| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
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|
|
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| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those legs, but I doubt it. ;) We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
| Kodi |
| Kodi - the Malberian Shepard (what we affectionately call the wolf-looking mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and German Shepard) - had a life that started off pretty good...he had a home, a yard, 2 other dogs to play with, a car to go on rides in, and some basic obedience training. We don't know what went wrong, but when his original owners decided to pick up and move away, they just left all three dogs in the backyard. They didn't even leave food or water or shelter for them. The neighbors left food and water each night, thinking that the family must be coming back for the dogs at some point, but they soon realized that these 3 beautiful friendly dogs had been abandoned. They wrangled the dogs and took them to the Geauga County Dog Warden's shelter (with food, water, blankies, and a note). The other two dogs were rather quickly adopted. But Kodi's very wolf-like appearance and his large size (he was 80 lbs when we pulled him, and he was skinny then too) acted both as a deterrent and a false lure. Many people assumed he was a wolfdog, but there was nothing wolf like in his behavior. He was a big, sweet, goofy, affectionate boy who had no concept of how big he is, and was in need of a pilot's license for those giant ears. We got a call from the deputy dog warden asking us to take him; he'd been at the kennel for 2 months and was in danger of being euthanized due to overcrowding. We immediately ran out to the shelter and pulled him. Kodi had a rough time adjusting. He didn't ride well in the car (let's just say we learned not to feed him before a car ride) and became so frantic when crated that he injured his own paws. We treated him for his anxiety and worked with him in obedience training. Thanks to his GSD heritage, he was bright and wanted to please, so learning was a quick process. He also acted as a great guard dog and became very protective of Raven. He bonded well with the Husky Havoc Trio, and we think Malkin was just happy to have another big friendly boy in the mix. Kodi was the best of both worlds - looks like a wolf, acts like a dog; plays like a husky, protects like a Shepard. We adored him. So did a family in Cincinnati. With two teenage boys, a few fenced in acres, a couple miniature horses, and a Golden Retriever, it was a perfect match for our Gentle Giant. Kodi took to them immediately, especially to Larry the dad. Last we heard, Kodi was happily romping through the pasture with Charlie the golden and the boys (who can do whatever they like to him and he happily joins in the fun), and making himself comfortable wherever he feels like. Kodi knows he's home. We can't thank Larry and Karen and the boys enough for seeing past Kodi's size to the sweet soul in those brown eyes. We'll always miss him (Raven misses him a lot), and wish him the best. |
| Kodi at the Geauga County Dog Warden's kennel. He was curious and friendly, and in need of a few big meals. |
| This was Raven's favorite photo of Kodi, "helping" us rake leaves just before he went to his forever home near Cinci, OH. |
| Kodi curled up with his best buddy, Charlie, in his forever home. |
| Yes, there is a dog under there. Kodi lives with two wonderful teenage boys. The family told us that the boys could do whatever they wanted to Kodi and he'd happily join in... and this photo is proof. |
| Oh sure, one bathroom for a family of four, and the dog takes it over! |
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Nelson
Kodi
| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Lily |
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| A very sick Lily huddles under blankets on the way to our foster home from the Cuyahoga County Kennel in November 2007. |
| A happy, healthy Lily when she came back to visit us a couple months after being adopted in April 2008. |
| Lily was about a year old when we found her at the Cuyahoga County Kennel in late November 2007. A gorgeous blue eyed Siberian Husky with an unusual coat color known as Isabella White (a soft cream color), Lily and another white female Sibe had been found wandering as strays in North Royalton, OH. Both were picked up by the dog warden and put up for adoption at the county kennel. But surprisingly, no one was interested in adopting them despite several people wanting to meet them. It became clear to us that no one wanted to be "the bad guy" and split these beauties up. But for the sake of both, someone had to do it. We went on gut instinct and pulled Lily (we found out soon after that her buddy had been adopted just two days later). But both girls were very very sick. Lily was severely anemic due to the most stubborn flea infestation I've seen yet; she had also lost a lot of blood during her spay at the shelter. On top of this, she also had roundworms and giardiasis. Lots of antibiotics were in store for her. At first, she didn't want to do anything, not even eat. She would just huddle next to us, covered up in blankets that we'd heat up first in the dryer. She just couldn't stop