It's official Walker is safe in his forever home!

Some puppies come to us with whole bodies wiggling. Some come to us with tails low and nervous. Others come to us not understanding their place, their roots, their bodies, or their minds.

Walker came to me not by his own choosing, but by circumstance. He was wrapped in a blood soaked, Christmas green blanket when the animal control officer handed him to me. He had been found by two kids, laying half dead on a sidewalk.

His head was limp, he smelledlike feces, blood, and urine, and he was bleeding from his neck and several other places. We laid him on the table and started to go over him. To assess the stability, the life or future quality of lifeof a puppy is heart wrenching. His body was in shock. His temperature was very low. He gurgled each breath, and cried painfully when we would move him just a little to look him overand find thedamagethat had been done to his body. But here's the thing about those pups that want to be the whole body wiggling type, but don't know how or their situation of the moment won't let them-- they show you in small, small ways that they will be ok, and that their spirit is whole even if their body isn't. When I coo'd at this pup and told him what a wonderful boy he was being, he found the strength to thump his tail on the table every time. EVERY single time. When the IV was in, and the pain meds were administered, and his head was heavier and sleepier, he still would thump his tail at my whispering... thump, thump, thump...

That was two weeks ago. The first night was rough, but Walker made it through like a champ. We placed drains in his neck to help with the swelling and damage. His other rips and tears to his skin are healing, as well as his punctures. He still has some swelling on the back of his neck, but his energy and spirit are well and whole. His "voice" still has a zombie-esque quality to it, but physically, he is healing. His baby teeth were damaged, but are now coming out and I'm stepping on them and finding them in the bottom of the washer...

Walker will be hanging out with my crew while he heals and learns what it's like living in a house with people and a pack. He has gained over 7 pounds just since I took him in, and eats each meal with much enthusiasm.

Many thanks to the Muncie Animal Shelter for acting quickly in picking him up and bringing him in. Many thanks also to my co-workers for staying late (er) the other night, and to TeresaCalvert for stitching the little Walker dude together again. Oh, the adventures we have!

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