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8/29/09: Adopted!

Gertrude has reached her donation goal which will pay her medical expenses to date. Gertrude has had a new outlook on life and the human race since she has come into rescue and she is grateful for everyone who has helped her along this journey.... an extra big thank you to Andrea B.

08/06/09: An Update from Gertie’s Foster Mom:

"Gertie girl is living the life that a dog is supposed to live. She has taken a lesson from the other boxers and has started sleeping on the recliners or the couch. So the dogs are sleeping on the furniture and the people are sitting on the floor! She still isn't sure that the food and water are always available but she is doing a lot better than a couple of months ago. Our vet says she is in great shape given her age and being a puppy mill dog. She now weighs 61 pounds.

She has started to romp and play with the younger dogs. She can keep up with them for a little bit but then she tuckers out and needs a nap. We heard her bark for the first time the other day. Our daughter was playing with one of the other dogs and Gertie got jealous. So she told her about it. Gertie is also becoming quite the cuddle bug. She is also very patient even with an active 8 year old boy. She still doesn't like thunderstorms and we can add fireworks or any other loud noises to the list. She heads for her cubby-hole until it stops.

We are truly blessed to be a part of Gertie's transformation from a puppy breeding machine to pampered house pet.

I also want to thank Shannon (her first foster mom) for the wonderful job she did taking care of Gertie those first couple of months. Her efforts had allot to do with how far and well Gertie has come in such a short time."

06/17/09: First Report From Gertie’s New Foster Mom:

“I just wanted to give you an update on how Gertie is doing. For only being here a week, she is settling in with the other three boxers nicely. She has decided that our 17 year old daughter is her “mommy” and follows her everywhere. Gertie loves everyone she meets and craves love and attention. She is very gentle. Our senior addition loves to take walks and has started to play with the other girls.

Gertie has managed to find a safe haven. She made herself a cubby-hole between the chair and wall where she sleeps during the day. At night, she sleeps on her beanbag chair in my daughter‘s bedroom. As I am sitting here typing this, her contented snores can be heard above the television.

As for her appetite, she may not have any teeth but she can still crunch dry dog food without any problem. She still thinks she won’t get enough to eat so we have to watch how much food and water she gets otherwise she will keep eating and drinking until the bowls are empty.

Two things she does not like; thunderstorms and wet grass. Not good when it is June in South Central Pennsylvania. She cried and hid under her beanbag until a recent storm passed.

We are making an appointment with the vet to have her spayed in the upcoming weeks. Gertie has come a long way from that first update. She would be a great addition to any family.”

06/10/09: Gertie is in a new foster home, look for updates soon!

04/02/09: Foster Home Needed!

03/16/09: GERTIE IS ENJOYING THE GOOD LIFE EVERY DOG DESERVES

Update from Gertie's Foster Mom:

“Gertie is feeling 110% better! She has gained some weight, and is even getting a bit spunky. Signs of her horrible past life are finally fading away!

Her cough has subsided and she has gotten the hang of our daily routine. She seems happy now, which is a HUGE relief because she was REALLY sad when she first arrived.

She is starting to follow me around, and I am sooooo relieved because the first few days she was here I feared she wasn't going to pull through!

Gertie just wants to be around people. It makes me so sad to think of how lonely her life must have been before coming into our Rescue.

Thank goodness Spring is around the corner because Gertie HATES the snow more than any dog I've ever seen. She flops around like a fish out of water.

Gertie is definitely feeling much more comfortable and has adjusted to living in a home. She even developed a little dance over the past week! Gertrude is finally enjoying life and is happy as a clam.”

2/26/09:

WE CRY AT THE THOUGHT OF GERTIE’S PITIFUL PAST

Below is the first written update from Gertie's foster mom:

"I picked up Gertrude from the animal shelter, and she wasn’t doing that great. Maybe the whole ordeal sent her body into shock. When I first saw her she had a little gray hooded sweatshirt on. My first thoughts were, ‘she is so petite and cute as a button‘.

When I got Gertie home she was scared to death. She walked in the house like it was a foreign land to her. Gertie was so afraid to take a step. We stopped in the living room where I proceeded to take off her sweatshirt to unveil many years of neglect and abuse.

I was shocked at the sight of her frail, malnourished little body. An adult boxer of 10+ years weighing in at only 39lbs. Her nipples and genital area were so distorted there is no telling how many litters of pups she was forced to bear.

Horrified at the thoughts of what this pitiful doggie's life must have been like, all I could do was love her! It is painfully obvious Gertie is not used to having human interaction or touch. Whenever you go to pet her she flinches with fear, uncertain of what is to come.

Gertie needed a bath soooo bad. She smelled horrid and was a big cloud of dust. I gave her a little mild bath and she was more pleased about it than I thought she would be.

Sweet little Gertrude is suffering from a severe case of kennel cough. Luckily, it is not affecting her ability to eat and munch up all the treats she can. She is eating three times a day and snuggling up, but her coughing and sneezing are horrible. When she coughs it puts an extreme amount of strain on her frail little body. She is on two medications as well as cough medicine, and we are making her as cozy and comfy as possible.

Whenever Gertie sees us her tail wags so hard you would think she is going to fly away! She is as sweet as can be! We are making sure she is getting lots of rest, and she is slowly starting to adjust to her unfamiliar surroundings.

We are hopeful that, given some time, Gertie will realize we are just here to love her. We will make sure that the rest of her life will help to erase the memory of her horrific past."

2/22/09:

ANOTHER HORROR STORY - THE TRAGIC REALITY OF PUPPY MILLS

We received an e-mail plea regarding an older female boxer who was rescued from a horrendous puppy mill situation. Officials have been trying to shut this operation down for quite some time without success. Luckily, for some of the dogs, the owner of this puppy mill became ill and was hospitalized. Her daughter finally called the authorities and agreed to let them have the adult dogs. Sadly, she was able to keep all of the puppies.

Most of the dogs were small dogs, but there were also two boxers. Unfortunately, the other boxer was killed because he did not pass the shelter’s behavior evaluation. Three of the small dogs were euthanized for health reasons. An additional two dogs were found dead on the property. All of the dogs were shy and in terrible condition. Gertie was a favorite of the shelter staff because she was so sweet.

When we saw the picture of Gertie , her eyes were pleading with us; we knew we could not leave her to die in the shelter. Her age was estimated to be at least 10 years old. She has no teeth, and has obviously been bred multiple times. She is grossly underweight at 39 pounds. She has not been spayed because the veterinarian at the shelter said it would not be safe. We will make an appointment for Gertie to see our vet as soon as possible. She will receive a much needed medical work-up. Arrangements were immediately made to have her transported to one of our foster homes. More to come when Gertie arrives.

Can you donate to help GERTRUDE?
You can send a check directly to: Northeastern Boxer Rescue
P.O. Box 95 Sunderland MA 01375. or use PayPal

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Boxer Rescue Contact Area:

Northeastern Boxer Rescue

Jane Scott - janescott@boxerrescue.com

Pam Fosco - pam@boxerrescue.com

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