Brave Pup Earns Her Confidence

It takes a village. At Baypath, we know we are stronger together. Look no further than the story of Susan, a shy dog saved from the South Korean dog meat industry.

Read on about the impact our skilled staff, dedicated volunteers and compassionate adopters had on Susan – and the impact this special girl had on each of them!

I began working with Susan from the beginning, respecting her space and giving her time to adjust at her own pace. When she arrived at the shelter, staff really couldn’t touch her because she was so skittish. I started earning her trust with the help of high-value treats like chicken and cheese. After working with her for a while, she would get excited to see me, come into my lap and nudge me for more pets! I also worked with Susan on-leash, helping her get used to walking.

Susan found comfort being around other dogs, especially her pal Benny. A gentle soul, she was extra sensitive to noises like ceiling fans, so staff would make sure to turn them off to alleviate any unnecessary stress. It was so rewarding to see how friendly and brave Susan became compared to when she first came to Baypath. I’m so proud of how far she’s come! I am SO thankful to Susan’s lovely adopters for giving her a great home!

 

-Rachel Gallagher, Animal Care Associate & Adoption Counselor

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I love Baypath and try to volunteer once a week with the dogs. As the owner of a local animal care business, Everything But Elephants, I wanted to give back to this organization I love so much in an additional way. I reached out to Outreach Coordinator Kathy Lundgren about sponsoring the adoption fee for one of the harder-to-place dogs at the shelter.

Kathy introduced me to Susan, a sweet, shy pup originally from South Korea, who had been at the shelter since July. Staff suggested Susan may be the perfect pup to sponsor in order to give her a leg up in the adoption process, and I wholeheartedly agreed! I decided to offer $300 worth of services such as dog walking, pet sitting or enrichment visits to Susan’s lucky adopters, as well as a curated selection of dog toys!

Over the course of several months, I was able to get to know this precious girl during my volunteer shifts, watching her flourish and grow, which was so rewarding. During my first visit, Susan consistently paced and avoided coming close to me, even though I offered her high-value treats. On my last visit before she was adopted, Susan was sitting right next to me, accepting ear scratches and playing with her best buddy Benny – it was so amazing to see! After she was adopted, I was fortunate to be able to see her in her forever home, with a new family who seem absolutely perfect. I’m really looking forward to working with this sweet girl again!

 

-Caitlin Jaisle, Shelter Volunteer

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We gave Susan the new name “Hana,” which means “flower” in Japanese. “Hana” also means the number one in Korean, so we joke that our older dog is finally promoted to manager now and has his first employee! 

Hana was anxious the first two days we had her home, and wanted to stay outside in the fenced yard and have her meals there. Although she still prefers nature, she has started to show more curiosity toward us and things inside the house. She is visibly more relaxed whenever our older dog is in sight, and is now more willing to come inside when we pick up her leash and can settle down faster. She has made herself comfortable in one of our beds and can sleep through most of the night.

Hana still hasn’t fully grasped how to use the doggy door, but she is making progress. At first, we had to lift the flap to let her jump through, but today she managed to put one foot across the threshold first before the jump! Hana picked up one of our other dog’s favorite pastimes, which is chewing thin wood sticks while sunbathing in the grassy yard. We love seeing how she is beginning to find small pleasures in her new environment.

Not only do we adore Susan, but she’s growing her Facebook fan base among our friends and family here and all the way in Taiwan! We are so appreciative of the staff, volunteers and Caitlin for her kind support and generous sponsorship. 

-Sandra Liu, Susan’s Adopter