HAPPY TAILS STORIES

THE KRONKICLES ACCORDING TO LAUREN

By Lauren Deneszczuk, LDDR Adopter

Kronk (formerly Beau) was adopted in June of 2021 at 5 months old. He had spent much of his life in a shelter and was going to be put down before Last Day Dog Rescue took him in. His wonderful foster family helped him come out of his shell and provided him a safe space to learn to trust humans and have a sense of normal life. We are forever grateful to them.

Since Kronk has come home, he has absolutely flourished. He is in love with his doggy sister, all of his doggy cousins, snacks, the couch, and every toy he has ever seen. He is silly, sweet, and fills a space in his family's heart that we didn't know was there, not to mention filling a significant space in the bed. Every day, we look at Kronk and wonder how we got so lucky. He is a perfect addition to the family and we cannot wait to see what the future holds with him.

Thank you, Last Day Dog Rescue, for saving Kronk!

DEEBO, NO LONGER HOMELESS & EMACIATED

By Erin Palazzolo, LDDR Volunteer

Deebo was found under a bush in Detroit. He was nothing but skin and bones, and covered in bugs and wounds all over his little body. We thought he was just a few months old because of how tiny he was, but judging from his teeth, he was actually closer to six months old.

Deebo had a very hard time trusting people. He would shake, cower and even bark when it was too much. Even while he was trembling, he would let us address his wounds without an issue. Although he was terrified of everything initially, Deebo was even more terrified when his new humans left him.

It took a few weeks for him to learn how to play with toys and chew on bones that he learned from watching his foster sister. Deebo soon started to mimic her silly zoomies and started to really act like a dog. He had come around so much, but his fosters knew he needed to blossom with his new forever family.

Deebo’s forever family fell in love with him the moment they met him. He was terrified of them at first, but that still didn’t deter them. Deebo continues to blossom with his new family. He loves them and his new cat siblings, and has learned to love life.

ONE LUCKY PORKCHOP

By Julie Moran, LDDR Volunteer

Meet one for the strongest little girls that has come through Last Day Dog Rescue, Porkchop!

Porkchop was a stray in Detroit and was picked up by Detroit Animal Care and Control back in 2018. Last Day Dog Rescue was contacted and went to pull her from the shelter right away. Porkchop came to Last Day Dog Rescue with puncture wounds all over her body, and cuts on her face. While we will never know the true story of how Porkchop survived the streets and how she received those cuts, we know she was a real fighter.

After a lot of TLC from Porkchop's amazing foster family, Porkchop began to heal physically and emotionally. Now Porkchop lives with a barktastic family where she is safe and loved everyday.

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR GUNTHER

By Julie Kukielka, LDDR Volunteer

Hi! My name is Gunther or Gunner; you can pick which one to call me. My Foster Mom called me up (well she called my people) and asked for me to share my story with you all. I promise it’s a great one with an amazing ending! It might be better than having my belly scratched!

I first met the nice people at LDDR when they came and broke me out of DACC but I don’t really remember that part as I was very lethargic and am told was only hours away from crossing the rainbow bridge. My Foster Mom took me to this really scary place called the vet where I tested positive for Parvo and Lepto. We were told that not many dogs will survive and that my Foster Mom should say goodbye to me.

I could feel it in my tiny paws that if I could survive I would go on to have an amazing life filled with treats and scratches. So I fought the hardest I knew how, I could just picture a giant bone to chew on at the end. By the shock of the vets (which I learned are not scary) I survived and was able to go to my Foster Home only 5 days later!

My Foster mom knew I was special and that I needed a family just amazing as me. So I started fluffing my fur and practicing all my tricks to impress them. I mean, who wouldn’t be impressed by my mad skills of rolling over on cue! Turns out I didn’t need to practice because one look at me and my new family fell in love with me! I now live with a US veteran and his family on a farm! My days are now filled with running around, cuddling up to my family, and showing mad skills for treats!

I told you it was going to be a great story! Now I have to go, Dad is grilling something that smells amazing and I need to go supervise in case he “drops” any for me.

HAPPY NEW LIFE, GRETA!

Edited by Heather Powers, LDDR Volunteer

Greta has been adopted! This was a particularly difficult one for us because she was so near to death when we got her and she became so very special to us. She lived in a backyard, chain locked to a three-foot lead for her entire life. Weighing only 18 pounds, she was severely emaciated and was exposed to harsh environments because her lead was too short to reach the inside of her doghouse.  Once in her foster home, Greta learned of the good life. Belly rubs, stuffed toys to cuddle with, and even other dogs to buddy around the house together. She loves to eat like other beagles. She was even known to sneak some from her human fosters when they weren’t looking. Greta has found her fur-ever home with her new family. Greta is going to a home with a family that will treat her like the princess she is for the rest of her life. We love you Greta and those dark days are now far behind; ahead is only long walks, good sniffs, and a loving fur-ever home.

