Virginia (nka Aleutian) has a new forever home!!!!!!!!!!!! You can read all about her happy adventures following her Golden Angel Story.
I first discovered our newest Golden Angel, Virginia, when I spotted this six-year-old girl on a shelter website as a stray. When I looked closely at her sad face, I realized she had what is called, “the tragic look of thyroid disease.” With a little closer look, there was her tail, bald and pitiful. I immediately e-mailed the shelter contact and asked her if this sad girl could come to GRRR if no one came to claim her.
I received a call from the shelter and was told Virginia could absolutely come to GRRR, except she had an adoption hold on her. She had been evaluated and examined and found to have several medical issues, including the very high chance that she had thyroid disease. This precious girl would only be released for adoption after new adopters signed all of the releases regarding her condition and agreed they would address all of them with a veterinarian. On Christmas Eve I received the call – the family had decided not to adopt her. Poor Virginia had been on the brink of “being home” for the holidays, but now she would be spending Christmas in the shelter with very little hope of ever finding a family. GRRR was not going to let that happen to this sweet girl.
Staci Smith had also spotted Virginia (who had no name) on the website, and we had been talking about what we would name her if she did indeed become a GRRR Golden. Staci had the perfect answer. We’d name her Virginia after “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause,” because if any Golden needed Santa to grant her a Christmas wish, it was her. With the look on her face when we met her, we had to believe she had lost hope and had very little to believe in anymore. Here she was, a stray in a shelter on Christmas Eve, and her family didn’t come for her. Her picture on the website failed to reveal the extra weight she was carrying – about twice what she should weigh! How does an obese Golden like this become a stray? We’ve asked ourselves that question a hundred times. But no matter how Virginia ended up there, it was horribly sad to think that her people – the people she loved, the people she depended on to love and care for her – had let her get this fat and ignored the loss of hair, ignored the skin on her elbows that resembled an elephant’s hide and all the other signs of a very sick girl.
The woman at the shelter explained that because it was Christmas Eve, they would be closing soon. Well, it only took a couple of phone calls to find a wonderful volunteer, Gail Lemberg, who said, “Yes, I’ll go get her right away! I’m not far from there and will get there before they close. Virginia is welcome to stay with me for Christmas.” Can’t you just imagine Virginia on the edge of despair being whisked off to a warm, loving home for Christmas? After a wonderful day with Gail, Virginia was welcomed into her new foster home with Marti and Norm Mills. It was quite a shock when Marti called to say Virginia had arrived – all 125 lbs. of her! She was huge and such a sad girl.
Virginia immediately went to visit Dr. Carpenter at Arvada West Veterinary Hospital, and it was confirmed she was hypothyroid. She was placed on thyroid supplements and a prescription diet. Virginia quickly responded to the medication, and the personality of this girl starting shining through. She is quite a sight to see when she takes a play bow like a giant puppy with her bare bottom raised in the air! Virginia had a “spa day” at Sage Valley and was quite proud to show off her sparse, but very clean coat. We could tell she was starting to feel beautiful again. Because of her super plus size, she’s had some interesting adventures like the time she got stuck between the seats of Joyce Morganfield’s car. Joyce had to move one seat forward and one backward to get her dislodged (no small task!).
Virginia’s story is one we see too many times in GRRR – thyroid disease, abandonment, over feeding and neglect. It is beyond most of our wildest dreams that anyone could ever treat a Golden this way. But what is wonderful beyond words is that each of us can help improve their lives, one Golden at a time. Because of all of you who love the precious Goldens and support the Golden Angel Fund, a better life becomes more than just the dream of a sad Golden like Virginia. It becomes an incredible reality!
Virginia is doing well at her foster home with Marti and Norm. She is getting a lot of attention and great care. She is recovering from her ear and eye infections and is working on regaining a waistline. In just a week she went from her tragic look of sadness to a girl who smiles, carries her newly discovered “dollies” around with her everywhere she goes and finds joy in playing with other dogs – and of course belly rubs. Her Christmas wish came true. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he granted your Christmas wish by giving you GRRR and all the people who will love you and never allow anything like this happen to you again.
We received this wonderful update and photo from Cheryl Riegger-Krugh who has given Virginia, nka Aleutian) a forever home where she is "extremely loved."
The adventure began when I saw her picture and story on the GRRR website. As much as I understood the reason for calling her Virginia, my heart led me to an Alaskan name, Aleutian (as in the Aleutian Islands). She had known “Virginia” for only 2+ months and really did not respond to it, so I believed that the name change would not be a difficult adjustment.
Aleutian’s hypothyroid problem is improving and her patches of fur loss are filling in. There are hints of feathering fur on her tail, once so skinny and almost furless. She had a mass on her left side, filled at least superficially with fluid. The mass has resolved to a small firm mass of unknown composition on her left rib area. Surgery may be needed to inspect a suspicious back tooth, remove some small masses on her left eye and a small growth below her left eye, and remove the small mass on her left rib area. The ear infections are gone, as is the giardia. Yeah!! She has all of her shots, Ohio license, Home Again, and Aleutian dog tag and she has health insurance. I think we are all set medically.
Aleutian has a way of making ‘snoring’ sounds when she is happy. To the unknowing ear, this could sound like growling. I have decided that this is similar to purring. When she does this, I call her Snuffles, but not too often. She loves her “dollies”, as GRRR called them, all kinds of stuffed animals, and chew bones. They are such a comfort to her. She often carries one in her mouth and I am amazed at how long she can carry one.
Aleutian likes to eat and is very happy at meal time. She is on a special diet and currently she weighs 100 lbs. You might remember she was 130 pounds! We are still working on regaining her waistline! Right now we do walks and gentle jogs until more weight is lost. She has mild osteoarthritis in her left hip, so we want to avoid straining her hips.
For the most part, Aleutian likes and is sociable with other dogs. A friend’s dog, Chloe, visited for 2 days. I have to say, I was very happy when Aleutian enjoyed Chloe’s company, but she made a clear statement to Chloe that I was hers! I believe now she knows this is her forever home. I am so very happy with my girl! Virginia, now Aleutian, is extremely loved in her forever home.
Thanks to everyone who donated to GRRR’s Golden Angel Fund for Virginia – you all made a difference.
