Tish

Tish had lived for all of her 12 years with an older couple whose health in recent years had begun to decline. Finally, when the wife went into a nursing home, the husband had no choice but to give Tish to his daughter. Unfortunately, Tish and the Corgi owned by the daughter’s family didn’t get along, so this not-so-new dog suddenly needed to find a new home.

As it turned out, Tish had been groomed for years by Sue Durcan, who is one of the Westie Rescue reps for southern OH, KY and IN. So the family got an added bonus when they called Sue and asked for help. Tish knew Sue and had boarded numerous times in her Cincinnati home. So when Tish came to stay with Sue this time, it was familiar turf and she moved right in.

Snowball

Snowball was anything but snow-colored when she first came to Westie Rescue from a Kentucky dairy farm.  She had lived with cows for all of her six years, and her look and smell gave evidence that the living arrangements had been close!  She and her rescue-mate, Dixie, had been used for breeding by the farmer, who now no longer had any use for them. But despite their dirty, unkempt appearance, Snowball and Dixie were in good health. Once they were spayed and had their shots and teeth cleaned, they were ready to find their “forever homes.” All that was needed were new owners who were willing to accept that neither was house-trained, which in Snowball’s case also means jumping onto tables and getting into all sorts of mischief! Today, Snowball is giving new meaning to the term “active lifestyle” for a retired couple in Indianapolis, who say they wouldn’t have it any other way!

Sir Snowsalot

Sir Snowsalot was rescued from a shelter in Corydon, Indiana, in August. His story was first posted on Petfinders… he was brought to the shelter when his family could no longer afford the cost of medications to treat his skin allergies. “The facility does not have the means to help this guy and he is in danger!” the posting read, “Please help save his life. He is great with kids, cats and other dogs. His disposition is wonderful. He really would like a new family…and a comfortable new home.”  That was all it took!! A cooperative effort ensued involving a number of volunteers from across the Midwest. Westie Rescue Indiana and Westie Rescue Missouri got Sir Snowsalot out of the shelter, cleaned up and soon sent him on his way to a wonderful new home in Minnesota, where today he happily answers to the name “Chandler.”

Shasta

For all of her nearly four years, Shasta had been living in a crate in a barn in Greencastle, IN.  Her hair was thin and sparse. She obviously wasn’t house-trained and she didn’t much like other dogs. But, oh, did she LOVE the wonderful lady who got her out of that terrible place!  “I rescued this doggie yesterday from a puppy mill,” the woman  wrote in her email to Westie Rescue. “I rescue dachshunds…I don’t know anything about Westies, but I wasn’t going to leave her in that awful place. She was in the barn with tons of other small-breed dogs, but I can’t save them all, or I would.”

Shasta was one of the lucky ones. She got out of there… “She is very cute and very sweet. She follows me around the house, but she doesn’t like my other dogs. Her name is Shasta, but she doesn’t answer to it. I just call her ‘puppy’ or ‘girly.’ I thought whoever adopted her could give her her permanent name.”

Today, Shasta is living with a wonderful family in Kentucky. They call her Shasta. We call her very, very fortunate…

Duff & Emily

The rescue of Duffy and Emily proved that sometimes it DOES take a village… This Terre Haute pair was picked up by a volunteer from Col. Potter (all-breed) Rescue, who had been contacted by a volunteer with Westie Rescue MO after Duffy’s and Emily’s impatient owner called her, threatening to take the pair to a shelter if Westie Rescue didn’t respond immediately.  

Mandy

Paisley

Paisley was a stray. No one knows how she came to be wandering alone for 3-4 weeks in last December’s numbing cold, running from people and shying away from any help. Finally around Christmas, she got caught up in some railroad ties in a field near Peru, Indiana. This slowed her down enough so that a woman who had seen her running loose was able to catch her and take her home. She was in terrible shape – frightened, sick and nearly starved to death at a year old. She was skittish and terribly afraid of men, and most of the time was too frightened even to eat. Through the months, Paisley was passed from one well-meaning family to another, but none knew what to do for her. Finally, in desperation, someone contacted Westie Rescue looking for help. They found it… Today, Paisley is a happy, confident, playful Westie who’s living in a home in Cincinnati with five other Westies and four Westie wannabees – finally enjoying life, learning to trust and losing all fear!

Cleo

Cleo was diagnosed as a “special needs dog,” suffering from a rare neurological disorder called myasthenia gravis. Her owner was in and out of the hospital herself, and couldn’t care for Cleo anymore, so at the age of 3 years, Cleo needed a very special new home where her condition could be treated – she could only eat small amounts at a time and had to be carefully monitored.  Or that’s what they said…

If Cleo ever had myasthenia gravis, there was no sign of it when she was vet checked and fostered by a vet tech in Indianapolis who thought he would be caring for a very ill pooch. Instead, Cleo romped, played, ate and slept with no sign of trouble or fatigue, and after 8 months it was decided that she probably had been misdiagnosed and could indeed be placed in a “forever home.” So today she is living with a pastor and his wife on a farm near Danville, KY – proof that miracles occasionally can come wrapped in furry white coats!

Sassy

Sassy can tell you a lot about life on the road. She and her brother, P.B., lost their home of six years as a result of divorce. They then spent the summer bouncing from one home to another, trying to find their new forever home – and to avoid being split up. Trouble was, Sassy didn’t tolerate other female dogs, and P.B. wasn’t all that fond of kids. So several failed placements resulted in Sassy and P.B. eventually having to go their separate ways. Today, both are happy and doing well – Sassy living with a retired couple in Cincinnati, happily chasing squirrels and being a spoiled only dog, and P.B. living in Danville, KY, where he was adopted by his foster mom, who had fallen in love with the little guy. So today P.B. spends his days playing with his new Westie sister, Penny, and being loved on 24/7!

Rosie

Rosie was an owner-surrender at the age of 18 months. She was too hyper for her former family in Ft. Wayne, and they said she was aggressive around kids and other dogs, so she had to go.  It took her a week in her Westie foster home before she settled down enough to even get her picture! Her first placement lasted 24 hours before the adoptive parents waved the white flag and surrendered her again. But the second time proved the charm –- today this active, playful (and, yes, sometimes aggressive) little gal is living with an older couple in Richmond, IN, where she hardly ever is left alone, and is getting all of the love and attention she needs.

Cody

Cody was a pampered little Westie for all of his 11 years, and his “mom” loved him dearly. He was her baby…until, that is, “mom” had a human baby of her own. When the infant developed serious allergies, it was soon discovered that pet dander was at the root of the problem. So Cody had to go… 

Westie Rescue of Indiana helped find Cody a new home with a woman in Indianapolis who had been looking for an older Westie to love ever since seeing Bear – a 15 year old Westie who had been adopted by friends last year.  Cody was the answer to her prayers…and we’re pretty sure that little Cody looks upon her the same way!

Heidi

Snuggles

Winston

Q-Tip

Chloe

Nike

Bear