2.9.12 UPDATE! Hank was adopted by these two Lovely Ladies! Thanks for giving this big lug a second chance  and Congratulations Hank, you’re a lucky boy!

Hank is a very special dog, where do I begin? Sometimes our name can be a little confusing. Found Animals is not an animal shelter. We pull cats and dogs from one very large shelter to stock our two adoption centers, but we don’t pull from other shelters and we don’t/can’t take in owner surrenders or strays. We partner with the LA city and county shelters and try to help them decrease the number of euthanized animals through low cost spay & neuter programs, microchipping and pet adoptions.

Like all of you, we get calls about dogs in terrible situations that have no time or other options left. You may have read Aimee’s dog fighting bust blog last week about one such special dog named Star. Though it took almost a year, she had a very happy ending and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many, many people. The saying “it takes a village” is something that comes to mind a lot when I think about these special dogs.

Hank's first stop on his journey, intake at K9's Only

We have a dog in foster care right now that needs a village. His name is Hank, he’s about two years old and as far as I can tell, has had every disadvantage a dog could have in his short life so far. He’s a large breed teenager with lots of energy, he comes from an abusive home with no structure or training, and he’s jet black.  None of these things put Hank at the top of an “easy to adopt” list, but we think he’s a great dog in the making and need your help to ensure he finds his perfect home.

This is Hank’s story:

Hank's next stop, Adopt & Shop, after 2 weeks of intensive training

Hank was adopted from an animal shelter in Los Angeles in the summer of 2011. He was found a month later, chained to a fence with packing tape wrapped around his paws, nose and muzzle. The temperature that day was a sweltering 106 degrees and being unable to even pant to cool himself, he was close to death when he was spotted by a passerby who immediately called animal control. Officers were dispatched and Hank was picked up and brought back to the shelter where he came from.

His adoptive mother, the woman who very nearly killed him, was recently sentenced  to 18 days in jail after pleading no contest to one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. She was ordered to attend one year of animal cruelty classes, perform 600 hours of community service at an animal shelter and pay $3,000 in restitution. She was also forced to surrender her other dog and cannot have any pets for 3 years.

When I went to spring Hank from the shelter, he was side by side in the kennel with his old roommate, they had been there for months. My first impressions of Hank were…

He was too skinny, his ribs were showing. He needed a bath, he smelled like garbage, literally. He had not gotten enough exercise, he couldn’t be still long enough for the attendant to put a collar on  him. She wrapped the leash around his neck and said, “here you go” but I only heard her faintly because he was already dragging me towards the front door. I tripped over my boots and my coffee went flying. I wasn’t expecting this.

I think the animal shelter did the best they could under the circumstances. To say that they are overwhelmed is an understatement. They reached out to us for help and in turn we reached out for help from K9′s Only, a boarding and training facility, which was my destination as soon as I got that crazy pup secured into the back seat of my car.

It was obvious that although underweight at approximately 62 pounds, this dog had no basic training and a lot lot lot of energy. He had no manners, but aside from a bump on his nose, he seemed healthy, happy, curious about everything and very excited to be outside.

A couple of days into his treatment, which included  assessment, socialization and basic dog training, I had to pick him up and take him to the vet. He had rubbed his nose raw on the bars of his kennel and had a sore and slight infection. He did not like those first few days back in the kennel but has since adjusted to kennels and crating very well!

I marveled at his behavior at the vet. Hank was still Hank, putting his paws up on everything so he could sniff and see it all. Eyes darting constantly taking in every sight, struggling for traction on the slippery floors. When we went into the exam room, the tech easily reached under his belly and neck and put him on the table. Cool as a cucumber, they gave him a big shot of antibiotics and took his temperature. He was so docile, I thought, this dog may be a fixer upper but what a good boy! I was so proud of him.

Hank after his exam and shot, no biggie

Hank stayed at the training facility for two weeks and learned how to heel on a leash, sit, lay down and stay. He has made a lot of progress, but he’s still a work in progress. Our number one goal is to match Hank with an owner for life, who understands what he needs and can provide it so Hank does not slip through the cracks into abuse or the shelter system again. You can see by this video that he’s learning and is very happy when he pleases the humans!

Here is our wish list for Hank’s adopter: Hank is a high energy dog so we want to pair him with an owner who likes to walk, run, hike etc. He would make a great companion for an outdoorsey type. Hank will absolutely thrive in a home where he is the only pet. We believe he will benefit most from one on one attention. He craves reassurance and human connection and lets you know he wants your love by sticking close to you and sitting on your foot.

Hank is currently in a temporary foster home and has really bonded with his foster dad. He likes to go on hikes and is a great running partner. He likes to play games like hide and seek and let’s gallop up and down the stairs full speed ahead! He rides well in the car and is very content to stick his nose out the window and sniff in the breeze.  He’s goofy and affectionate.

We ask you to please share Hank’s story with your friends and family. We have had a lot of success finding homes for other adoptables because of your shares.  In fact, Hank is our only featured pet of the last six months that has yet to find a home – please help us help him get a happy ending.  We are open to sending Hank out of state and think that the country life may agree with him more than the restrictions city living can put on dogs. We are asking for you, our village, to help us spread the word about Hank and help him have a second chance at a great life.

If you are interested in speaking with Hank’s caretaker, please send an email to featuredadoptablepet@gmail.com

Thank You!

Dog Adoption    dog behavior    pet adoption