FOSTER FAILURE MEANS A GOOD LIFE FOR CHASE & NATASHA

By Mara Kutter, LDDR Volunteer

Dianne Johnson is a LDDR foster, and has fostered over 60 dogs. She also does the daily group emails, mentors new fosters, does home visits, regularly helps with transporting dogs from Toledo, and has even hosted puppy adoption events at her house – and all of this in addition to her full-time job in retail!

Dianne began fostering in August 2011, in the wake of losing her beloved golden retriever, Jake. In November of the same year, she began fostering a border collie puppy, Chase, and his mom, and Chase was such a good fit with her family that she adopted him! With three cats and two dogs in the house, Dianne was sure she wouldn’t adopt any more furry family members…but fast forward a few years (and many foster pets), and another dog made her change her mind. She began fostering Natasha (the mother of the Nh litter) and her three six-week old pups in May 2013. The puppies were in pretty rough shape (fleas, worms, and giardia), and Natasha herself additionally had large round circles of bare skin on her sides and a few wounds from a bb gun. Dianne helped nurse them all back to health, and once the puppies had all been adopted, she adopted Natasha in December 2013. Still shy and anxious as a result of the abuse she suffered in the past, Natasha is nevertheless a great mom and has in turn helped her adoptive mom raise and nurture at least five other litters of puppies!

THANKS FOR SAVING OUR BABY

By Mara Kutter, LDDR Volunteer

When Sue Bell and Chris Hamrick met Mary, she was eight years old (or possibly older) and heart-worm positive. She had been found as a stray and was eventually pulled from a high-kill shelter. An incredibly sweet and happy dog, they renamed her “Merry.” Merry has become their best companion, enjoying short walks and rides in the car. Sue and Chris express their thanks to LDDR for “saving our baby and letting us enjoy her life.” With lots of treats and four doggie beds, Merry thanks you, Sue and Chris, for letting her be a part of your lives!

LOCAL NFL PLAYER GIVES TOKEN THE PUPPY LIFESAVING SECONDS

By Stacey Russell, LDDR Volunteer

This March, a local NFL player gave Token the puppy a second chance, and a second home.   TJ Lang of the National Football League (NFL) Green Bay Packers adopted the former stray, giving Token a forever home in both Michigan and Wisconsin.  As an offensive lineman for the NFC North Champion Green Bay Packers, Lang and his family spend 5 months in Northville, Michigan and the balance of the year in Green Bay, Wisconsin to accommodate TJ’s game schedule.

Token – now named Murphy, is a four month old Weimaraner and Lab mix who was found as a stray by Novi police in late February.  Under the foster care of Katie Reynolds, Token was requested for a home visit with different families based on his Petfinder profile.  After the seasoned foster saw how quickly Token took to the Langs; and the Langs to Token, the next steps were easy.

At the adoption meeting, Lang was asked about his decision to choose rescue over retail, stating, “Finding the right dog for our family has been a priority for a long time.  There are so many dogs in shelters that are not as privileged, and I want to give one of those dogs a second chance.  A chance to be part of my family -- and a chance to be loved.”  Lang added he’s had dogs most of his life, but Murphy will be his son’s first four-legged best friend. 

TJ Lang, a Michigan native, gives back to the surrounding Detroit area in more ways than adopting a deserving dog like Murphy.  Lang continues his philanthropy with both his high school and college alma maters, The Brother Rice Warriors and Eastern Michigan University, respectively -- providing both with charitable donations and Packer paraphernalia to help raise money.  Lang begins his sixth season with the Green Bay Packers in the fall of 2014 as an Offensive Guard, standing side by side with famed quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. 

MY MIRACLE DOG

By Emily Gavalier, LDDR Adopter

Would you ever imagine that this cute little baby's life was ever hanging in the balance? The unfortunate story all began in Tennessee in 2010 where this cute little Terrier mix was abused and neglected. Eventually, she was brought to a kill shelter where she had her first round of shots to be put to sleep. All because no one wanted to love her. Things started to look up for this little girl (now named Baloo) when Last Day Dog rescue saved her and brought her to Michigan. She was with her foster for only 1 week, until...

