Squee's Story

Here is the story thus far: About five weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a good friend and fellow animal rescuer, asking if I might consider fostering an American Eskimo Dog coming out of a puppy mill in Missouri. She was six weeks old at the time and had been born with two deformed front legs. Now, my plate was already rather full with classes, running a chapter of Italian Greyhound Rescue, my own canine swam and a foster dog staying with me who had come from a hoarder in Indiana and was just learning to enjoy the company of people. But, puppy mill dogs are hard for me to turn away because a) if they can't get pulled they'll be euthanized and b) I have a very big soft spot for "underdogs" with medical issues. Also, my friend, knowing a picture was worth a thousand words, sent me these:

As you can see from these pictures, besides the ridiculous level of cute, there is something not quite right, here. Both her front legs are malformed, one tucked up like chicken wing and the other making the shape of an L rather than growing straight, as a normal front leg should do.

Naturally my first thought was EEEE, A POLAR BEAR! and I was in. Forwarding the images and story to my long-suffering husband, his e-mailed reply was EEEE POLAR BEAR BABY!, so we were in good shape. The next challenge was to get this little Eskie gal from Missouri to Ohio, where I live. The miller wasn't willing to release her for a few more weeks, so the friend who originally contacted me about her began to make preparations to get her traveling. Five weeks later, she was on a plane with a wonderful volunteer who agreed to travel with her to Pittsburgh, where my friend would meet her. The pup had grown quite a bit by then, and looked less like a polar bear and more like a baby wolf.

My husband and I drove to Youngstown, OH on Saturday, October 4th where my friend and her family met us with the Eskie. She was a bright, vivacious little thing who hobbled around on her back legs and her stronger front leg, using the side of her little L-shaped arm to propel her along. She has settled in well in Ohio at Chez Crazy. This blog will follow her progress as we find out what help can be offered to increase her mobility. As for her name, well, it was suggested to me after someone pointed out that 'EEEEEE' was pretty much everybody's reaction upon seeing her. So, Squee it was!