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Patience pays off Left tied to a stop sign, Eve's story is just starting
The puppies were in great condition-- and loved their mom. Their mom, whom staff named Eve, was sweet, and showed a strong preference for women. Based on Eve's condition and behavior, HSHV Cruelty staff suspected Eve had been used as a "bait" dog in a fighting ring. MLive, WXYZ, other news outlets and HSHV called out for any information on the dogs, but received no tips. Eve's puppies were given a clean bill of health, and HSHV found loving homes for them almost immediately. And after several weeks of veterinary care and TLC at HSHV, Eve was ready for adoption. Her scars-- both physical and emotional-- had not quite healed, but her sweet temperament prevailed. For Eve, the search for the right home wasn't immediate. About a month after her arrival at HSHV, Eve was adopted by a wonderful family who had to return her a few days later due to her reaction to men. Eve waited another month in our shelter. She found another another lovely couple with great intentions, but was returned six weeks later when a family member was taken ill. It would take five more months before the Keyes family came to HSHV. "I knew she had been returned," says Vanessa Keyes. "We knew she'd been there a long time, too. And that was important to us. We had a Rotweiler we'd gotten from a rescue, and she'd been returned, too. Sometimes it takes longer than people can give."
"We're glad that we have her," Vanessa says. "I know she loves us." Eve, now named Millie ("We wanted something soft," Vanessa says) is learning about love and trust. She's gradually coming out of her shell. The Keyes family owns an 18-acre property, and though Millie seems to be afraid of sticks-- jumping over them-- Millie is opening up and having fun around squirrels, chipmunks, ducks-- and of course, around the Keyes themselves. "She's my little buddy," Vanessa says. "I work from home, and she follows me everywhere. The first day, she followed me into the bathroom. She didn't want to leave my side." Millie's been slower to warm up to men, and originally wouldn't even look toward Vanessa's husband's face. But now, Millie's heading to his side of the bed to get petted. And Millie recently allowed Vanessa's father to pet her, too. Vanessa believes her kids, ages seven, four and three, have helped Millie open up more. The neighborhood kids are getting to know her, calling her by name and asking to pet her. Millie seems to really like kids. And walks. And running. "She's really fast!" Vanessa says. Like her trio of puppies, for Millie, it seems three time's a charm. "She's getting there; she's really getting there. She's going to have a great life; she just needs to learn to trust us, and know that we're not taking her back. We love her a lot, and we're happy to have her. I cried the day I adopted her." |
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Covered in facial and body scars, a black and white whimpering pit bull was tied with twine to a stop sign. Her three puppies were crying nearby, left in a plastic bin. A good Samaritan found and brought them to HSHV.
It seems Eve's not the only one healing; there's a lot of healing going on in the Keyes household. The family's other beloved dog, an American bulldog, died just recently, and Vanessa's father is battling cancer.