What does it mean to rescue? Is it a one-time thing to feel good at the moment? Or, is it a calling for us as individuals to uplift those who have fallen and be there for those in need? The word rescue can mean many things to many different people. As part of the culture here at TCWR, we eat, sleep, and breathe the mission of rescuing animals. Many of our Staff have domestic dogs and cats, and all of them come from shelters. We live what we preach; if you want a pet, go to your local animal shelter where you can find an animal desperately in need of your love, rather than owning an exotic animal that was never meant to be a pet.
Animal Care Staff, Carly Hepburn adopted her dog Loki from Good Shepherd Humane Society, one of our partner organizations. Here, she tells the story of how the two rescued each other.
After interacting with a few dogs, we walked over to a dog named Woodstock who was standing up against the fence eager to be let out. I immediately knew he was the dog I wanted to take home, even after learning he was found running along the highway in town, had been previously rescued twice, and subsequently brought back due to his destructive behavior triggered by separation anxiety. After some careful thought, Woodstock was renamed Loki, a God of Mischief, and I very quickly learned how well he could live up to that name. Destructive was an understatement! The first 6 months especially were hard on both of us, Loki is an extremely smart dog and continuously was testing his limits. Two broken crates, a torn-up door, and a torn-up carpet just to name a few. After steady training, constant exercise, and lots and lots of patience I think he finally started realizing this was his forever home and we began understanding each other better.
Today, almost 5 years later I couldn’t ask for a better dog. Loki is intelligent, snuggly, and caring. He loves to be around his friends both human and animal, as long as he is getting the most attention! He is always ready for an adventure and enjoys exploring anywhere he can. He still requires patience, training, and lots and lots of exercise, but we have a routine he has learned to love and expect. Loki is my first dog as an adult and I wouldn’t trade us growing together for anything!