Rhys the “Lassie” Collie~Adopted
“Holly, I don’t understand it. Why hasn’t Rhys been adopted?” Gisele said to me. “He’s so wonderful. He should have gone home a long time ago. Would you take a look at his page and see if it needs to be changed?”
“Well, sure. Tell me about who he is today. I know who he was when we got him, but who is he today?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s fabulous! He’s such a happy boy. When he sees me his eyes just light up! He starts to bounce up and down. He wants to jump up on me to give me kisses but I’ve been teaching him not to. I say, ‘Naa aaa” and he pulls back, but keeps bouncing. It’s so joyful.
And you should see him run! Rhys can run like the wind. And when he’s running, it’s as if he is free, as if he’s forgotten all of the ghosts of his past and is just living in the moment. His fur around his neck and face is growing back in so it blows in the wind and he looks spectacular.”
“Gisele, why don’t you write the update?”
“I can’t. I think I love him too much. You know this happens to me! When I know a dog too well I seem to get writer’s block and can’t write.”
“Well, okay, I’ll write it. But I’m just going to repeat what you said.”
“Oh, you’re a good writer. You’ll do a better job than me!”
No, I don’t think so. I think that Gisele said it all! What makes it all so much more powerful is that Rhys has overcome a horrendous past. He arrived an abused and injured animal. He is blossoming into the stunning family dog that he was meant to be. This is the joy of rescue!
If you think that you might want to give Rhys the forever home he has been waiting for, please read our Dog Owner Tips, review our Adoption Process, and then e-mail Gisele.TheDogLiberator@gmail.com . And check out his photo album! If you want, you can read Rhys’ backstory as well. He won’t read it. It is the past that he has left behind and he has no interest in reliving it!
Update: Rhys, the Collie goes home with his new Foster Family, Jim & Jenna Hattaway, that is, Foster with the intent to Adopt. The Hattaways lost their Border Collie Lola only three weeks ago, and while they want another dog, their grief is holding them back from making a commitment, so Holly had a brilliant idea… FOSTER!
The Hattaways have plenty of room to offer Rhys to run (run like the wind) and two teenage girls, and a 10 year-old boy. Rhys will never be bored! Paul Pipitone is going to visit the Hattaways, and enhance this adoption process with an introductory lesson!
My last words to Rhys were, “I’m proud of you, do your best!” Rhys replied by saying, “hurry up, put it in reverse, floor it, and don’t look back!”
Now, I need to decide if I should scream with joy, or bawl like a baby!
08/01/11 Update: It’s official, Rhys is home.
12/08/12 Update:
Wow, it was great to see him again. Here are photos of Rhys with some of his fans!
