Rescue Dogs Become An Ambassador
For Canine Rescues
The myth that rescue dogs are broken or second hand quality is exactly that. A myth. Truth is, rescue dogs can be one of the most loyal companions given the patience and understanding. This episode will feature 3 special rescue dogs and their stories of getting out of the shelter and becoming an ambassador for canine rescues.
Our guests today are Joey, the proud forever parent of Mervin the Chihuahua, who's gained quite a following on social media; Courtney who adopted the social media icon Tuna, and lastly we have Lori, forever momma of Beau who was once a special foster dog for me.
BIO:
Mervin the Chihuahua
Mervin the Chihuahua is a 5 year old rescue from the ASPCA in New York City. During his stay at the ASPCA Mervin had both of his knees surgically repaired and all of his teeth removed due to severe dental disease. He was found in East Harlem and was brought into the shelter as an emaciated stray. He was in the shelter for 3 months before he found his forever home and now he is part of a big furry family of rescues. He has a Pomeranian brother named Moose, a Boston Terrier sister who is deaf named Abigail, a Border Collie Mix sister named Minnie, and a cat sister named Lily. Mervin is the smallest member of his family but has a lot of personality. Without any teeth, his tongue always hangs out - which has contributed to his celebrity status!
Tuna the Chiweenie
Tuna is a 5 year-old Chiweenie with an exaggerated overbite, recessed jawline and a magnificent wrinkly neck (a.k.a shrivelneck). He was rescued by Courtney Dasher in December of 2010 at a Farmers Market in LA when he was a four-month old puppy. A year into their friendship, Courtney created an Instagram account dedicated to Tuna’s photos. At the end of 2012, Tuna’s notoriety grew on Instagram when they featured a picture of him on their personal page, unbeknownst to her. He now has over 1.6 million followers on Instagram.
Courtney never anticipated the kind of response that she has received from people’s adoration for Tuna. In fact, when she created his account, she had no agenda to garner a large following, but she did recognize that Instagram could be a catalyst to bring people joy through Tuna’s pictures that showcased his cartoonish looks and his charming personality. That has proven to be true because Courtney receives countless comments and emails daily about the impact that Tuna is making on their lives.
Beau the Shitzu
Beau is a spunky 8 year old Shitzu who has been bounced from numerous homes and has had an abusive history. As a result, Beau did display aggression towards dogs and humans, and also had a difficult time finding a forever home. All within a week, his journey turned from being grim to being spoiled with love with his now forever mom. The same week Beau was to be euthanized, Lori just so happened to be looking for a rescue and the rest is history. Currently, Beau is still in love with Lori and vice versa. Together, they share the mission of helping rescues.