It was a cold day in January when Gateway Pet Guardians volunteers stumbled upon a stray dog in an alleyway. She was rail thin, with sores on her legs. They offered her food, and without hesitation, she approached the volunteers. She shivered as she begged for love and affection. This was the start of a new beginning for this dog, later named Joanna.
Joanna was rescued, and went to live with a foster family. Becky Smith and Derik Heidemann saw a picture of her and immediately fell in love. Her cute little pink speckled nose made it impossible to say no! Becky and Derik were excited to be one of the first people to get to know her – to find out who this pup really was.
Healing has been the theme for Joanna over the past month. According to Becky, “Joanna was very thin when she came to us and had some sores on her legs that were red and chapped looking. She’s been with us for about a month now, and those sores have all healed, the fur has grown back in, and it’s hard to see where they even were. When she came to us she also had tapeworms, so she was given medicine to clear that up. She’s slowly been putting on weight and you can definitely see how much healthier she looks now.”
Joanna is very much a puppy, and loves to play. She loves her people, and always wants to be by Becky and Derik’s side. “She’s the youngest and definitely the most affectionate foster we’ve had so far. I can already tell she’s going to be the hardest one to let go!” Joanna’s days are filled with lots of licks and kisses to her favorite people, and she loves to learn new things. Becky’s favorite thing about Joanna is her nightly bedtime ritual. “Joanna has this crazy sigh thing she does just before she falls asleep. It always makes us laugh.”
From the day she was rescued, to the very end–Joanna will continue to beg for love and affection. She is looking for a family to dote on her and call her their own. If you or someone you know can give Joanna the live she so deserves, fill out an application at www.gatewaypets.com/adopt. And if you’d like to make a difference in the lives of dogs like Joanna, please join our foster family! Learn more by visiting www.gatewaypets.com/foster.