Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
What can we say, other than have a tissue close by for this beautiful girl's story. Let us start by saying this 8 year old girl named Lassie was loved, and with a heavy heart she was surrendered over to rescue out of love and not for convenience. Her story begins in a single home where her people were unable to have children and she became the pride of lady of the household. Understanding the bond Lassie had with her people, they were of a community that is not welcoming to animals in their home, nor the regular traditional lifestyle of most. Lassie made her life living under the stoop of the house in a state considerably warmer than Minnesota and tending to the daily chores with her people in rural setting all the while being the wife's sidekick and enjoyment to allow some motherly instincts to share with her fur child. When Lassie's lady owner fell ill, the couple was banished from their community simply because her loving husband wanted to seek medical care outside of the community for his wife. He went against tradition, and upon seeking this care, the wife was diagnosed with an end stage cancer. News that no family wants to endure. They then travelled north to Minnesota bringing Lassie with them where they stayed with friends/relatives until the medical condition continued its path and worsened. They were asked to leave as it was too much for the others to endure and watch. They were offered to return back to their relatives here in Minnesota but they were not allowed to bring Lassie back since they already had pets of their own. The expectation was for the husband to take Lassie out to the field where nobody would witness a last moment with the dog, to dispose of her, and to bury her. There is no need to explain how, because it didn't happen. The husband couldn't do this to his wife's fur child and the love that she had for this dog regardless of her condition of no longer communicating as the cancer is spreading. This older couple had made friends outside of their community when they lived in the warmer state and the husband was communicating via traditional mail of the situation and their tear felt decisions they had to make with the forks of life in the way. It was because of this beautiful friendship, the loving couple outside of the community began taking the burden away searching for rescues for Lassie. Some rescues were full, but then the call came in here at NWMNAR, and the story was relayed. There was no hesitation, room was made regardless, Lassie had a place to go. The worry put aside in the husband's mind to no longer have to do the unthinkable and the guilt he would have felt towards his wife, especially considering her condition and peace could be felt by all. The friendly couple drove up to Minnesota to retrieve Lassie and speak with their friend, and delivered Lassie to the rescue late October where she now resides and is looking for that special person who has the heart to open to her and embrace her as well. She arrived with a simple surrendered signature of a loving husband whom let go of a dog that meant so much to his wife and was a part of their family and had the courage to stand up for his wife against all beliefs of his community and to do what was right for their fur child and give her a chance to be someone else's pride and joy. He too, will have to find a new place to go when his wife passes, and we hope and pray this will help comfort him. We wish for Lassie as well to have a home where there is someone to keep her warm and tell her it's all going to be ok, when her world was just as much tipped upside down as her people, where life changes in an instant and we are never the same again. It's a moment to reflect back at the sacrifices some people have to make. While often times in rescue we assume the worst, when sometimes we just need to sit, listen to the story, wear their shoes for a moment, open our hearts and realize, sometimes we all need to come together and help in any way we can. We hope and pray for peace for this husband and his wife. And we are grateful to their friends whom so willing stopped their lives to find this fur child a place to go. Our hearts are overwhelmed and wish for peace for all.
Fine Print: All dogs of NWMNAR are screened at the headquarters in Ada, Mn until they are vetted. They are then transferred to foster homes throughout MN and some into ND so they can get used to lifestyles with a family in a home. Adoption fee for an adult dog is $300 + Mn tax. Adoption fee for a dog over 3 years of age is $300 + Mn tax., pup/dog1 year to 3 years is $400 + Mn tax. Under 1 year of age $500 + Mn tax.
Free adoption applications can be found on our website at: https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/NMA/Dog.
Because NWMNAR is not a public shelter, meet and greets do not take place until an application has been approved and a home visit has been completed in person or virtually. Meet and greets will take place in a public setting along with the adoption if compatible. Dogs can be met in Ada, MN weekday and weekends, or in our alternate office location in Maple Grove, MN on weekends only.
Once we receive your submission, our application review team will be in touch with you. Please have patience while they look over your application.
