I'll Show You Who's Boss, Kid. Maybe.

Alayne got these great photos of blind Austin roughhousing with his Aunt Libby the other morning.  Libby is one of our original "Seattle six-pack" of dogs who moved out with us to the ranch back in 2000.  She is not disabled, but was the victim of two separate animal cruelty cases.

An animal control officer in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington had rescued her from near-death as a puppy, nursed her back to health at the shelter, and then they inadvertently adopted her out to someone else who turned around and abused her all over again.  When a different animal control officer discovered her the second time, tied to a tree and motionless, she was so far gone the officer figured the only thing he could do was take her straight to a vet clinic to be euthanized -- but he stopped at the shelter on the way to pick up some paperwork.  The other animal control officer went out to the van to look at the dog and recognized, to her dismay, that this was the same dog she had rescued as a puppy several months earlier.  Naturally, she and her colleagues were horrified that they had adopted her out to another abuser.  (This person had no known history, and was later prosecuted.) 

At that point they decided to try and save Libby at all costs, and she spent weeks in the local vet clinic.  When Libby finally recovered, they decided not to adopt her out to just anyone.  The animal control officer had heard about us because we had adopted a couple of "unadoptable" special-needs dogs from a private shelter in the Olympic Peninsula, so she called us in Seattle and asked if we'd be willing to take Libby.  She's been with us ever since, and the only hardship she's endured since then is, well, being placed on a diet.

One thing I love about these photos is they show how a blind dog can enjoy roughhousing just as much as any dog, and even a little disabled guy like Austin will go up against a bigger, sighted dog like Libby.  As we like to say, it has everything to do with personality, nothing to do with disability.

At this point Libby is beginning to get worn down from the repeated assaults by the blind munchkin:

And she finally decides to flee, only to be pursued by Austin:

Libby says, "He may be blind but I'm old enough to be his great-great-great-great-great-grandmother!  Good grief, he never quits!"

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I spoke to the vet in Shreveport this morning and Ella is on the mend.  She lost more blood than the vet expected so they are going to keep her at the clinic for a few more days so can be monitored while she rebuilds her red blood cells.  Because Rebecca's group just had some more dogs come in, we're going to board Ella at the clinic until she's ready to fly out. 

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Please vote for the ranch in the Shelter Challenge -- and you can vote every day!  We're currently in third place, putting us on track to win $3,000 for the animals.  Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state postal code, MT, for Montana, and it will bring up our listing.

Vote in the Shelter Challenge here.

Last year we won $3,000 in the first round and then won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the second round, so your votes really do add up and make for a wonderful gift for the animals here.

Thank you!

Comments

[Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin]

The story of Libby is truly the hand of God saving a soul He knew still needed some more time on earth & wanted her to bless your lives. What are the odds the first officer would happen to be there when the other one brought her in for the 2nd time & recognize her & know of a place to call to make sure that Libby didn't suffer any more. Thank you for taking her & giving her a forever home where she will never want for love or security. Blind Austin is a hoot! He isn't even aware he has a disability he just knows anyone who wants to play he is willing to be there for them!

[Connie]

I also have a spry old Libby. She's 12 going on 13 but still keeps us on schedule with what she wants. So I love the Libby name for a lovey lady dog. When she was a puppy I sang her the Libby/label song..."if it says Libby, Libby, Libby on the label, label, label...you will like it, like it, like it..." Many thanks for all the stories of your ranch.

[Kate & Luke]

Seems to me like little Austin will wrestle with just about any willing partner! What an easy going fun little guy!

[Ann]

They are having so much fun...it's wonderful to see! And I know that it's just as much fun for you and Alayne to watch. Thanks for a great post

[Nina]

Great photos! Enjoyed the blog re: Libby. So glad she is your pooch and that this is a happy ending for her after such a horrific start!

[Lynne Parker]

This is great. That's why I love the videos of the dogs playing: seeing and hearing is believing!

[Lynn (in Louisiana)]

Ah, thanks for blogging about Libby! I don't recall reading about her before. What a pretty girl and quite spry for 10+. Let's see now: we all know Goldie, and I remember reading in your archives about Dolly and Dillon (RIP), so who are the other two members of the orignal six pack?? Inquiring minds want to know!!

[Angela]

I'm so glad Libby is having fun with her fireball companion. Bless her heart. Watched the Jack Hanna video yesterday - so interesting!! Love and blessings for the Hannas and RDR.

[Eric]

I have the deepest respect for Animal control Officers and the Police. They must at times deal with some of the most horrifing cases in which people (the most evouled species, I often wonder about that) do the most hurtful things. I am very very glad Libby was able to come into your lives because of their good work.

[boundforglory]

I love the progression of these playful photos; great writing too, Steve!

In these pictures, I only see Libby's good times...not her bad experiences.

This was a fun post to read today. : )

[Janet in Cambridge]

"Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you!!" mutter-mutter-mutter.

"Come back here."

"Where are you going?"

"Yeah, I'm coming, too!"

[Adele in the Bronx]

Wonderful.

My heart goes out to those animal control folks.