Wanted: An experienced horse person to bond with Beauty.
She’s a 7-year-old seal bay thoroughbred mare who was impounded by the Illinois Department of Agriculture in June 2002. Beauty was taken to the Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock with a colt at her side, along with another mare and filly. The young horses were easy to handle because rescuers got to them early. But the mares–they reportedly had been chased by kids on ATVs and had firecrackers thrown at them–were another story.
When they came to the society, they were suffering from cuts and almost totally feral. All the horses have been adopted except Beauty, who still has physical and psychological scars. She had four months of special training, which helped, but she has not been totally rehabilitated and needs to be adopted by someone who can work with her on a daily basis and gain her trust. She won’t let anyone ride her, and she recently punctured a leg and had to have surgery, then underwent a month of rehab.
All the attention has made her a little more trusting, but she still has a long way to go. A new home with the right person would be a start. The Hooved Animal Humane Society can be reached at 815-337-5563 or hahs.org.
If Lucky could only type–that’s an issue when you don’t have opposable thumbs–his autobiography would be amazing. The chihuahua mix was plucked from the flood waters of Katrina, but his rescuer died shortly after returning to the Chicago area. A friend of hers took Lucky in but later realized he was in no position to have a pet, so he tried to give Lucky away.
Instead of posting an ad on the bulletin board at Jewel–maybe he didn’t have a pencil to fill out a card–he walked into a pizza joint and asked if any of the customers wanted a dog. Luckily for Lucky, one of the patrons was the mother-in-law of the director of Oak Park’s Animal Care League. That’s where Lucky ended up, though just briefly. He was quickly adopted.
No one, not even a dog, should spend Thanksgiving abandoned in an empty building.
Buddy, a German shepherd-beagle mix about 11 years old, was found right before the holiday, left in the cold on the third story of a high-rise under construction in Chicago. He had been on his own for a long time, judging from his emaciated condition.
Fortunately, some construction workers befriended him and fed him. Then Rover Rescue of North Aurora was alerted. The organization took Buddy to a vet (it was found that he had a slight heart murmur, so minor it doesn’t need treatment) and placed him in a foster home.
The old boy–pretty chipper and friendly–is still there, waiting for a permanent home. Prospective adoptive families who want to meet Buddy are asked to call his foster family at 630-750-1123.
We’re not sure how Vinnie, an 8-month-old gray tabby, hurt his leg. But it was deformed and badly infected, and the veterinary staff at the Anti-Cruelty Society determined that the leg had to go.
While Vinnie was recovering, a volunteer working her first day in patient care saw him. The bond was immediate. She adopted Vinnie, who now lives with her and keeps up with her two other cats, despite being short a leg.
Events for pets and their people
Sunday, Aug. 20
Oak Lawn: Preregistration deadline for the Animal Welfare League’s Hogs for Dogs Poker Run fundraiser. The event begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 27, and the first motorcycle departs Oak Lawn Harley, 11040 S. Cicero Ave., at noon. (On-site registration also available.) For more information call 708-636-8586, ext. 227, or go to www.animalwelfareleague.com/forms/hogsfordogs06.pdf.
Sunday, Aug. 27
Chicago: Angels With Tails, Adoptions on Armitage. Chicago-area shelters and rescue agencies will feature dogs, cats, puppies and kittens for adoption; noon to 5 p.m. on Armitage Avenue between Halsted Street and Kenmore Avenue.
Monday, Aug. 28
Chicago: Sit Stay Spa fundraiser to benefit the Sit! Stay! Read! reading program (sitstayread.org); 4 to 9 p.m. at Spa Soak, 1733 N. Milwaukee Ave. Ticket price ($50) includes choice of deluxe spa manicure, customized mini-facial, body glow or head, neck and shoulder massage. Also, hair or makeup consultations, appetizers, a juice bar and a goodie bag. Call 773-395-9000 to reserve a spot.
–W.H.
———-
Suggest items by e-mailing us at q@tribune .com. Put “Unleashed” in the subject field.
bhageman@tribune.com
