Karen Strauss—Mississippi
Gave Tethered Dog a Second Chance
Ellie never knew anything but the chain. It had been wrapped around her neck, without even the small benefit of a collar, for as long as she could remember. Now five years old, a deep scar can still be seen around her neck from where heavy metal had embedded into her skin.
I had just moved into my new home when I first saw Ellie—she lived a few streets away. Nothing but skin and bones, she spent her days walking back and forth nervously pacing in her dirt yard. Her chain was short, her doghouse was ramshackle. She was afraid to make eye contact with the few people who bothered to feed her, including me. It soon became apparent that Ellie was pregnant, and within a few weeks she had her litter. I only ever saw one of the pups—I have a strong feeling, the others never survived. The surviving pup was kept outside in the yard with Ellie, until after only a few days, she was gone, too. After trying repeatedly to talk to Ellie's owner about her condition, he decided that she was no longer convenient and said I could take her.
Bringing Ellie home was the best day of my life, it was also the saddest. Ellie had never been socialized and she would simply huddle, backed into a corner afraid to move. I would sit for hours across the room, patiently talking to her in a calm reassuring voice. Eventually, she managed to work up the courage to approach me, always carefully and always from behind. She also started to give kisses so long as I moved slowly. It has been three months since I bought Ellie home. I have been working with her every single day, trying to rebuild her confidence, and little by little she is starting to understand the concept of love.