Hi! I'm Emily. Now to fully understand our story, let's rewind about 3 and a half years (insert awesome time warp here). It was June of 2010 and a very lucky only child was about to get the blessing she had always wished for. I had always wanted a dog growing up. Yes, I was that dorky little kid that on every birthday, blew out her birthday candles wishing for a puppy to love and hold. It was May 2010, about one month before my 10th birthday and my parents had begun to ask me what I wanted for my birthday. Now, take a guess what I asked for. Ready 1 2 3 GO! Did you guess? No, it wasn't tickets to the upcoming Justin Bieber concert or a cool new bike. I was on my knees begging for a dog, not caring if that was the only thing I got for my birthday. What was a few months ago a flat out no, my parents said that they would consider it and let me know on my birthday.

June 2nd, 2010, big anticipation took over my body as I knew that by the time I went to bed that night, I would know if I could get a dog. I awoke in my bed early that morning with my mom and dad hovering over me. The second I opened my eyes “Happy Birthday wishes” flooded the room. After I sat up, I looked down to see a book called “101 Puppy Tricks” being handed to me. I asked my dad what the book was for, and his response simply was “You might need it”. It then registered in my brain that my parents were allowing me to pick out a dog for my birthday. I ran around screeching at the top of my lungs, thanking my parents. I just couldn't wait to get to school and tell my friends about my awesome birthday gift!

The rest of the day came and went in a blur. Before I knew it, I was asleep with visions of puppies dancing in my head. About two weeks later, school let out and summer began. My mission: find the perfect puppy. After the final bell of my 4th grade year rang, I dashed outside to meet my mom to go home. The second I walked in the door, I threw my backpack on the couch (yes, my mother told me to put it where it belonged), grabbed my laptop, and began my dog search. One evening, while searching the Last Day Dog rescue website, I saw the cutest little dog named Baloo at the top of my search page. I showed her to my parents and my dad immediately emailed the foster and said that we were interested in her. Days passed without response and I began to worry. My gut told me that she was the one and I didn't want to let her slip away.

It was a cool Saturday morning and I woke up, stretching in my bed. I heard my dad on the phone, which I normally wouldn't pay attention to, but he said “we will see you later”. My feet dragged me out of bed and ran me to the kitchen where I asked who we were meeting. My dad then bellowed “Baloo!” Very excitedly. When she arrived at my house, the door flew open as the shy dog walked into my house. I couldn't believe this was really happening. We made our way out to my backyard where we got to know her a little bit better. My entire family was sold on this sweet pooch. She was officially mine that day. My first task: assigning her a brand new name. I named her (drumroll please) BELLA! A Petsmart trip and 286 dollars later, we were ready to take care of our new family member.

Now, in February 2014, Bella is doing amazing. When we first got her she was very shy and scared of everything. The previous owners must have abused her badly because she was even scared when someone sneezed. She is still jumpy and scared around new people, but once she warms up to you, she is a little lovebug. We are so blessed to have this sweetheart for 4 years in June! Thank you Last Day Dog Rescue for giving us this little angel!

MAGGIE - BLIND LOVE

By Kami Tresh-Timko, LDDR Volunteer

Adopter Glenda Probst, who adopted Maggie (formerly Aggie) from LDDR in June 2012, recently shared her truly inspirational happy tail story.

Maggie, an 8 year-old puppy mill dog, had been diagnosed as diabetic due to being overweight. Her former owner initially wanted to put Maggie down but ultimately surrendered her thanks to LDDR volunteer Leah Barson and friend Marla Swartz of Come to the Rescue. When Maggie arrived to LDDR she had numerous tumors, cataracts forming, broken teeth and infected feet from constant licking due to allergies. Little Maggie underwent multiple surgeries to remove the tumors and broken teeth. Maggie's foster mom Leah nursed her through post-surgery, including providing her daily insulin shots.

Glenda and her husband had been following Maggie's journey. While they were not specifically looking for an older dog, or one with special needs, Maggie's story (and adorable photos!) had captured their hearts and Maggie became a part of their family. Although Maggie began to lose her sight only a few months she was adopted, she figured out how to maneuver around her new loving home safely. She and her family have since moved to a new home complete with a huge backyard! It took some adjustment now that Maggie mostly blind, but she has adapted perfectly thanks to the support of her family including her puggle sister Holly. She is even able to run in the back yard!

A community came together to save Maggie from a detrimental situation with a neglectful owner. Thanks to the combined efforts of LDDR, Come to the Rescue and very generous donations from people following her story, including Glenda herself, Maggie's thousands of dollars in vet bills were covered.

Leah said, "Maggie knew she was in a home where she was finally going to be safe, loved and cared for." She is most definitely in the right home now, as the permanent family member that she was always intended to be. It is stories like these that are the reason we rescue. This is one story that truly ends in, "and they lived happily ever after."

