A misspent youth? Or just one wild night? We’ll never know. In any case, a Basenji mix, alone and pregnant, was found wandering the streets of Oak Park. She ended up at Oak Park’s Animal Care League, which placed her in one of its temporary care homes to await delivery.
Christened Coffee by her foster family, she proved to be fearful of almost everybody, and she literally trembled in the presence of men. She slowly became more at ease in her new surroundings and in due time gave birth to eight healthy puppies: Espresso, Mocha, Java, Kona, Sumatra, Cappuccino, Latte and Decaf.
Coffee was an excellent mom, and the eight pups are now in homes of their own. Coffee is still with her foster family, learning that most people are trustworthy and good to animals.
A kennel staff member from the Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin was vacationing in Tennessee recently when she came upon a pack of guard dogs, their owner and Will, a 5-month-old Jack Russell/Australian shepherd mix. The owner said that Will, at only 11 pounds, was too scrawny to be turned into a bad-ass guard dog. So he was going to take Will “out back and shoot him.”
The staffer talked the man into giving her the dog, and she brought him back to the shelter. Some junkyard’s loss will be someone else’s great fortune. Will is mild-mannered, shy and loving. He is currently in foster care, where he is hitting it off with other dogs, cats, kittens and kids.
Leona is a 3-month-old terrier mix who was picked up by police in Ford Heights at the end of May. She had a bruise on her inner thigh–she’s not saying how it happened–but recovered and is awaiting adoption at the South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights. People there say she’s playful and very sweet for a dog so young and small (about 18 pounds).
Some miscreant abandoned Doc at Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin. In the winter. In the middle of the night. Left tied to a Dumpster.
Doc, a black lab mix who is thought to be about 12, had a serious skin condition and problems with broken teeth. The shelter’s veterinary clinic began treating him for his skin conditions and he began improving. But the stress of shelter life was too much for the old boy, and he had a seizure.
A foster family took him in and he thrived in a home environment, where he was everything a pet owner could want–playful and spry (and housebroken).
Last month, a teacher adopted Doc after seeing him at an off-site adoption event; her collie had recently died and she was looking for a walking partner and a dog that would be gentle around her 6-year-old grandson. When last seen, Doc was sitting upright in the back seat of her car, riding off to his new home.
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Events to bring out the animal in you
Saturday, June 24
Westchester: Anti-Cruelty Society adoption event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at McDonald’s, 11110 W. 31st St.
Oak Brook: Anti-Cruelty Society adoption event, 3-5 p.m. at McDonald’s, 720 W. 22nd St. (at Spring Road).
Sunday, June 25
Fox River Grove: Anti-Cruelty Society adoption event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at McDonald’s at 840 Northwest Hwy.
Chicago: PAWS adoption event, noon-4 p.m., Petco, 2000 N. Clybourn Ave.
Barrington: Anti-Cruelty Society adoption event, 3-5 p.m. at McDonald’s, 227 W. Northwest Hwy.
Thursday, June 29
Lombard: Expectant Parents Seminar (getting your pets ready for a new arrival), 7 p.m. at Babies “R” Us, 481 E. Roosevelt Rd. For information contact Anna Lutgen at 630-407-2819 or anna.lutgen@dupageco.org.
Chicago: Canine Cruise to Benefit the Anti-Cruelty Society, 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.; board at southeast corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue Bridge. Cost: $35. For details contact the Anti-Cruelty Society, 312-644-8338.
Wednesday, July 12
Chicago: PAWS Chicago Beach Party, 6 p.m. (rain or shine) at Castaway, North Avenue Beach Boathouse, 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive. Dancing, cocktails, dinner buffet and silent auction. Advance: $125 per person, $50 per dog ($150 and $50 on the day of the event). Call 773-890-5118 or go to www.pawschicago.org.
Saturday, July 15
Chicago: Pet first aid and CPR class, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Anti-Cruelty Society Education and Training Center, 169 W. Grand Ave.; $40. (Cat and dog mannequins will be used; please do not bring your pet to class.) Contact Tammie Bouschor at 312-644-8338, ext. 344.
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Shelters and animal-control facilities may suggest items by e-mailing us at q@tribune.com. Put “Unleashed” in the subject field.
