Maisie's Story

One Saturday afternoon I received a call from our Co-ordinator to let me know that someone local to myself wanted to hand in a dog. However we were told that this dog was a ‘biter’ and normally we wouldn’t take them in as it is unfair to pass them on to new keepers knowing this to be the case.

The lady had said when she rang that if we didn’t take her dog she would have to have her put to sleep (euthanised) as soon as possible as she wasn’t able to cope with her behaviour.

As I was only about 12 miles away I was asked if I could check it out.

As Maisie was only 4 years of age I was asked if I would consider going across to see and assess her before we said we would or would not take her and re-home her as our co-ordinator felt something was maybe ‘not quite right’ with the situation.

The woman who was giving her to us explained that she had bitten her husband several times about the feet and went for him whenever the chance arose. She said that she was fine with her daughter but that the rest of the family were very wary of her.

I duly went across and took my husband, Ed, with me as a test for whether Maisie was indeed a ‘biter’ and man-hater – he, of course, was less than keen!

We arrived at the house and were shown into a beautiful kitchen and met a dog who we thought was Maisie, however this was not the case! The dog in the house, beautifully groomed and very docile was in fact a male Shih Tzu who did no wrong.

Then we were allowed to see Maisie. She was on the garden patio with a very small dog kennel, a blanket which appeared wet despite good weather, and a small bowl of water.

The kitchen door to the garden had a board across it barring her from coming inside and so she had pulled her blanket to the step and sat patiently waiting to be allowed over the threshold to meet the visitors.

We were no less patient to meet her!

I asked the woman to allow her in for assessing and she removed the board from the doorway.

Maisie entered slowly at first and then rushed over to Ed who made sure his hands were well out of range!

She sat on his shoes and looked up at him – and despite his trepidation he put his hand down slowly and stroked her head and there she sat quite happily.

It emerged Maisie had not always lived with the family but that they had ‘rescued’ her from a terrible place and given her a better life. Also that the poor hair cut she had (as opposed to the immaculately groomed second dog) was due to the mother-in-law trying to groom her while the family and the other dog had been on holiday!

During the assessment visit Maisie and the other Shih Tzu were offered a biscuit by the woman’s child, a boy of about 8 years. To get the food he had to climb onto the work tops and there he sat with the food while swinging his legs wildly about almost kicking both dogs while doing so – with no admonishment from his mother!

Maisie seemed to be desperate for the food and so risked her face a little nearer until she had taken all the chance she could and returned to the safety of Ed’s feet without luck.

He asked the boy for the biscuit and fed her himself under the table where she seemed to be happy and trustful of him, taking the biscuit and devouring it quickly. He remarked at how gently she had taken the food from him.

I agreed to take Maisie into rescue and away from the situation.

However I could not take her in immediately but arranged to call first thing Monday (this being the Saturday afternoon) and I asked that arrangements be made for her to be ready for me to collect at 9.15am.

I also stated that I would like provision made for her to be allowed indoors and fed properly between my leaving and collecting her.

It seems a ridiculous thing to leave a dog where it is like that but with my own family of dogs having been in season and knowing how tempers can flare I felt it would be safer to have a bit of time to arrange sleeping areas and erect stair gates and a crate if needed!

So Monday morning arrived and I set off bright and early having made arrangements with my vets to stop in on the way home and get her vaccinated and checked over.

When I collected her, the woman and her daughter, whom we hadn’t met on the previous visit, were waiting for me in the front garden. The daughter was obviously very upset and was cuddling Maisie and crying. She asked if it were possible to have a bit of news and perhaps a photo to show where Maisie was eventually homed – I agreed and promised I would let her know as soon as things were sorted.

Her mother just said she had things to do and went indoors leaving me with a distraught teenager and Maisie. I made my apologies and said I had to leave as I had arranged to take her to the vets on my way home and left her waving goodbye as we left.

Maisie settled onto the front seat on the doggy blanket and her harness I had brought for her and went off to sleep. There was no looking back.

At the vets it emerged her ears were in a dire state and her coat was matted and filthy. Plus she smelt awful!

It was ovbious she had suffered neglect. She had the necessary treatment and a vaccination and was brought back home to have a bath, her ears cleaned and a nice brush and groom.

Maisie (left) meeting Sue's dogs

She was also given a nice meal and a drink and was then happy to settle for a nice sleep in the large crate I had brought in and filled with soft vet bedding and some toys.

That afternoon her new mum, Kay and her 2 rescue lhasa apsos arrived from Oxfordshire...

It was very important that Maisie got on with the older female dog
as you can see - there were no problems, Maisie just curled up next to her!

We had offered Maisie to Kay, one of our helpers, as we felt that she needed a new home with no children and with someone at home all day plus having being handed in as a possible biter we had to be very careful where she was homed.

Kay and her husband, David, were willing to take the chance after I had told her about her on my Saturday visit.

Maisie has now been in her new home for two years and has NEVER deliberately bitten, or made any attempt to - Kay should tell the rest!

Sue Hills

Maisie helping out with our website design!