Grandpa was born in Spring 2008 in Greenville, GA to a mother who was a stray and unwanted. He was part of a litter that spent most of their time hiding under an abandoned house. The people in the neighborhood either didn’t care or were hostile to them. However, one kind elderly lady made sure that they received food periodically.
Grandpa received no socialization and grew to distrust people. He avoided contact and was a fear biter when cornered, even at a young age. While his littermates were rescued, he was left behind to fend for himself. He became distrustful of other dogs in the neighborhood and aggressive to anyone who approached him.
Sometime in 2013, he was stabbed in his back by a hunter. The injury was serious, the wound was long and deep, and Grandpa disappeared for a while. He still bears the scar. We also think he might have been used as a bait dog. His face was badly scarred, both ears shredded and had wounds over his entire body. His spirit was broken.
In early 2017, Grandpa fell into a hole near the local school. He was starving and looking for food and water. He was there for several days. Eventually, some men pulled him from the pit and secured him to a tree before calling rescue. A local rescuer realized his only chance was to be set free and she followed him to make sure he had fresh water and decent food. She tried to find someone who could rehabilitate him as she didnʼt have the time or training to re-socialize him.
Susan contacted the rescuer and took him. By now, he was 10 yrs. old, obviously suffering from PTSD, and had entropy in both eyes. (Not to mention heart worms, other parasites.) He needed good care, good food, and people to love him to regain his confidence and trust. Fortunately, we've seen dogs like this before.
With the help of excellent vet care and quality food donations from The Rescue Bank, we were able to restore him to health.
Today, his skin issues are completely healed, he’s heartworm free, and his haircoat has become healthy. For the first time, he has a bed and toys of his own, and a full food bowl that he doesnʼt have to fight for. We had his eyes fixed and now he can see and blink without pain. The scarring on his corneas is also gone and he is a changed dog. He now chooses to sleep in the house. He happily chases the horses along the fence line and even interacts with the other dogs.
Each day, we see more emotional growth. His PTSD will soon be a thing of the past. And Grandpa KNOWS we love him. He KNOWS he is safe and secure. And he is GRATEFUL for what we've done. This is a dog that is aware. All he needed was a chance.