Erika Proctor is the founder of Green Dogs Unleashed Rescue in Troy, Virginia. In the past twelve years Deaf Dogs Rock has had the pleasure of working directly with Erika and her amazing rescue organization by working together to rescue one deaf dog at a time (sometimes they come in multiples). What I have found over the past few years is Erika is the true sense of the meaning of a “Rescue Warrior woman”. I swear this girl never sleeps (she is seriously like the energizer bunny)! The minute I send her a deaf dog in need of help, she gets right back to me with a rescue plan.
Erika has a dedicated team of volunteers who foster rescue dogs, transport rescue dogs, take obedience/therapy dog classes with the rescue dogs, and they work special events to support GDU rescue. Green Dogs Unleashed has a dedicated tribe of hard working rescue warriors which makes GDU one of the most knowledgeable rescues when it comes to rescuing, training, and getting special needs dogs adopted into the right homes. Many of Erika’s rescue dogs go through their Therapy Dog Program and go on to have a successful Therapy Dog careers.
How did Green Dogs Unleashed story begin for Erika? It just takes a very special dog.
It all started seven years ago when Erika watched a truck drive down her road near her home. As she watched the truck drive by she witnessed the driver of the truck throw a little white ball of fur out of the truck. When she ran down her driveway to see what was thrown out of the truck, she discovered a beautiful white Great Dane puppy lying in her driveway. When Erika discovered the a live Dane puppy she rushed the puppy to a local veterinarian who confirmed her belief that the puppy was deaf and blind. The veterinarian then advised Erika to euthanize the puppy because the Vet believed the dog would become aggressive with time. There was no way Erika was going to put this blessing to sleep. Erika decided she would keep the puppy and she named the Dane pup Serendipidy. Since that day she has showed the world just how loving a deaf and blind dog can be. Through patience, positive reinforcement training, socialization, and lots of love, Serendipidy is a happy and healthy dog.
Being a Rescue Warrior usually starts with one very special dog like Erika’s Great Dane Serendipity. It only takes one special dog to find a purpose in life and Serendipity was that dog for Erika Proctor.
Green Dogs Unleashed became a tax-exempt non profit rescue organization last year. GDU is committed to rescuing animals in need, rehabilitating them and professionally training them to become Therapy dogs and then placing them in homes to give back to the community. Their GDU team focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation and training of special needs animals to work with special needs humans. All their animals are currently trained and rehabilitated at Unleashed Canine Training Academy, in Troy, Virginia.
We here at Deaf Dogs Rock are proud to work with such a strong rescue warriors such as Erika Proctor and her Green Dogs Unleashed Team.
~ Chris and Christina Lee – Deaf Dogs Rock
