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Wet Nose Blog
Home › Dog tales › Navy veteran helps dog go from chained to cherished

Navy veteran helps dog go from chained to cherished

July 27, 2015Dog tales

A chained life is no life

The plights of chained and tethered dogs are often overlooked because people fail to recognize them as potential cases of animal cruelty. In truth, these practices can lead to severe psychological and physical damage and, in some cases, death.

Thanks to the actions of many, including a Navy veteran who joined Pets for Patriots with the intent of adopting a companion, a once-chained dog in Virginia was saved from her cruel existence.

Now a cherished member of the family, the Australian Shepherd mix is learning for the first time what is means to be free and to be loved.

It took a village

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) receives plenty of well-earned criticism for the high kill rates at its Norfolk, Virginia shelter, as well as for other aspects of its animal activism. Lost is the fact that their rescue team saves many animals from heinous abuse, some of whom are transferred to other shelters for adoption.

In fact, a dog named Athena owes her life to PETA.

When Athena was found in her owner’s yard one of her legs had become so entangled in her chain that it was swollen and infected; she was unable to bear weight on it at all. Even more dire, the dog had a life-threatening body temperature of 106 degrees when she was found in the blazing summer sun, and no way to reach her water.

Thankfully Athena’s negligent owners agreed to surrender her to PETA, whose rescue team took her to a veterinarian where she received urgent treatment and some good news: the once-chained dog’s leg was not broken. Athena was treated, her temperature safely brought back to normal, and she was transferred to our partners at the Virginia Beach SPCA (VBSPCA), who agreed to take the adult dog and place her for adoption.

A gift from above

Just two days after he was approved into our program, Conor adopted Athena. Conor and Leia_square_love

Currently serving in the Navy, Conor probably would not have recognized his new pet friend had he seen pictures of her chained and rotting in the hot sun. The Navy veteran renamed her Leia, which means “child of heaven” or “heavenly flowers.”

Leia is the name of the princess in the iconic Star Wars films, as well, so we like to think her name means “heavenly princess.”

Conor and Leia are together just a few weeks at the time of this writing, and we hope to have an update once they have had more time to bond. For now, we are grateful to all who played a part in giving a chained dog her freedom, and the dignity intended for all living creatures.

Learn more about our life-saving work and how you make it possible.

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5 comments

  1. Holly says:
    November 20, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    It’s so important to know just how much these pups can helps us all as well as a kind hearted caring person reaching out to help these defenseless animals. We all need that special someone and even if they have 4 legs (Your pup looks like a twin of mine)

    Thank you for your services

  2. Desiree says:
    October 23, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    God bless you both!

  3. Birgitta Kaikkonen says:
    October 23, 2015 at 11:02 am

    Awesome story, but I would bet my next paycheck, that that dog is either a purebred or part-bred Long-haired Dutch Shepherd. I have owned 2 and one could have been a clone of that!

  4. Betty says:
    July 29, 2015 at 4:09 am

    What a difference Love makes in the hearts and minds of both humans and animals. What a heartwarming tale…a WIN-WIN for both Connor and Leia! :O)

    Blessings to all parties involved in making this story a happy ending.

  5. Susan says:
    July 27, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    What a wonderful rescue story! Look at Leia’s face before and after. A world of difference. She is beautiful and now safe and happy. Thank you to everyone who got her ‘home’ to Conor. And thank you for sharing this story.

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Maisie, Hawk, Mosley, Betty White, Annie, Sammy, T Maisie, Hawk, Mosley, Betty White, Annie, Sammy, Talahassee, Juju, Corn, and Pierogi - just some of the long term pets waiting way too long for a hero and a home. Meet all of our Forget Me Not pets and contact the shelters directly to inquire about adoption. Many are available for out-of-state placements; all are amazing creatures in desperate need of a loving home and all deserve no less.

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Meet our recent "K" adopters, m'kay? * Kricket is Meet our recent "K" adopters, m'kay?

