A chance for Tanner! Tanner, the imprisoned-as-a-pup beautiful 10 month black labbie boy went home with his adopter Ron today. This one took a lot of talk, a lot of input from trainers, and a lot of videos. Ron, a lifelong "labbie guy" from Eastern Oregon had lost his Amos — a lab of a dozen years and while yet grieving, started looking at Tanner. At our shelter, everyone felt for Tanner and could see his big heart trying to learn things he should have learned as a pup. It was amazing to watch the volunteer dog walkers take turns to wrestle, then walk this boy each day; kennel techs figure out strategies to get out of his kennel without being mauled by a panicked boy; our trainers work with him on some obedience basics — just to keep him ready for a hoped-for adopter. The long distance adoption coordinator kept her heart in her pocket while talking with Ron. In the end Ron emailed and said, "I've studied all your videos. I'm a lab guy, I live alone and I have the time; Tanner may need me, but I need him as well. I think I can do this." Tanner and Ron are now, as we write this, traveling together to their Eastern Oregon home. At last report, Tanner was asleep in the backseat. Here is a photo of their leaving; a part of our hearts went with them.
Tanner, the imprisoned-as-a-pup beautiful 10 month black…
