What’s Under All That Hair?
Rescued dogs get makeovers
By Kelli Ohrtman: Best Friends StaffBecause we are primarily bald, humans can probably never really understand what it’s like to have matted, chunky hair pulling at our skin. Thankfully, most of the dogs we brought north from a commercial breeder in Virginia are short haired, or have the type of hair that doesn’t get matted easily. But some weren’t so lucky.
Right: Rags before. Rags, a black miniature poodle, had hair matted like a big, thick Brillo pad on her back—so badly that the clump was pulling at her skin. She smelled like a porta-potty. That’s no way to start a new life as a pet instead of a breeding dog in a cage. Thank goodness Pets Alive has a groomer on staff!
Chea, who also takes care of the large animals at Pets Alive, got to work on Rags to help her feel as beautiful and special as we see her. The Brillo pad came off in one big clump, and when Chea was done, Rags looked like a poodle again. She’s still shy, but with the extra attention she’s getting, we hope she’ll soon feel as good as she looks.
Oreo’s haircut. Another little one on the emergency grooming list was Oreo, a Shih Tzu whose tongue hangs out all the time. His white coat was stained yellow, and his belly was matted with cotton ball-sized clumps. When Chea got done with him, his tongue still hung out like a little Pez dispenser, but now his coat gleams white, and his body is covered with a short, velvety coat.
Since his bath and haircut, Oreo is like a different dog. Now when someone comes up to his run, he starts to quiver with excitement and his little pink tongue gets going. He lives to lick fingers!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATE Now that these dogs and puppies are in our care, we want to give them the best life we can. They deserve nothing less. Your donations are deeply appreciated.
NOT A NETWORK MEMBER?Join the Best Friends Network - the largest grassroots online community for pet lovers -- IT'S FREE. We'll keep you updated on this campaign and let you know how you can make a difference to animals in your neighborhood and around the world. Plus, you can connect with other people who care about animals.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE NETWORK.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PUPPY MILLSPuppy Mill Frequently Asked QuestionsCommon statistics and general information about puppy mills.
=====================================================
