The pound here is very full. Hedgesville Hounds was able to take in two dogs who were picked up at the beginning of March, and had never been claimed. When we went to the facility, which was definitely very full, this dog caught our attention - a black lab who was red-tagged to be euthanized because he looked so poor. But when we took him out of his run to work with him, the Animal Control team was shocked to realize how young he is.
He was extremely dusty and as you can see, had signs of mange in addition to being very thin. He had no history or name. He was seized by Animal Control after receiving an angry call asking them to respond to a stray dog who had allegedly killed a chicken. Considering his physical condition, it is well that they did bring him into care. Whether or not he actually killed the chicken, we can say from experience that even the gentlest dogs in the world have fun chasing a loose chicken, and can kill one accidentally in a chase. Or, perhaps he was very hungry. We are very sure, even if the charge of killing a chicken is accurate, that it should not label this dog.
Although we did not have room for him in our foster system, and because it was evident that he was suffering, we had him taken to our vet to vaccinate him, snap test him, worm him, and begin treatment for his skin problem. The vet confirmed that he is no more than one year of age. He tested negative for HW, and positive for Lyme, and we have begun treatment. In addition, he was scraped and diagnosed with sarcoptic mange, for which we have also begun medical treatment. He is a kind and gentle fellow, and he walked beautifully past all the runs filled with barking dogs with his tail wagging happily.
We thank Animal Control for their efforts to respond to the rising number of homeless and abandoned dogs in our area, and for their partnership in giving us time to help Tadpole find a home. We appreciate their daily managing of his medical treatments while they continue to provide him space in their facility.
Since beginning treatment, he is beginning to fill out, and his skin improves daily. He is a gentle, big puppy who is grateful for every shred of attention and love, and he is desperate for touch and guidance. And he will be magnificently beautiful some day.
We are eager to get Tadpole into foster care. At this stage of his treatment, his mange is no longer contagious. If you could foster Tadpole, or you know someone who could, please fill out our non-binding application for adoption which can be found on our website - www.hedgesvillehounds.com .
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