This 2-year-old German Shepherd mix is Ringo. This sweet boy loves to give kisses and cuddle with his favorite Animal Friends staff and volunteers. But it took quite a bit of time to get this spunky pup to come of out his shell.
Along with more than two dozen other dogs, Ringo was found living in deplorable conditions as part of a hoarding situation. Some of the dogs had been tied up, others were left in a small fenced-in area and the rest were living in a rundown trailer. Another shelter in the region had found the dogs but they needed help. So they turned to Animal Friends …
Eight dogs, including Ringo, were transferred to Animal Friends last fall. Because he received little to no human socialization at his former residence, Ringo had a long road ahead of him. He needed to learn how to walk on a leash, be handled and, most importantly, learn what it was like to be loved.
At first, he would retreat to the back of his kennel when approached. But as time went on, there was a tail wag here and a little nuzzle there. We could see that Ringo was starting to trust people.
Nearly a year later, Ringo can be found soliciting attention and taking in as many belly rubs as he can get from his favorite people. He loves going on long walks and has even picked up a few tricks – he can sit, lay down and hand target (shows an approaching hand is not a threat which is especially beneficial for shy dogs). And, this goofy pup can frequently be found playing with his favorite stuffed chipmunk toy!
While Ringo has made a lot of progress, we know he’s still going to need a special family that’s patient and understanding. Which is why Ringo is a Mission: Adoptable pet. This program gives special attention to match suitable adopters with our special, and sometimes quirky, animals.
Ringo will require additional care and because of that, his family will receive special counseling prior to adoption. They’ll also get a package specifically tailored to Ringo to help to make a smooth transition into a loving home. We know it’s not impossible to adopt Mission: Adoptable animals into homes. It’s just that their families may take a bit longer to find them and we want to do everything we can to ensure the pet-adopter matches are as successful as possible. Animal Friends’ commitment to helping animals is a daily and ongoing effort.
Now, you can help to find loving homes for each and every one of our homeless residents just like Ringo by purchasing Sarris Candy. Click here and use Group ID# 10-0375 and designate Animal Friends as your organization when placing your candy order and you’ll be supporting Animal Friends in the sweetest way possible!
