Adoption stories: Spunky takes the ride of her life

PetSmart - Chris Brownlow

Cody’s illness had been sudden. Michelle said she and her family had returned from their vacation and were in the process of picking up Cody from the boarding facility at their veterinarian’s office in Michigan when they received the bad news: Cody had a tumor on his liver and the prognosis wasn’t good. Following their veterinarian’s advice, Michelle said the family decided to have Cody euthanized.

"He was so sick," Michelle said. "We all went (to the veterinarian’s office) to say goodbye."

Meanwhile, at the White River Humane Society in Bedford, Ind., an Australian shepherd mix was facing a grim situation of her own: According to the shelter's staff members, the dog had been abandoned by her family, who had apparently vacated the house. They left her chained to a tree in the backyard. Neighbors who had been feeding her contacted animal control and the dog was taken to a shelter. The staff named her Spunky after her happy-go-lucky and energetic demeanor. Unfortunately, Spunky’s sparkling personality wasn’t enough to win her a forever home, and her time at the shelter was running out.

Back in Michigan, Michelle said she started missing the companionship that only a dog can provide. Her husband and three grown children all had busy schedules. And the family cat, Moose, was 15 and very independent.

"It was lonely," she said. "I’d come home from work and there’d be nobody home to greet me."

Michelle began to rethink her "no more dogs" position. But she didn’t want a puppy or a pedigree; and while she loved Cody, she wanted a dog that was smaller than the 65-pound English setter, but larger than a toy breed – somewhere "in the middle." After talking with her daughter who works at a no-kill animal shelter, Michelle decided to adopt a dog. She started visiting local animal welfare agencies and even attended an adoption event at the Detroit Zoo, but none of the dogs she saw seemed like the right fit for her family.

Meanwhile in Indiana, Spunky was about to embark on the ride of her life. Space at a shelter in Michigan was available and she, along with about 50 other adoptable dogs, were being transported there in the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’. The Rescue Waggin’ moves dogs from crowded shelters to those with available space in other communities where adoptable dogs are in demand, helping to prevent pets from being euthanized. Spunky and the other dogs were getting a second chance to find their forever homes at the Michigan Humane Society Westland-Berman Center for Animal Care.

While Spunky was on the road, Michelle continued her search at local shelters, to no avail. Later, she went online to a pet adoption website, where she spied a certain Australian shepherd mix named Spunky. She was black, white and tan and looked to be medium weight and height. According to the site’s information, Spunky was at the Humane Society Westland-Berman Center. Michelle had visited the shelter before and liked the facility, so she chose a day in May to meet her 19-year-old son, Josh, there. He arrived before she did and already had two dogs picked out for her: a puppy and an Australian shepherd mix named Spunky.

"I took one look at her and said, ‘I saw her online!’ She looked just right," Michelle said.

Spunky’s first night in her new home was a bit bumpy. The family crated her at bedtime, but Spunky was not comfortable with that sleeping arrangement. She banged the crate against the wall until Josh let her out, Michelle said.

In time, Spunky settled into her new home and now knows the routine of the household. She enjoys taking walks, going on car rides, playing ball and snuggling with her favorite toy, a stuffed orca.

She has also found a friend – and a partner in crime – in Moose the cat. Michelle came home from work recently to find one of their "pet projects." One, or both, pets had gotten into her knitting bag.

"I came home and found my yarn wound around the legs of my dining room table," she said. "Spunky was standing on top of the table and Moose on the floor sitting next to it. They both looked pretty pleased with themselves."

You can follow Spunky as she rides the Rescue Waggin’ to her new home in the PetSmart Charities video "Ride of Her Life" at RescueWaggin.org.  

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