Welcome to My World of Rescued Westies

    

       

Join my Blog as I introduce you to the Westies I have fostered. While this Blog is all about Westie Rescue, I sometimes wonder who rescued who.

The most important Westies in my life, rescued all, are Lucy, Dougal, Snapple, and Miss Idgy: the Westies that stole my heart.

I am affiliated with Maryland Westie Rescue, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Chesapeake West Highland White Terrier Club. You can find us at http://www.marylandwestierescue.com/ or at http://marylandwestieclub.com/

I invite your comments or to tell your stories.

 

Snapple

   Snapple was my third Westie adopted in 2004. I found Snapple at the Washington Animal Rescue League; a no kill center with lots of volunteers who play with the rescued animals in their care. I went there to help a friend choose a dog to be her companion. While my friend filled out papers, I wondered around and found Snapple in a kennel by herself. She was surrendered to the shelter because she was old: estimated to be 14 or 15. My heart melted and knew that I would be devistated if someone threw me away simply because I was old. Although this was a no-kill center, I could not stand the thought of this wonderful little Westie living out her remaining years in a cage. I adopted Snapple with the intention of putting her into the Rescue pool with Westie Rescue, Inc. The president of the organization refused her because of her age. I was appauled for this organization had plenty of money and resources to care for and place Snapple. I wondered when Westie Rescue, Inc stopped rescuing Westies. It was certainly clear that they became more selective and only rescued certain types of Westies. Thank goodness, Westie Rescue, Inc is not the only Rescue Group in the area.

I took Snapple home with me and she lived an additional 2 1/2 years in the lap of luxury. Her favorite place on the couch was next to the arm rest with her elbow resting in a sassy manner. She loved cuddles and carrots. Snapple is posing photo by herself with her fur dyed green for the Mardi Gras… Mardi Paws with the Mystic Krewe of College Bark 2006. She went on to the rainbow bridge www.rainbowbridge.com the following month. A proper lady always knows when to leave the room. 

 

Lucy

   Lucy, pictured in the center in the Christmas photo, was my first Westie that came to me through Westie Rescue, Inc.; a rescue group that was attached to the West Highland White Terrier Club of Greater Washington. I had just returned to the states from teaching at the University of Nottingham in England. While there, I fell in love with the breed. There seemed to be Westies everywhere. I am a sucker for furry critters so, on my morning walks I met and petted many Westies every day for 6 months. I called Westie Rescue, Inc when I returned state-side and adopted Lucy in February 2001.

Lucy is a special needs dog. I adopted her in 2001 when she was 1 1/2 years old. Her original family gave birth to human triplets and could no longer take care of a special needs puppy. Lucy was very skinny weighing barely 12 pounds. The average pet Westie weighs between 14 and 17 pounds. She had Pancreatic Insufficiency whereby she would eat all of the time but never gain weight since she was not digesting her food properly. The Vet started Lucy on Viokase, a digestive enzyme, and her weight now hoovers around 17 and 18 pounds.

Lucy meets everyone at the door with a long stretch and a wagging tail. She will offer her ball for you to throw for her or a plush toy to play tug of war. Like the average Westie with an independent personality, Lucy does not like to be picked up. However, if you sit down, she’ll jump in your lap and generously offer kisses and cuddles.

 

Dougal

Dougal, pictured on the left in the Christmas photo, joined the family in March 2001 when he was four years old. He was released to a shelter because the original family could not break him of peeing in the house. I was supposed to transport him from a shelter around Baltimore to the Westie Rescue Vet. I brought Lucy along for the ride. The two cuddled and played all the way back to College Park. Rather than taking him to the Westie Rescue Vet, I took him to mine. It turned out that Dougal had a urinary track infection. A round of antibiotics cleared it all up for he has never peed in my house.

Dougal’s original name was Snoops named after Snoops Doggy Dog. Somehow the name of a rap singer did not seem fitting for a scottish dog. I started calling him Dougal, after a character in a Diane Gabaldon novel, The Outlander. He and Lucy are great together and they keep each other company. Westies, on a whole, are known for their high energy and clown-like antics. Dougal is a real layed back little guy and a cuddle pup. He holds a Canine Good Citizen certificate. His Westie characteristics come out when he enters the garage. We have a detached garage that is primarily used to store the lawn care equipment and other such tools. Each time my husband opens the garage door, Dougal plunges under the opening door in hopes of catching a rat. He has, on occasion, done so. It is amazing how he does it. One time I saw him catch a rat, shake it, and throw it down. Before the rat could run away, Dougal picked it up again, shook it which broke its neck. He danced around in the back yard with the rat in his mouth as if to show off his trophy. He usually leaves me gifts like that on the back stoop. One time he brought a baby opossum in through the doggy door and dropped it at my feet. It was not dead… only playing opossum. My husband found another use for a snow shovel, yuck!

 

Miss Idgy

   Miss Idgy, pictured in the Christmas photo on the far right, is the youngest of my furbabies. She was 7 months old when I rescued her in March 2007. I was in Louisiana for a brief period. A young couple bought her from a “breeder” in Missouri. The puppy was airmailed in a crate to Louisiana. When the puppy exited the crate, she limped terribly. The young couple  took the puppy to their local Vet and was then diagnosed with a degenerative hip disease. The Vet told them that a doggie orthopedic surgeon could fix the hip and would cost $3,000. The young couple called the “breeder” who, in turn, told them to put the puppy down, euthanize; that the breeder would send them another from the next litter.

Thank goodness the young couple knew to call Westie Rescue. I collected her from the couple. Long story short… Westie Med provided the financing for LSU Vet school to repair the hip. I stayed with her and nursed her back to health. I took her swimming in my pool so that she would learn to use the muscles in that leg again. After my having her in foster care in my house for 9 months, I could not give her up.

Idgy’s original name was Missy. Her personality mimics a character in Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flag. The character is a live wire… a wild cat named Imagene Threadgood, nic named Idgy. So, I renamed her Miss Idgy.