UPDATED 7/5/17:
You may remember our mid-June Pet of the Week, Bonnie Bessie. This sweet girl escaped from a hell most of us could never imagine and found the love and devotion of rescuer, Christy Stevens. Six months later, BB has healed in body and soul. She lost 32 pounds, overcame diabetes and learned to trust humans. And now, we are happy to announce: She has found a loving adoptive dad and a forever home!
This past March, Juan Calvillo lost his beloved dog Pedrito, a formerly abused Bull Terrier he adopted at the age of nine. Juan and the grateful senior pooch enjoyed three wonderful years together. He knew that he wanted to adopt another dog in need and when he came across the video documenting BB’s dramatic rescue, he was overcome with emotion.
Stevens was a little nervous when she brought BB over to meet Juan for the first time – the former breeding dog tends to be a bit shy around men. Rather than tucking her head and keeping her distance, BB greeted Juan eagerly and confidently! It was as if she knew right away that this particular man deserved her love and trust.
BB and Juan mutually decided to rescue one another and embark on a new chapter together. Although Juan lives alone, he has a large extended family who have welcomed BB with open arms. Some relatives are even planning to fly to Las Vegas to meet their new canine “niece”!
On top of the love and support surrounding her, BB will also keep up with her life-saving diet and exercise routine. Juan bought her an extra large doggy life vest and plans to teach his new girl to swim!
BB’s journey from an obese “breeding machine” to a well-loved family pet has been long and bumpy, but oh-so worth it! Her story just goes to show that every dog is worth saving!
ORIGINAL POST:
Every week, iHeartDogs will feature a new rescue dog in need of a loving forever home. These amazing animals remind us that homeless pets everywhere have extraordinary stories and deserve a second chance.
Meet Bonnie Bessie (aka: BB)!
If you were to meet Bonnie Bessie today, you’d find a happy-go-lucky pooch eager to trade kisses for treats. But Christy Stevens, founder of Hearts Alive Village Rescue in Las Vegas, knows there are secrets behind those soulful brown eyes. It was just six months ago that she met a much different dog on a dreary rain-soaked street.
BB was an obese stray without a name or a safe place to lay her head. Although her past is unknown, she was most likely a backyard breeding dog tossed out when she could no longer produce puppies.
After a dramatic struggle, BB was captured and brought to the HAVLV adoption center. Exhausted and afraid, she growled and glared at her rescuer between fitful bouts of sleep.
Having placed more than 600 animals in new homes over the years, Stevens knew just how to handle the terrified stray. She sat on the floor nearby, making herself a calm, comforting presence as BB acclimated to her new surroundings.
After several hours, something miraculous happened. Stevens choked back tears as she told iHeartDogs:
“All of a sudden she just stood up, lumbered over, and laid her big head in my hands.”
BB had finally found someone she could trust, but her ordeal was far from over. At the vet the next day, she was found to be suffering with skin, eye and ear infections, and weighed in at a morbidly obese 120 pounds. Her blood sugar level was over 600 – dangerously high for a dog (a healthy range is 80 – 120).
Stevens implemented a strict diet and exercise regimen and administered whopping doses of insulin. After several months, BB’s blood sugar stabilized and her weight dropped to a healthy 88 pounds!
Her 32-pound transformation revealed that BB is not a senior as previously thought – she’s only about 4 or 5!
When asked about the ideal home for BB, Stevens said she would do best as the only pet in a home where she can be the center of attention. She walks great on a leash and loves older, well-behaved children.
“Bonnie Bessie enjoys a nice stroll, but mostly she likes to hang out on her bed. She is very smart and highly trainable thanks to her love of treats!”
Stevens has forged a lasting bond with BB, but devoted rescuers like her cannot keep every dog they save. She has work to do, saving Las Vegas’ forgotten pets. She said:
“I am so in love with her that I realize she deserves more attention than I can give her. She deserves to be somebody’s queen.”
Think your home could be the perfect palace for this royal cutie to live out her days? Email info@havlv.com. Check out Hearts Alive Village’s other adoptable dogs and cats here.
Can’t adopt, but want to assist this fabulous rescue with their mission? Click here to find out how you can help!
All images c/o Hearts Alive Village Rescue, Las Vegas