shivering. And she was lonely without her buddy, especially since we couldn't integrate her with our pack until she was healthy. Slowly but surely, she started gaining strength. The fleas and worms cleared up, but the giardia problem lingered. She had to go on a special medication plus probiotic supplements in her food to keep her intestinal tract working properly. It took 3 months of constant medical care to get her healthy again, but Lily came back with a bang. Lilikins, as we affectionately called her, was a quintessential Siberian. Playful, mischievous, vocal, loving, adaptable, and adventurous, she was up for anything as long as the whole pack was involved. She and our Paikea became BFFs in no time. Lily eventually even became healthy enough to train in harness on our sled team. She has a good knack for being a lead dog: highly responsive and fearless, with a strong drive to just run, run, run. Meanwhile, we were getting a slew of interest in her but nothing was "clicking" as The Perfect Family. So Lily did what Lily does best: decide for herself, thank you very much. Lily found her own family, in perfectly Siberian style. Lily was playing out in the yard one day in April 2008 when she snapped her collar and took off running into the woods, along the winding road with poor visibility, towards the metropark. After the immediate heart attack, and frantically trying to get her attention and chasing after her, we lost sight of our little polar bear girl. We called the police, the county animal shelters, and the park rangers to be on the lookout for a white husky. We called our neighbors, who all put their dogs outside to play; they knew Lily, they knew that if she saw a game going on, she'd run right over and join in. And we (and my mom, HHRRT's first volunteer) hit the pavement. Just at that moment, a Good Samaritan named Patrick was driving along that winding road to take his daughter to her equestrian lesson when he saw a white husky darting dangerously in and out of traffic. He jumped out of his truck to try to at least convince the dog to run away from the road and back into the woods. But Lily already knew that she'd found what she was looking for and hopped right into his truck instead. Typical Lily. :) A somewhat bemused Patrick stopped at a few houses on the way to the barn but didn't find her home, so she went with them to the barn for the lesson. Lily stood in awe of the horses and made friends with everyone she could, human, canine, or feline. But mostly, she made friends with Patrick and his daughter. They were going door to door on their way back home from the lesson when they saw my poor frazzled mother, standing with a loose leash in her hand, looking utterly forlorn. It was immediately obvious where Lily had come from. Lily, in typical Lily style, ran right back to us (dragging her new friends along the way) as if all was well. To her, this was just the coolest adventure ever. At that point, I was reminded why Nature made Siberian Huskies so beautiful - it's so we don't throttle them when they pull these kinds of stunts. One look at her pretty smiling face and those bright blue eyes, and all I cared about was that she was found and safe. We mentioned that she was a foster dog in our rescue during the course of conversation. A few days later, Patrick stopped at our house and asked if she was still available for adoption. It's not that he and his family were looking for a second dog. But Lily had found them, and well, they just wanted Lily. Lily now lives nearby, with Patrick, Anne, and their two beautiful teenage daughters. She has a dog buddy in Molly, the Kerry Blue Terrier, and even gets along well with their two cats Jellybean and Zachary. She has a fenced yard in play in, lots of love, and still gets to go play at the barn. Lily doesn't sweat the small stuff; she knows that life was designed for playtime. She spent a week staying with us this summer and her vivacious spirit is as infectious as it ever was. She particularly hit it off with foster Vivian; they became known as the White Tornadoes. While I'm fairly certain that if another Husky Havoc dog tries to imitate her example, I will have a brain embolism of some sort, I can't help but chuckle and smile when I think of how it all turned out. Thank you, Patrick and Anne, for being the kind of people who will stop in the middle of traffic to help a strange dog, who will keep on going when that dog jumps into your car, who would want to adopt a dog that technically caused you a fair bit of chaos already. I can't imagine Lily in any home but yours...but she's always welcome to come back and visit us. :) |
| From left: Neenah, Paikea, and Lily... digging more Siberian Landmines in the yard as Malkin watches from behind the rock. |
| Poor Lils on the way to yet another vet appointment in late 2007. Good thing she was so tolerant of being handled, poked, prodded, and pilled. |
| The White Tornadoes in action. Lily behind and Vivian in front. I don't think those two stopped playing the entire week Lils came to visit. Viv was utterly morose for several days after Lily went back home to her family. |
| The White Tornado Smackdown Silent movie of Lily & Viv having one of their innumerable wrestling matches on the couch. I don't think Malkin was taking his Ref job too seriously, do you? |