Helping one dog at a time (5 photos)

Remi the dog took almost a year to get adopted, making an appearance in TBNewswatch.com's “Adopt Me” section twice.

Kim Tamminen, who runs the dog rescue Paws For Love, says Remi was a young feral dog when he came into care. She fostered him for nine or 10 months before Gerri Ellsworth took an interest in him.

“I always saw his picture go by, and they kept saying, there’s gotta be somebody out there for him,” she recalls. She had recently lost one of her two dogs, and she thought Stella, her remaining dog, seemed lonely. “I kept seeing his picture go by. I think when you’re a dog lover you gravitate to those animals.” Eventually, Ellsworth contacted Tamminen, and the process of adoption began.

While puppies can be adopted quickly, for adult dogs, the process takes much longer, including a two-week trial to ensure a good fit. Playful and cute, puppies usually get adopted quickly, but Ellsworth wanted a mature dog. “Older dogs are far easier to train. You don’t realize the energy that goes into training a puppy. House training, chewing, they’re a handful.”

“Also, adult dogs, they have more of a realization that they have been given a second chance. Especially if they came from hard luck circumstances, if it’s a good home, they know it, they really do,” she says.

Remi has come with some luggage. He is fearful of people, particularly large men, but even with Ellsworth, it took time to gain Remi’s trust. When Ellsworth first visited Remi at Tamminen’s home, he stayed in the kitchen and barked at her.

Remi was adopted in late 2018, and is happy in his new home. He will never be the kind of dog that wags its tail and greets visitors at the door, but that’s fine, Ellsworth says. “It’s just the way he is. He’s probably had bad experiences.” He has gained some weight and his coat has become nice and shiny. He gets plenty of exercise every day and is more relaxed.

“One day, when I had had him for a couple of weeks, I took Stella to get groomed. You gotta realize, you have a dog, they can do damage. I left him at home alone and he freaked out. He damaged the door, almost chewed his way out. But those things are materialistic, you know. I made the mistake [of leaving him alone at home]. He never does anything when Stella is here. It’s my fault. To me, a door or furniture are things that can be replaced.”

Paws for Love became a registered charity in early 2018. They rely on a network of over 70 fosters, who take in the puppies or dogs and care for them until they are adopted. While the vast majority are unwanted puppies and surrendered dogs, Tamminen takes in the occasional feral dog when she can.

“It takes a special home and person to do it,” she explains. Ferals are determined escape artists, and even fences and leashes will fail to contain them at some point. They also take a long time to get adopted. “It’s easier adopting out a three-legged dog than a feral,” Tamminen says.

In addition to facilitating adoptions, Paws for Love helps dog owners in the region, particularly those in remote communities with no access to vet care. Donations of crates, puppy pads, and big dog collars are always welcome, she says.