We got a message from Stacy Epperson Volunteer Coordinator with Friends of Bedford County Animal Shelter in Bedford, Virginia asking if Deaf Dogs Rock could help get a deaf and severely matted Aussie into a reputable rescue. I told Stacy our Deaf Dogs Rock community would be happy financially sponsor Ferdinand into rescue but I had to see which rescue had room for him. I reached out to Victoria Corbett with SPEAK for The Unspoken Rescue in Ohio to see if we could except Ferdinand into her rescue. Victoria wanted to make sure he was good with other dogs (so he could go into a foster home with other dogs) so Stacy was kind enough to take the time to perform a behavior test with neutral dog interactions with Ferdinand at the Bedford Shelter to see how he reacts around other dogs. He passed with flying colors! Once he passed his test Victoria said “yes we will take him” and I was beyond thrilled!

 

Ferdinand was so heavily matted that he had to be shaved all the way down to his skin. 

As soon as DDR got a commitment from Victoria with SPEAK and she agreed to take him, I just happened to run into Erin Little  at Angels of Assisi Rescue the other day. Erin sometimes volunteers at Angels of Assisi and on this day she was walking deaf dog Roxy Hart.  Erin mentioned she was driving all the way up to PA for business on 1/11 and asked if we needed help with any of our transports. What timing! I told Erin about the Deaf Aussie at the Bedford Shelter and she agreed to help us out and transport the dog all the way to Parkersburg, WV. This plan worked out perfectly because instead of having several drivers they only needed a total of 3 drivers from Bedford VA all the way to Ohio. Erin drove Ferdinand all to Parkersburg, WV where SPEAK representative Raquel Speakman met her and transported Ferdinand the final leg of his transport to Ohio.

Thanks to Canine Cuts by Lindsey (thank you Nell for doing such a great trim job in Ferdinand), and Susan from Flat Creek Pet Care for giving him a warm place to stay and transporting him to Salem to meet Erin.

 

Ferdinand on transport with Erin Little of Salem, VA.

 

Thanks to Stacy Epperson for reaching out to Deaf Dogs Rock and being Ferdinand’s deaf dog advocate. Thank you to Erin Little for agreeing to drive Ferdinand all the way to WV. A big shout out and thanks to Raquel Speakman and Victoria Corbett for helping Ferdinand get into an amazing rescue. Thanks to Erika Proctor with Green Dogs Unleashed who also got a volunteer to deliver 200 pounds of Natural Choice dog food to Susan before she left Bedford, VA. Susan not only got Ferdinand to Erin in Salem, Virginia but she also delivered  the dog food to Erin to take to SPEAK.  We have an amazing network of Rescue Warrior Women in our tribe!

Thanks to our amazing and supportive Deaf Dogs Rock community for supporting us so we can save ONE Deaf dog at a time just like Ferdinand.

You all ROCK! ~ Christina, Chris, Nitro and Bud – Deaf Dogs Rock