Oliver’s Rescue Story

When we found Oliver at the shelter, he just looked so sad. He was a 5- or 6-year-old black lab/pitbull mix. My kids and I picked him out and he came home with us that day. He attached to me very quickly. My girlfriend didn’t get home until late that night and Oliver did not take kindly to some strange woman coming into his new love’s home. It took about 6 months until he trusted my girlfriendusbn completely. More than one person thought we should take him back to the shelter because he would snap at people, but we just couldn’t do that to him. He loved us and we loved him. I found some great classes that were for reactive dogs. They didn’t cure him, but they helped us understand the way his mind worked and helped us to help him. He was finally able to be around my brother’s dog without going after him. He never played with another dog. You could see that he wanted to but was just too afraid. He would shake and hide if someone held a belt or a broom. He disliked most people and all animals, except baby ones! He kindly helped us watch some baby birds we found. When Oliver was comfortable, he was the best dog. He listened, he was goofy, and he was sweet. It took us some time to figure out that he was fear aggressive, not just mean. It took him about 6 months to feel safe enough to wag his tail. By the time he passed away at 12 years old, he loved 20 people (up from about 6 in the beginning). Being at the cabin with us was his favorite place. No other people or animals and he could relax and just be a dog. We learned so much from Oliver. How to love difficult people and how to see past behavior and realize that there are reasons why people act the way they do. And that you can see good in someone, even if no one else can. Finding equal lack of positive response in a call to the Animal Medical Center on 62d Street In Manhattan, the neighbor said he made several More calls to the A.S.P.C.A. and finally struck a responsive chord when he suggested be would compensate someone who came to pick up the dog.

“Two men came over about 6:30 in the evening,” he said. “They were extremety nice and gave them $10 when they Walked in the door just for coming over: Once they saw the dog, they said that under normal c:rcumstances it would be destroyed because of the shape it was in. I gave them another $10 and they took the poor thing all the way into Manhattan to the society's hospital. [at. 92d Street, between York and First Avenues].

Later that night, he continued he spoke with a veterinarian at the hospital who reported that the dog had apparently been out on the streets five or six months and was in very bad condition. Haling requested that the animal be examined rather than destroyed immediately, he called back the next morning and was told that the dog's reamaining eye had a tumor and lesion and an operation would cost about $150 to $200.

Since a desposit of $100 was required, the neighbor drew a check for the amount and delivered it last Tuesday morning. The operation took puce the following day.

“Why did I do it?” he said when asked what motivated him to pursue the dog's care “Why do you help a stranger in the street, someone in trouble?

“What really got to me was learning that a city like this, which is able to spend so much money for everything, is unable to take care of these animals. How can such a thing happen?”