risestar
07-25-2008, 06:55 PM
July 20, 2008
By Donna Vickroy
You'd never know by his shiny coat, his playful demeanor and the way he goes ballistic at the invitation to "walk" that Chuck was once skin and bones and afraid of his own shadow.
Yep, you'd never guess that the fluffy white face that today graces literature on behalf of PetSmart Charities was once gaunt and scared.
Rescued last fall from a hoarder home in Rochelle, the Great Pyrenees has gone from living in overcrowded, food-deprived conditions to a bustling split level in Oak Forest, replete with food, toys and a spacious back yard for running.
Chuck's journey out of oblivion and into a happy home was facilitated by Tails Humane Society in DeKalb. The society rescued all of the dogs, cats and birds from the Rochelle home, some of which had lived practically on top of each other inside the house, with the others struggling to brave the elements outside.
Chuck, aka Pyrenees 91, the name given to him by rescuers, was among the 70 or so outdoor dogs.
Beth Drake, executive director of Tails, said, "The vast majority of the dogs craved human attention."
Shortly after the animals were rescued and veterinary care had been administered, they were placed in foster homes until "forever" homes could be found.
Lucky for Chuck, Sandy and Nick Sempowicz were among the curious who came to an adoption event sponsored by PetSmart in DeKalb soon after the rescue.
Years ago, the Sempowiczes rescued another Great Pyrenees named Stosha from an abusive situation in Michigan. They knew that assimilating a scared, neglected animal into normal family life would take time, energy and lots of love.
Yet, how could they resist when, Grace, the family dog of Chuck's foster parents, came sniffing?
Sandy and Nick had brought Stosha to the adoption event. It wasn't long before Grace sidled up, seemingly giving her approval of the potential adoptive parents.
"It was really strange that their dog seemed to single us out from all of the other people there," said Sandy, who works as a graphic designer for the SouthtownStar. "It was as if their dog was choosing a new family for Chuck."
So they filed the paperwork and escorted Stosha back home, returning the next day, without Stosha, to pick up Chuck, who by that point had been given the name Boo Boo.
The drama of the situation was not lost on PetSmart officials, who learned from Drake that Chuck had assimilated quite easily into his new life.
Sandy told Drake about how, at the beginning, the new pet had been afraid of everything - the garage door opener, the washing machine, etc. He wouldn't venture up the stairs, choosing instead to simply lay with his back to the fireplace so he could keep watch over the rest of the house.
But after a few months, Sandy said, he began to relax and accept that he had a new home and new owners, who believed in regular feeding times, non-stop attention and daily walks.
"Today, he's living the dream," Sandy said. "He's gained weight, he plays with Stosha and he loves to travel in the car."
And he is the poster dog for a PetSmart Charities direct mail campaign, which raises money for more than 3,700 animal welfare groups.
Barbara Fought, manager of emergency grants for PetSmart Charities, said the group only features real rescue animals in its campaign literature.
The grants are aimed at helping with medical care and supplies in cases where 50 or more animals are rescued from a hoarding situation, as well as during large scale disasters.
PetSmart Charities donated $15,000 to Tails Humane Society following the Rochelle case.
The money helps to bring the animals up to speed physically and medically. But the ultimate goal is to find a forever home for all of them.
One thing about Chuck - he still prefers to be indoors, perhaps because he spent so much time outside, Sandy speculates.
But he quickly overcomes his reticence to go outside when someone mentions the word "walk."
By Donna Vickroy
You'd never know by his shiny coat, his playful demeanor and the way he goes ballistic at the invitation to "walk" that Chuck was once skin and bones and afraid of his own shadow.
Yep, you'd never guess that the fluffy white face that today graces literature on behalf of PetSmart Charities was once gaunt and scared.
Rescued last fall from a hoarder home in Rochelle, the Great Pyrenees has gone from living in overcrowded, food-deprived conditions to a bustling split level in Oak Forest, replete with food, toys and a spacious back yard for running.
Chuck's journey out of oblivion and into a happy home was facilitated by Tails Humane Society in DeKalb. The society rescued all of the dogs, cats and birds from the Rochelle home, some of which had lived practically on top of each other inside the house, with the others struggling to brave the elements outside.
Chuck, aka Pyrenees 91, the name given to him by rescuers, was among the 70 or so outdoor dogs.
Beth Drake, executive director of Tails, said, "The vast majority of the dogs craved human attention."
Shortly after the animals were rescued and veterinary care had been administered, they were placed in foster homes until "forever" homes could be found.
Lucky for Chuck, Sandy and Nick Sempowicz were among the curious who came to an adoption event sponsored by PetSmart in DeKalb soon after the rescue.
Years ago, the Sempowiczes rescued another Great Pyrenees named Stosha from an abusive situation in Michigan. They knew that assimilating a scared, neglected animal into normal family life would take time, energy and lots of love.
Yet, how could they resist when, Grace, the family dog of Chuck's foster parents, came sniffing?
Sandy and Nick had brought Stosha to the adoption event. It wasn't long before Grace sidled up, seemingly giving her approval of the potential adoptive parents.
"It was really strange that their dog seemed to single us out from all of the other people there," said Sandy, who works as a graphic designer for the SouthtownStar. "It was as if their dog was choosing a new family for Chuck."
So they filed the paperwork and escorted Stosha back home, returning the next day, without Stosha, to pick up Chuck, who by that point had been given the name Boo Boo.
The drama of the situation was not lost on PetSmart officials, who learned from Drake that Chuck had assimilated quite easily into his new life.
Sandy told Drake about how, at the beginning, the new pet had been afraid of everything - the garage door opener, the washing machine, etc. He wouldn't venture up the stairs, choosing instead to simply lay with his back to the fireplace so he could keep watch over the rest of the house.
But after a few months, Sandy said, he began to relax and accept that he had a new home and new owners, who believed in regular feeding times, non-stop attention and daily walks.
"Today, he's living the dream," Sandy said. "He's gained weight, he plays with Stosha and he loves to travel in the car."
And he is the poster dog for a PetSmart Charities direct mail campaign, which raises money for more than 3,700 animal welfare groups.
Barbara Fought, manager of emergency grants for PetSmart Charities, said the group only features real rescue animals in its campaign literature.
The grants are aimed at helping with medical care and supplies in cases where 50 or more animals are rescued from a hoarding situation, as well as during large scale disasters.
PetSmart Charities donated $15,000 to Tails Humane Society following the Rochelle case.
The money helps to bring the animals up to speed physically and medically. But the ultimate goal is to find a forever home for all of them.
One thing about Chuck - he still prefers to be indoors, perhaps because he spent so much time outside, Sandy speculates.
But he quickly overcomes his reticence to go outside when someone mentions the word "walk."