Deacon H's Story

Deacon & Angie - There are two Suffolk VA Labs in my life and I am very grateful. When I first saw these Labs, handsome Deacon (Black Male #1) and beautiful Angie (Chocolate Female #15) both were malnourished and very ill. Both had scars on their faces from unknowable trauma.

I was one of the LILRR volunteers who went to Virginia to rescue them, and after monitoring them during the almost 12 hour transport to NY, was amazed that they had survived all that time in the swamp. This black male (like most of the others) had scrunched tightly into the back corner of the crate and would not come near, even for food or water. After several hours, I managed to coax him to the front and lifted him out into my lap. Covered with a blanket, he slowly relaxed to the point where he fell asleep exhausted in my arms. I was able to give him bits of food after that (turns out that, like most Labs, he is food focused).

A generous family had donated us the life-saving use of a safe facility on their rural private property. It was painful to leave him on their first night in NY, but these Labs needed quarantine until the Vets assessed their health, and tended to their illnesses and injuries. Initially, Angie and Deacon (and the other 17 Labs in this temporary hospice) were terrified of humans and ran from us when we neared to clean, feed and water them. After many weeks of gentle care by the rescuers and excellent veterinary care, most came to recognize we meant them no harm. They started playing with toys and clearly looked forward to our visits. Possibly because of hands-on time with him from VA to Long Island, Deacon became comfortable with us more quickly than Angie did, and would look around with curiosity rather than fear. Angie would hide behind or in her crate but I knew from the way she looked at me that she wanted human affection and would come around. As other humans in this group can tell you, I loved every one of these Labs but Angie and Deacon stole my heart.

Both Angie and Deacon were heartworm positive and Angie had whipworm. After they received heartworm treatment, which includes a minimum of 6-8 weeks limited activity and follow-up heart/lung x-rays, the Vet performed the appropriate surgery. During spay, the surgeon discovered Angie had potentially fatal pustules in her womb and removed them immediately. It took several days for her to recover, and the attention she received I think made her realize that I was ‘okay’.

Once in my home, Angie rapidly bonded with my elderly Chesapeake and to this day licks Lily’s old eyes every morning. Deacon still tries to get Lily to play with him. I think they learned how to play ball from her. I would toss a tennis ball to them and the ball would just hit them in the head. They did not attempt to catch it or play with it. After a few times like this, I tossed it to Lily, who even though she cannot walk is still quite quick. She caught it in her mouth, spit it out, and repeatedly mouthed it. I tried to toss it again to Deacon and he caught it! I think it totally surprised him because he spit it out, and then jumped on it. Angie saw this and came running over and took the ball from him. He ran after her and off they went. Angie now bats the ball out of the air with her front paws.

As I went about household chores, I quickly learned that both Deacon (who gave the outward appearance of calmness) and Angie were very afraid of any long handled tool (a rake or a broom for example). Angie in particular was also afraid of loud noises. After the adoption, when I took them to my Vet, he said to her ‘You don’t really want to be afraid, do you?’ I saw that was true and tried to help her find a way not to be afraid. He also mentioned that if another breed (other than Labs), had been abused the way these dogs had, they would have snapped or bitten. Not once has either of these dogs (from what I hear this is also true of the other Suffolk VA Labs) bitten, snapped or attempted to bite when approached, touched or examined by a human. I look at and care for their teeth and their ears, and they sit patiently while I do this. Deacon had a condition called entropian, requiring delicate lower eyelid surgery which was performed when he was neutered, and I had to administer eye drops - not once did he flinch; not once did he pull away. After spay surgery, I had to clean Angie’s incision - she always rolled on her side and let me wipe her down. My Chesapeake, I raised from puppy hood, was never this easy to care for (she still will not let me clip her nails).

Very slowly, I introduced both dogs to my home, to the yard and to the neighborhood. Because they had never been in a house before, little things we take for granted surprise them. Flushing a toilet became an adventure. The vacuum, initially terrifying became a nuisance because it means I am not spending time with them. When it rains, it was almost impossible to get them outside, but after they spent their entire lives outside and in the elements, who can blame them?! Now they know they will get a dry off and rub down when they come in from the rain and are quite content. I do have to say they both took immediately to the sofa and now claim it as their own.

Today, both dogs tolerate it when I rake and ignore me when I sweep. Every morning, Angie runs figure eights as fast as she can around the trees in my yard as Deacon tries to hide behind one to pounce on her as she goes by. I love seeing the absolute joyous abandon in their faces. It was through the wonderful veterinary care that LILRR supplied (costing over $2,000 for Angie and Deacon) and caring patience that these dogs are happy, healthy and typically amazing Labs. I still have to introduce new things carefully (you should have seen their first experience with TV: it was priceless), and they still are not keen on strangers, but with the confidence that comes from stability and security, they are evolving into what they should have from birth: great and loving Labs.

Summer '05 ...

Deacon + Angie Xmas 2005 ...
December '05 Mr. Deacon has another surgery to correct Entropic eyelid ...
	Deacon & Angie Easter 2006
Deacon & Angie Christmas 2006
	Deacon & Angie - July 2007 relax on the pretty summer afternoon

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