Human: Becky Johnston
Canine: Ginny
Location: Parkersburg WV Puppy Mill Rescue
Type: Jack Russell Terrier
Our Story:
August 2008, HSUS, Best Friends, and Parkersburg, WV, Humane Society conducted a raid on a puppy mill operation. Nearly 1000 small breed dogs and puppies were rescued over a 24 hour period. I was one of the volunteers working to get these dogs into temporary shelter. My job was to remove dogs from the transport crates and assess ones that needed immediate vet care as well as assign new temporary crate numbers and document each animal.
Probably my 100th crate contained 3 Jack Russells, two of which were bouncing, yapping, typical Jacks. In the back of the crate was this ball of yellowed long hair dust mop. The dog was shaking like a leaf and I told my co-worker to be prepared. This dog was terrified and could possibly be the one that would bite out of fear.
As the door was opened, out lunged the little smelly ball of fur onto my shoulder. There she clung to me as if her life depended on it. Promptly peed down the front of me and whimpered in my ear. I hugged her, waiting for the bite that never came. She had found her forever mom and wasn’t letting go. I stroked her and cuddled her and she seemed to know that she was finally safe.
At the end of our week long care of the 1000 dogs, this little gal went home with me. Now, 1 1/2 yrs later, she is the most loved member of my home. No longer a dirty mess, no longer fearful of everything, and the top graduate of her obedience class, Ginny is my little shadow. I am still the one she claims as her human. My husband says she knows that I would protect her with my life. In all my 50 plus years, I have never had a dog I love so much or that has loved me like Ginny. Since her adoption, we have also adopted another Jack that had been abused. Both dogs are now well adjusted, happy and our special 4-legged fur babies.
