Here’s Lillie, who arrived about three weeks ago from a shelter in North Carolina. Her previous owner — only in her 40’s — sadly had to go into hospice, and Lillie ended up at the shelter. A rescue coordinator on the staff contacted us to find out if we could take 8-year old Lillie. We gladly said yes. About a week later, our pet transport company was picking her up and she was on her way to New Hampshire!
Lillie earlier had gone blind from glaucoma. Ultimately the only way to provide a blind dog with permanent relief from the awful pain of that eye disease is enucleation — removing the eyeballs. This is a procedure we’ve had to do countless times over the years of taking in dogs with glaucoma. Her owner had made that same decision for Lillie.
Once the eyes are out, the pain relief is incredible. We have seen dogs bounce back just a couple of days after the surgery with renewed energy and joy. It makes us think just how awful the pain from those swollen eyes can be.
In any case, Lillie is an absolute sweetheart! She is loving, and affectionate, and gets along great with everyone else here.
She’s a smart girl, too. In just 24 hours she figured out the route to get to the dog yard — go out the back door, turn right, go down the ramp, turn left, go straight across the deck, turn right, go down that ramp, and into the yard. Reverse it for the way back. In a day she was doing it on her own.
She’s listed as a Lab mix. I wonder if the other part of her mix is Rhodesian Ridgeback, given her coloring and the furrows on the top of her head (though she does not have the classic “ridge” of hair going down the center of her back). Whatever the breed mix, she’s a big girl.
Lillie came with an equally big appetite (there’s the Lab, eh?), which is matched only by her impressive ability to sleep for 12 to 14 hours straight. (Who wouldn’t want a bladder like that?)
It took her a little while to settle in and realize this is now her forever home. We can only imagine how difficult these kinds of transitions must be for these poor dogs, especially for a blind one. One day you’re with the person you’ve lived with your entire eight years, the next day you’re in a noisy shelter being handled by strangers. Not long after that, you go for a 17-hour road trip, again with people you’ve never met before. Then you eventually arrive at some place else, with yet more new people and other dogs. It’s always amazed us how well these dogs handle and adjust to this kind of upheaval in their lives.
I took the photo above about three days after she came. She was lying on the bed in the living room, taking it all in. This was about the point when she had realized, “I’m home and I’m staying.”
Lillie is a beautiful girl. I’m so glad that she had a soft landing with you guys! I can’t imagine how heart wrenching it must have been for her and her human to say goodbye like that (especially with her blindness.) I was happy to read though that she’s settled in so quickly and is already comfortable with her new family.
I always look forward to seeing your emails introducing new arrivals. It almost always makes me cry, sometimes sad, but mostly happy tears for the sweet souls that you are helping to stay safe and feel loved. It’s so reassuring to know that there are still people like you in our country. You give me hope for a better future for all of us.
Poor Lillie. I feel so bad for her and her Mom. At least Lillie is in a safe and loving place now. How are all the little dogs you’ve been taking in doing with such a new big gal? I love her face. She looks like she’s just relaxing there in the sun. I guess you’ll be needing those bigger bones and treats again! Welcome Lillie!
Welcome Lillie! What a sweet girl.
The upheaval you described of the dog’s journey from home to shelter to a long-distance transport must be terribly disorienting. But I think that dogs can tell when they have finally arrived “home”. Lillie looks like she is settling in just fine. Thank you for all that you do!