Yuri... a decision of the heart.

It was my second trip to Hearts United for Animals and this time I was there not as part of a rescue transport but as a Private Investigator hired to find a lost survivor. Rescued from a puppy mill, Landra, a bichon mix was missing. Six hours into the search, Cade, our lead tracking dog found her body a mile away from where she had escaped. It was a sad ending but it brought closure to the staff, volunteers and fosters of HUA who had spent the last seven weeks relentlessly looking for her.

Later that sad Saturday, I met Yuri. When I first saw him, I could see he was a dachshund because of his elongated body but beyond that he was unrecognizable. His feet were splayed and swollen with foot rot from living in a wire cage, his eyes were runny and he had very little hair. Mange had eaten away at this skin and body but it had not taken his spirit. After spending his life as a production stud dog, the miller had tossed him out with his infected puppies seeing no reason to treat him. The intelligence and understanding in his eyes kept me coming back to the treatment room to see him. He held no grudges towards humans and was genuinely happy to accept any kindness extended. I asked the caretaker to keep me informed of his progress and wondered why I could not forget the little dog... I met hundreds of dogs during rescue transports.. why this one? I left for home five days later but I could not forget the little dachshund.

Two months later, I went back to train the staff, volunteers and foster parents at Hearts United on how to profile, locate and recover a missing STARS dog. Upon my arrival, I immediately went to see the bald little dachshund. I was surprised to find that much of his hair was growing in and his incredible spirit continued to soar. Over the course of that week, Yuri and I became friends. He stayed in our room with us and got along with the dogs on my team. Within days I had decided to adopt him.

I adopted Yuri as a friend and companion but everyone in our house gets a chance to work if they want to.. and Yuri was no exception. He had not been exposed to much more than wire and cement for most of his life and now he was handling busy streets and new people. His pluck and determination were admirable. He surpassed what I believed a mill survivor could accomplish in such a short time. Today, Yuri is a member of our pack indistinguishable from the other canines who roam our house.

Living with a PM survivor has changed the way I think. When things look hard or difficult I can always look over at the chipper little doxie gnawing away at a slipper and remember... if Yuri can do it... so can I.