* Kricket is retired Navy and recently visited our partners @kitsaphumanesociety where she adopted not one, not two, but THREE petite pups! Reina pictured here is @petsforpatriots eligible, as is Remy (not pictured). But Kricket wasn't done saving lives because she threw yet another lifeline to Dior to round out her perfect petite pupper family! Thanks to @kitsaphumanesociety for giving our veterans 50% off adoption fees...anchors aweigh! 

* Konner served in the Air Force and together with his beautiful partner welcomed 4 year-old Hammer into their home. Formerly named Lucretia, Hammer is a beneficiary of our hero fund for veterinary care to help with the initial costs of prescriptions to ease pain from patellar luxation (a fancy way of saying: knee problems)! Another great fee-waived adoption through @dekalbanimals - part of the trio of @lifelineanimal shelters that participate in our program. 

Every animal saved from a shelter makes room for another animal in need to be rescued. It's estimated that only 25% of dogs and 29% of cats are adopted through shelters, numbers that are frankly pathetic. Please continue to advocate for adoption as the only option!

#adoptdontshop #adoptdontbuy #adoptashelterpet #adoptashelterdog #pitbulllove #loveabully #dontbullymybreed #cutepup #weratedogs #navyveteran #navy #airforceveteran #airforce #usaf #femaleveteran
The impacts of serving in the Gulf War left John w The impacts of serving in the Gulf War left John with crippling, severe anxiety. A spirited hound who needed a home would be just what the Army veteran needed to regain his life.

Click the link in our bio to read their tale, and thanks once again to @bmorehumane for another lifesaving match!

#army #armyveteran #milspouse #militaryspouse #ptsd #ptsdrecovery #ptsdawareness #anxiety #anxietyawareness #gulfwar #gulfwarveteran #petsforvets #houndsofinstagram #cutedogs #weratedogs #yourarenotalone
Clark retired from the Marines after more than 20 Clark retired from the Marines after more than 20 years of service to our nation. And in 2012 he was one of our early adopters - literally and figuratively - when he rescued then 2 year-old Ellie.

Ellie is now 13 and the pint-sized pup is still living large with Clark and his family, who recently gave us this heartfelt shoutout:

"Wanted to thank you for the many years of support your team has provided! It has helped out immensely over the years! Thank you all for what you have done and for what you continue to do."

Sounds like a mission accomplished to us!

Thanks to our partners @ranchocoastal - one of our earliest shelter partners - for this enduring match, and for continuing to waive adoption fees for veterans in our program.

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Ahoy, mate! Noah retired from the Navy and just th Ahoy, mate! Noah retired from the Navy and just threw a lifeline to Kali, a stunning Cane Corso mix. This big, beautiful girl was in the care of our partners @norfolkanimals which gives veterans we serve 50% off adoption fees.

Click to the next photo to see their freedom ride pic!

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CJ is a disabled Marine veteran who finds joy in t CJ is a disabled Marine veteran who finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, including the addition of an older cat who joined her after the loss of a beloved pet.

Click the link in our bio to read their tale!

Thanks @sdhumanesociety for helping us make this purr-fect story possible and for waiving adoption fees for veterans in our program. ❤️

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You know it's love when your new Marine Corps dad You know it's love when your new Marine Corps dad gives up his armchair for you. ❤️

Congratulations to nearly 9 year-old Holly Belle who's already made herself at home. She met Chuck through our partners @fredspca - which waives adoption fees for veterans we serve...oorah!

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Wishing all of our Jewish friends around the world Wishing all of our Jewish friends around the world a sweet New Year, especially the men and women of the U.S. military who serve in all corners of the world in defense of our freedoms, including the freedom to practice (or not) the faith of our choosing.

L'shana tovah!

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Meet two of our recent cat-tastic heroes: * Tim i Meet two of our recent cat-tastic heroes:

* Tim is active duty Army and just became cat dad to Iceburg - one cool cat (sorry, we couldn't resist)! Thanks to @jeffcospca for this purr-fect match and for giving veterans we serve $100 adoption fees.

* Andre is an Army National Guardsman with a heart for older pets. He met 11 year-old Camo (great name!) through our partners @nfsaws in Connecticut, which offers our veterans 50% off adoption fees.

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