Q: How has Skelly changed your life and how is he fitting into his new home?
A: From the moment I picked up Skelly to foster him, I knew it was going to be difficult to resist adopting him. He immediately made himself at home by checking out all the toys in the toy basket and crawling onto the couch and into my lap. I had never met such a snuggly dog before and he wiggled into my heart right away.
Skelly fits in pretty seamlessly with my life. He loves to lounge around in the backyard while I’m gardening, and sometimes helps with digging. He is eager to go on adventures in the car and happily checks out new walking trails. When my friends come to hang out on my deck, he welcomes everyone with kisses, tail wags, and tries to get in the hammock with them. He has helped me get back into a regular walking routine and he definitely doesn’t let me try to skip a day!
We started doing some dog manners training and he is such an eager student. The training skills have already helped him learn how to get into my bicycle trailer and he handled his first ride with confidence and ease. It’s like he was born ready to go for bike rides.
When it’s time to settle into the couch for a movie or computer work, he insists on being right there next to me for maximum snuggling. Some days, I can’t remember what my life was like before having him around. Even though I’m a “foster fail,” this was the best thing I can think of to fail at.
Q: How has the DAS heartworm treatment program helped you care for Skelly?
A: The free DAS heartworm treatment was the primary reason I was able to proceed with adopting Skelly. When I learned he was heartworm positive, I was pretty crestfallen. I’ve dealt with heartworm before with a previous dog and I know how expensive the treatment is. I knew that paying for heartworm treatment wouldn’t be feasible for me.
When the DAS staff informed me that the treatment was free, I was so relieved. Heartworm treatment is both an emotional and financial burden and having the financial weight lifted was just what I needed. The medical staff at DAS were so kind and helpful throughout the process. They provided me lots of clear instructions on how to manage the low-activity recovery periods. I felt confident Skelly was getting the best care because the medical staff have a lot of experience with this treatment.
Since going through the heartworm treatment with DAS, I tell everyone and anyone about the free treatment. I know a lot of people shy away from adopting a heartworm positive dog, but those dogs have potential to be awesome buddies just like Skelly. Offering free heartworm treatment is one of the best things DAS does to help get these deserving pups into welcoming homes. I do my best to spread the word and Skelly is great proof that the program is worth it.