This lovely older gal arrived last week from the Stevens-Swan Humane Society in Utica, New York. She is deaf and has some vision issues, though she can still see. The shelter’s rescue coordinator emailed us to say the girl they named Esther “came to us as a stray after she was found on a busy highway. We have no idea how she got there or where she came from. She is very lucky that she did not get hit by a car.” As is too often the case, the original owner never came looking for her.
The rescue coordinator told us, “It is very difficult for us to adopt out senior dogs, especially those with special needs.” The shelter took excellent care of her, including getting her a dental, treating skin problems, and starting her on thyroid and eye meds. We will be taking her to Peak in Burlington for follow-up care and additional tests. Esther is a Beagle/Collie mix, probably 10 years of age or older, and only about 20 pounds — though very skinny. We are a bit concerned about what’s going on under her hood, so to speak. She is covered in lumps and bumps, some (probably most) being fatty tumors we suspect, though a few seem more worrisome.
She settled in right away, and quickly became a rolling dog:
In fact, while I was taking these photos of her yesterday, she was in constant motion — rolling around on the bed one minute, then getting up and barking at me the next:
She may be deaf, but she sure is one talkative little thing. We still have blind-and-deaf dogs like Spinner, but it’s been a while since we’ve had a dog who is only deaf, so we’re getting back into using hand signals to communicate with her. Esther prefers more vocal communication: looking right at us and barking, as you can see in that photo. She also isn’t one to wait quietly at the door to be let in; like Aurora, she’s quick to announce her desires. Ironically, her “let me in” barks sound just like Aurora’s, so at times we’re not sure who exactly is summoning us.
Esther is a sweet, affectionate senior lady who loves to be loved up. She also gets along great with everyone else. And she definitely is enjoying her new life here. We watched her yesterday afternoon, trotting around the front yard in the bright sunshine, tail up, head up, sniffing the warm summer air, cruising all over. A few minutes later, she was back in the living room, sound asleep on the big foam bed you see in these photos. (By the way, when you’re deaf, you sleep very, very well!) Like with Stella and the others who were uprooted late in life and went through wrenching change, we wonder what goes through their heads. But this look seems to say a lot:
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2014 Shelter Challenge Underway
The second round of the Shelter Challenge for 2014 is underway. You can vote every day at http://www.shelterchallenge.com/ To search for us, type in our name, Rolling Dog Farm, and Lancaster, NH 03584. We’ve won thousands of dollars in the previous contests, so your daily votes do bring in serious money for our disabled animals!
Please note that I cannot help with technical or voting problems. If you find yourself having issues, please consult their FAQ page and their Rules page.
Thanks for your votes!
Welcome to Esther. She’s a beautiful dog!
Lots of love, lots of friends, lots of places to nap, and lots of yard to roam. It took awhile but you hit the doggy jackpot Esther. Welcome home gorgeous!
Welcome Esther!!
She looks like she is so soft!
That look sure says…thank you! What a love she is! Thank you for RDF for taking her in.
I have been following your blog for several years and this post has driven me to respond. What Esther is saying is Thank you … Thank You for caring enough to give me this safe place to land . I volunteer at a senior rescue and it is heartbreaking to see seniors at shelters where they have have little to no chance of finding that safe spot. I love what you two do & really enjoy your blog . Thanks so much for sharing your world with me.
What a beautiful girl! She is so lucky to be there with you & Alayne and now all her new brothers and sisters.
She’s happy that she has a home again!
These creatures…they just know when they’ve been rescued.
What you do is simply amazing!
Welcome, Esther! What a beauty… and she sure drew the golden ticket when she landed at RDF. :o)
Oh, Esther is a beautiful girl! She looks so dang sweet. Thanks for taking this lovely older gal in. Esther, you’ve come to the best place!
She is simply gorgeous!!!
Thank you for bringing her to the Farm, the haven for all.
Wishing her a clean bill of health and total enjoyment of her new life.
Who wouldn’t be thrilled to be living at RDF?;-)
Welcome home, sweet Esther! You’re such a cutie pie, aren’t you?
Hello Esther. What a sweet looking, spunky girl! Maybe she should have been named Helen….the face that launched a thousand ships. Hopefully her lumps and bumps prove to not be an issue.
That sparkle in her eyes makes me think Esther has lots of love and life yet to be shared. She is absolutely beautiful!
WELCOME HOME ESTHER WELCOME HOME
What a precious little girl! Give her a big hug from all of us who aren’t able to.
Esther is adorable! Always brings a smile to see one so happy after such sad circumstances. You guys rock.
Welcome Esther! I love your smile. You are so pretty! lucky you to have found your way to Rolling Dog Farm! Hope all goes well with your tests.
She’s beautiful… Lucky girl!!
She is adorable. Just want to hug her close.
She looks so very, very happy. I love how she became a rolling dog immediately. She knows that this is her home now, and she’s obviously loving it. Welcome Esther!
What a cutie!!!!!! Thanks for saving her —Senior Dogs are so special!