# Sophie's Story



## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Meet Sophie, the "little black dog" so many kind residents
searched and prayed for during three long, hot days and dark,
scary nights in August. Sophie has a message for everyone who
walked, drove around, and knocked on doors, circulated flyers
and more, she wants you to know, "I'm so grateful YOU DIDN'T
GIVE UP!"

Special thanks to: Ms. Faith Easdale and her volunteer crew
who finally lured Sophie to safety; to Ms. Lynne who took her
in and cleaned off all the prickly burrs; and to Ms. Elaine who
bathed and groomed her and gave her more love in just a few days
than she's EVER known.

The good people at Save A Small Dog Rescue had Sophie
microchipped, spayed and updated with vaccines. She now
knows she's loved by many, but especially by her new mom,
Rhodus. Sophie is SO happy to be safe in a loving home where she can go on walks and meet all who have made it
possible for her to have a wonderful life with no more stress -
just lots and lots of love!

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Sophie is an incredible story! We are fortunate to live in a gated community with several hundred acres of wetlands, natural grasslands, and several miles of graded hiking trails. Ricky and I first saw Sophie in "the wild" on our walkies at the beginning of last August. We tried to lure her with treats so that we could take her into our immediate care. She was very scared and stressed and she would run away from anyone trying to help her. We have lots of bobcats, coyotes, rattlesnakes as well as speeding cars on the roadways and "the little black dog" was in immediate and severe danger. Many of our neighbors joined in the hunt for her over the next three weeks. We called Animal Regulation on our cell phones when we spotted her but that was a joke. They would not show up until an hour later and then spend 10 minutes looking for her, but she was long gone by then. We finally made contact with volunteers at a local shelter who spent three days trapping her. They had the experience and equipment to trap "wild animals."

Nobody knows how Sophie survived for those three + weeks in the wild. Where she foraged for food or where she found safety to sleep is anyone's guess. She proved to be very self reliant and a survivor.

The Vet who gave her initial medical attention estimated her age at about 2 years. He said he thought she was part Portuguese Waterdog breed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I am no expert, but she looks exactly like a Havanese to me, right down to the tail arching over her back and almond shaped eyes. She is the same size as Ricky and has all the Havanese mannerisms. It is remarkable how much THIS Sophie resembles the OTHER Sophie who is a favorite on HF. And for the record, I had no participation in naming THIS Sophie, it is mere coincidence.

We see Sophie occasionally on our walkies with her new owner and new brother dog on leashes. She is still working on her socialization skills with her new Mommy but she is making lots of progress. And she is putting on a bit of needed weight!

Sophie had a rough life but she has now found heaven on earth. Some stories do have a happy ending!

Ricky's Popi


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Thank you to all that made for a happy new beginning for Sophie! May she know only love, safety and spoiling for the rest of her life!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

What a wonderful story! Thank you so much for helping her!!!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Popi, thank you for sharing this heart warming story. What a cutie she is too. I actually teared up reading about her. I'm so glad she was saved and now has a forever home.


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

Popi what a wonderfully happy ending for a scared little pup. So great to hear a nice story for a stray for a change. Thanks and I agree she does look like our Sophie.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

It's nice to hear a story that has a happy ending...So glad to hear Sophie found safety, love and her forever home.


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.


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## Lisa T. (Feb 5, 2015)

What a wonderful story. I'm so happy she has a new home.


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

Thank you for such a wonderful inspiring story. It would be fun if Sophie's new adopted family would join the Forum and keep us updated on her progress. Wouldn't that be fun?


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## Ditto's Mom (Apr 29, 2007)

So happy to hear Sophie found her forever home, she's adorable!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

goldanimals said:


> Thank you for such a wonderful inspiring story. It would be fun if Sophie's new adopted family would join the Forum and keep us updated on her progress. Wouldn't that be fun?


Jan, Sophie's new mom, is not an Internet person. So, I will keep the Forum updated periodically on her progress. It has been about three weeks since we have encountered Sophie on our walkies. Your post reminds me that I need to stop by her house to see how she is doing.

Ricky's Popi


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Thanks for telling us about Sophie. Do you think she was dumped inside the gated community so someone would take her in and care for her?


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

StarrLhasa said:


> Thanks for telling us about Sophie. Do you think she was dumped inside the gated community so someone would take her in and care for her?


We have no idea. We have security at the front gate and only residents can enter so it is unlikely that a stranger entered to drop her off. A more likely scenario is that Sophie entered through or under the fence surrounding the development. There are other developments adjacent to ours and it could be that she escaped from a residence there. She had no microchip when we rescued her. She was microchipped after she went into quarantine at a shelter and was spayed after rescue.

The outcome is that Sophie now has a better life within our community than with whomever she escaped from. Our dog owners group is radical about providing a better life for dogs and their owners.

Ricky's Popi


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