A MAJORLY HAPPY TAIL FOR SUMO

By Keren Thoms, LDDR Adopter

After searching for the right dog for months, we finally stumbled across Major's (renamed Sumo) webpage on LDDR. Both of us fell in love, and we immediately contacted LDDR and Major's foster mom. We arranged with the foster mom to see Major at an adoption event in Ann Arbor that weekend. From the moment we saw him, we knew he'd be the perfect addition to our family.

Trying to be responsible dog parents, we said that we needed to think about the adoption for a couple of days rather than make the decision on the spot. So we left the pet store to run some errands. But after 20 minutes at the grocery store, we quickly returned to see Major again and we adopted him right then and there.

We're coming up on our 3-month anniversary with Sumo, and every moment has been wonderful. Though he's over 100lbs, he couldn't be sweeter or gentler. We knew we had an amazing dog when our neighbor came over with their 2-month old, and Sumo picked up his favorite toy and placed it on the baby's lap. The entire 3 months has been filled with stories like that. And we're looking forward to many more years of the same.

MISUNDERSTOOD: MADISON'S STORY

By Kami Tresh-Timko, LDDR Volunteer

Miss Madison might have missed out on her chance for the happy life she deserves had LDDR volunteer and Kennel Leader Barbi Boren not followed her instinct and pulled her from the shelter despite their initial assessment. Barbi and her husband adopted their dog from LDDR more than two years ago and became involved with the rescue then, but only recently started fostering. Barbi decided she wanted to take on her first foster dog after seeing a post from a fellow volunteer that Madison was in an Oakland county shelter and needed help. She called the shelter to inquire about Madison only to find out that the shelter had deemed her "unadoptable" and for rescue only, noting she had a fear she had fear of men.

Barbi was unconvinced that this adorable pup was unadoptable so she went to the shelter, met Madison and and brought her home. Within minutes, Madison was giving her husband kisses! She also knew all sorts of commands and was housebroken. As it turned out, Madison was a perfect dog. After only three weeks, Madison found her forever home with a wonderful family including two young boys and a black lab. She is happier than ever, now living on five acres of land complete with her own pond to swim in during the summer!

HAPPILY EVER AFTER: DALLAS' STORY

By Rosemary Thomas, LDDR Volunteer

Dallas, a basset hound, who was rescued by LDDR from a shelter in Perry, Ohio is now living the high life on the West Coast. As soon as Dallas was listed on the LDDR website, an application was submitted by actor David Arquette who was in town for the filming of "Orion." On Thanksgiving Day, Dallas' foster mom, Nicole Beach, drove him to meet David and his girlfriend, Christina McLarty. Dallas was David's surprise gift to Christina who had grown up with basset hounds in, coincidentally, Dallas, Texas. Of course, it was love at first sight for everyone.

Since their hotel didn't allow pets, Dallas returned to his foster home with Nicole while arrangements were made for his trip to California. In the interim, David and Christina were so taken with Dallas that they showed his photo to everyone. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but eventually it wasn't enough so, the couple invited Dallas to hang out with them on the movie set. Dallas immediately became a star and made friends with everyone. One of the movie's stunt men who is a Michigan native offered to drive Dallas to California. So a few days after the holiday, Dallas was headed west. After his arrival, Dallas was checked by a vet who found that Dallas had been shot and still had bullets in his body. Thankfully, this disclosure has not affected his health. Dallas remains as a dearly loved member of the family in his forever home and he is actually living in a fairy tale come true.

FROM THROWAWAY TO THERAPY: SOPHIE'S STORY

By Rosemary Thomas, LDDR Volunteer

The little puppy that was pitched out a car window has made a remarkable journey since being saved by Last Day Dog Rescue. My husband and I adopted Sienna (renamed Sophie) in April 2012. Despite her rough start, Sophie was immediately trusting and affectionate toward people. We participated in a series of 3 six week Obedience Training classes and at the end of the sessions, the instructor suggested that Sophie would be a natural as a Therapy Dog. Sophie passed both the AKC Canine Good Citizen test and the Therapy Dogs International evaluation on the first try. Since her TDI certification in May of 2013, Sophie has logged over 50 visitations to an assisted living facility, an adult day care center, a short term physical rehabilitation facility. Sophie also visits hospice patients and recently participated in a one day bereavement camp for children ages 5-17. Sophie is enthusiastically welcomed at every location and just soaks up the love from everyone. Sophie interacts with people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, as well as, both the mentally and the physically challenged. The reaction she gets from her "fan club"€ is heartwarming. So, from out of the window into literally hundreds of hearts, Sophie has found a calling and a career.