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Jenny was an owner surrender due to "wanted her to have a better life than the backyard". We are grateful the family made that decision.

Jenny came to me because she has congenital mega esophagus (esophagus lacks motility) and I have a little experience with that. I took her with me to Jody 's for our weekly Saturday bath day and crated her in the driveway as we worked so she could see we were all kind to the dogs.

She shook like a leaf, she was petrified on the ride home and she had obviously not been in the house before. I had to drag her in, fighting me the whole time and peeing on herself - Jenny did not know how to walk on floors. To me her megaesophagus was the least of her worries. Jenny had no confidence. Her vet records said she was "unsocialized and timid". I fed her the way her original family had because she seemed healthy and seemed to know how to eat. Usually you feed them slurry in a raised position but Jenny had it figured out how to eat dry food off the ground. So that's what we did.

Unfortunately underneath her healthy appearance she was positive for lymes disease and heartworm - so we were in it for the long haul. We also discovered that Jenny did not like to be left, even with 4 other dogs. She would pant and pace and scratch at the door. And even though she was housebroken easily she has urine leak( very common and easily controlled by drugs). Personality wise Jenny was depressed, I guess she missed her home. She was afraid to do ANYTHING.

We started saying our kitchen rug was "Jenny's magic carpet". She would stay where ever I put her. I had to leash her and drag her to get her to move, inside, outside, to the bedroom, out on the deck - and of course she would pee herself out of fright. We practiced going in and out the door. The thing that saved Jenny was going for a walk, she loved it. She was gentle on the leash and became so relaxed on our walks. We treated her Lymes and heartworm and since she was such a gentle girl I could take her for drives during her treatment. She began to love the car rides, something that had earlier scared her so. Near the end of her treatment she began to play with toys and balls( she had obviously been a ball freak before). We did more walks and she began to blossom. She is the gentlest and sweetest of dogs. And she loved me. She felt safe and loved.

When I took Jenny to her first Petco Adoption event, she spent the whole time looking for me and when anyone would come near her she would cower. How am I going to find this dog a home and will I be able to let her go? I had fallen for Jenny's' sweetness. She could stay forever. But in my heart, because I have my 4 dogs, I felt Jenny deserved her very own mom. I also felt that she would love some kids to play with. I had 1 family come to see her and I knew right away they were not the ones. A family that I had placed a dog with years ago, a family that I thought would be perfect just happened to call and tell me Truly had passed away, I offered them Jen and they chose to wait. Then I got a call from Lori. She was very interested and would like to come meet Jenny. Of course my defenses went up and I vowed to put this family to the test before I would let her go.

Lori and her kids came to the door and  the first test they passed was going right to the floor to be with the dogs. The second test.... Lori was respectful to her children and they were respectful back to her. All 3 were very gentle and kind people. Wow could this be it. They adored Jenny and I showed her how she eats and drinks (which isn't very pretty) and Lori felt she could deal with it and possibly improve her technique. Wow.

They had to go home and talk about it to dad. They wanted to look at some other dogs. I met them at the next Petco Adoption day, scared that they might take my Jin Jen. Through the crowd and commotion I could see dad saying to me "we want Jenny, we want Jenny". Of course I cried and Lori cried and I got to meet the whole family. Jenny's grand parents have become adoptive parents of their own and are now active Homeward Bound volunteers (your Homeward Bound golden was probably bathed by them).

I am the luckiest foster mom. My Jenny has become Lori's' Jenny and Lori has become my friend. I still get to see Jenny and we all go running together. Jenny could not have gotten a better home anywhere. She adores her human kids more than anything and looks to her mom with confidence and love. She has been in obedience school and is now a therapy dog. She was our Kibble & Bids 2002 poster girl! Her mom is so proud of her. This discarded little girl has touched so many lives and brought together so many friends.

Thanks to Mike and Jody for putting together an organization that allows us to find these friends and love these dogs and make lives better. And Thank You to Lori, Donavan, Tyler and Katie for being Jenny's family.

7495 Natomas Road, Elverta CA  95626  |  TEL  916-655-1410  |  FAX  916-655-3410   |  Tax ID #68-0442702