We entered a Bouchard smiling picture to the “I’m Tired of Animal Cruelty” organization.  They sent us an email today, and Bouchard’s picture was one of the selected ones in their youtube video.

This is what Bouchard looked like the day I rescued him from a shelter in central Florida the week of Thanksgiving in 2003.  I wasn’t expecting this.  No one at the shelter mentioned how emaciated he was, and the Dobie rescue transport volunteer who picked him up even asked, “Are you sure this is the right dog?”

Can you believe it?  The shelter neutered him in this condition.  After all he went through, I cannot believe he made it through that.  When I got him, there were physical issues that took some time to get through, and once that was taken care of, he had some personality conflicts that we also had to work through.  He was rejected by two homes after a live-in period didn’t work out.

The second adoptive home I left him at, well, as the front door shut, I heard him body slam himself against it.  That was hard to walk away from.  But he has a bit of piss and vinegar in him, so it didn’t take long for him to be returned.  He has made a fine place for himself at Fort Doberdale, is a special case and always has a place in my heart.

Here he is on bath day.  He likes getting sudsed up and cleaned.  He’s even smiling in this picture.  He’s just glad he’s got a family and a home to call his own.

You can see Bouchard and a host of other pooches smiling in the youtube video below.

Helen