Shey is looking for his forever home

HIS pointed ears and beautiful brown eyes would never give away his sad story, but rescue dog, Shey, a Boston Terrier, has endured more pain and suffering than any animal should ever encounter.

When Shey was rescued by the Boston Terrier Action Group’s Yulinda Noortman, she realised his life story had been built from the pieces he took with him when she managed to get him out of a shelter.

“When he arrived he was a ‘broken’ dog. Physically and emotionally, he was a mess. His obvious physical injuries immediately alerted us to the possibility that he had either been caught in a snare from which he desperately tried to escape, or that he had been used in dog fighting rings.

“His eyes held a heavy sadness that just begged to let him be. Here started our journey with Shey,” Yulinda said.

With the help of vets, the action group was able to begin his physical healing.

There was a wound around his neck that was caused by some sort of wire that had cut deeply into his neck and that had ripped through several layers of muscle. He also had a long jagged scar down one of his sides and one of his legs had been crushed just above the hock, presumable by being tied to something from which he could not escape.

The vets also found that little Shey had undergone a botched surgery on his leg: “It appears that a pin had been inserted previously, but that somehow this had worked loose and had been removed.

“The actual surgical rings are now left in the actual fracture site of his leg. The leg had healed three centimetres shorter than normal. The degree of muscle wastage was extreme.

“He was on two month’s de-worming medication to get rid of the worm infestation in his little body. He had an infection in both ears and he had small puncture wounds all over his body. The healing journey included many sessions of animal physiotherapy, touch and love.

“He loved his food and could never get enough. However, if you were a little late with his food, he would rush outside and eat sand. It is presumed that he did this previously to survive.

“He also took a very long time to drink from water bowls in the house and still preferred water from the water features in the garden,” she added.

Fear runs deep in his veins

It soon became evident to Shey’s rescuers that he was petrified of other dogs and that this fear manifested as fear-based aggression.

“When he saw other dogs he went into his fight or flight mode with one intent only, to stay alive, that meant he had to attack before he was attacked.

“We realised that the emotional scars were as profound as were his physical scars. So began our journey with a behaviourist and weekly sessions to desensitise Shey.”

But even with all the trauma the little pooch has gone through, his rescuers still believed he could live with another dog.

“When he arrived at our home, he was too weak to respond to any stimuli. We have a pack of four Boston Terriers. One of our rescues that we adopted immediately disliked Shey and they had several scuffles. But Shey never retaliated as he was just too weak. There were never any injuries or blood drawn.

As Shey got stronger and became more confident, the dynamics changed and he became fully integrated into the pack,” Yulinda said.

Things were looking up for Shey and his training was going well.

But one day, while training, a relaxed Shey suddenly changed into a dog that needs to attack when a sudden breeze sprung up, which rattled the wind chime in the tree above him.

“We have been told that they use bells in the fighting rings to signal the start of a next round.”

“The very fact that he started playing and initiating interaction with our dogs, means that he is not fundamentally an aggressive dog. His aggression was taught to him.”

The family considered keeping Shey, but one night Shey tried to attack one of the other dogs after smelling its blood from an operating wound. The family knew then and there that they didn’t serve Shey or their other dogs’ best interests anymore.

Find Shey his forever home

THE Boston Terrier Action Group continues to work with Shey, but said it is now imperative to find him a special new adoptive family.

According to Yulinda, Shey’s natural character is gentleness personified.

“In my work with Boston Terriers I have never met a more gentle and loving Bostie. He enjoys attention and absorbs love like a sponge.”

He is fully housetrained and his recall is excellent.

“He constantly keeps contact with his humans to get feedback. He never scratches or plays rough. All he really wants is to be with someone that loves him. He is not a high energy dog and does not require to be taken on runs or walks.

“He loves to cuddle and nothing makes him happier than sitting next to someone who pets him. He is completely mobile and jumps on and off things with ease,” she said.

Shey needs a gentle energy person, who will accept him for who and what he is. Any strong-arm approach will fail. Shouting freaks him out. Fighting between adults perturbs him. If you pick up a stick of any nature he flattens his ears and runs.

“Shey is not just someone’s pet, he will need to be a companion in the fullest sense. He needs to be loved and treasured. We would very much like to continue to be part of Shey’s rehabilitation process and to teach and support this person in every way we can.

The ideal adoptive family for Shey will not have children, .

If you think your home is perfect for little Shey, contact foster mom, Yulinda on 082 260 3401.