Willow may have had a home and an owner. but it didn’t mean that she had a family. Ever since she was still a pup, she was chained and left to her own devices. Sometimes she would get a meal, but most of the time, the dog was starving. Not only did she lack food, but she also did not have love and freedom.
She grew up extremely malnourished, her ribs poking out of her patchy skin. With the lack of nutrients and medical attention, the poor pup became sick and weak. If it weren’t for some kindhearted neighbors, who reported her situation to the authorities, it was likely that she would not have lasted long.
Knocking on death’s door
When Willow arrived at a local shelter in Georgia, she was in terrible shape and the staff feared that she might die soon. But with love and patience, they were able to slowly, yet steadily, nurse the poor pooch back to health. Once she was healthier, she started coming out of her shell.
She showed the staff how loving and affectionate she was. Willow was a very calm dog who enjoyed being cuddled and played with. She got along well with everyone and showed signs of intelligence. It was evident that she would excel if given a task.
Training
The shelter staff got in touch with a rescue group and told them about Willow’s exceptional abilities. The group gladly took the smart pooch from them and placed her in a training program to be a service dog. Her trainers were amazed at how fast she picked up her lessons.
Willow soon graduated with flying colors. She was then placed in a program where service dogs are provided for US veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Willow is now living happily with a serviceman who was deployed and injured in Afghanistan.
Source: Perry’s Promise, Inc. via Facebook