the timing in when Jeff and Dion decided to get a new family member? When the other people adopted me, but then returned me to the rescue, did Molly influence their decision that they were not dog people? Did the spirit of Molly lead Jeff and Dion to me at just the right time so that they could adopt, not just any Akita, but me, specifically? Maybe it was fate -or- maybe, just maybe, Dr. Jim Willis was right.
My furever home is like heaven, compared to the kennel. As I started to say at the beginning, my new owners, Jeff (daddy) and Dion (mommy), give me belly rubs and back rubs every day.
I liked it at the kennel -- I had lots of friends, plenty of good food to eat, a clean, warm place to sleep (I arrived in the middle of Colorado's winter season) and when it rained or snowed, I was inside and I didn't get wet. There was an old dog there, and I told him I didn't want to go back home, because that home made me very sick and unhappy. He told me that my life was going to be better because now I have a rescue and they will keep me safe and well taken care of until my forever family finds me. But, try as I might, I couldn't imagine a better place than the kennel. Could the old dog really be right?
After I got used to the other dogs and the people there, they did a more thorough temperament evaluation on me. Then, they enrolled me in dog school for two weeks. I learned some basic obedience skills, and they crate and house trained me. They cat, dog and child tested me to see if I could live with other animals and/or children. Now, I was ready and available for adoption. People would come in and visit with me and take me for quick walks around the outside of the kennel.
And then, one day, I was adopted and taken to a home. But, it was not my forever home. After a few days, they decided they were not dog people. So, they returned me to the rescue. Another few days later, Jeff and Dion came in and looked at me. I liked them and I could tell right away that I could trust them. I immediately laid down on my side and let Jeff rub my belly. They took me out for a quick walk and treated me very nicely. One week later, "daddy" (Jeff) came to pick me up. I was outside when he arrived. I started wagging my tail when I saw him. Then, he took me home. And, this time, it really is my forever home.
Do you believe in Spirits? When Jeff and Dion lost Molly, their previous dog, they made a memorial poster and a memorial video of Molly. At the centerpiece of the poster is a poem called "I Loved You Best", written by Jim Willis, a veterinary doctor. (The memorial poster is also featured at the end of the Molly Memorial Video.) Jim told Jeff and Dion that the spirit of Molly would lead them to their next family member. Did she influence the timing in when Jeff and Dion decided to get a new family member? When the other people adopted me, but then returned me to the rescue, did Molly influence their decision that they were not dog people? Did the spirit of Molly lead Jeff and Dion to me at just the right time so that they could adopt, not just any Akita, but me, specifically? Maybe it was fate -or- maybe, just maybe, Dr. Jim Willis was right.
My furever home is like heaven, compared to the kennel. As I started to say at the beginning, my new owners, Jeff (daddy) and Dion (mommy), give me belly rubs and back rubs every day.
They
brush me and give me treats. They make sure I have plenty of
food
and give me fresh water to drink. I don't have to sleep in a
small cramped space, anymore. They let me sleep inside
wherever I
want.
 |
 |
They
take me for car rides. They take me out on nice, long walks to
a
dog park, or around a small lake, that are nearby. And, even
though I don't like it much, they take me to the vet where I can get
the medical care that I need. They have continued my heartworm
preventative and put a flea and tick topical solution on
me. Oh, and because I am an Akita - descended from the Japanese wolf -
they gave me a secondary,
japanese name - Jirou (pronounced Gee-row), which means Second Son.
Yeah, I think it's fitting, too. But, they still
call me
Ricky.
They told me they will take me camping some day. I don't know what that is, but I'm eager to find out. They love me very much, and I love them, too.
You know what? The old dog was right.
They told me they will take me camping some day. I don't know what that is, but I'm eager to find out. They love me very much, and I love them, too.
You know what? The old dog was right.
Made
with
KompoZer
