Hey there, my name is Mojave and, boy, do I have one good "tail wagging" tale to tell you. This tale is not for the faint of heart. So grab your chew toy, favorite ripped up blanket, or even mom's brand new shirt and make yourself comfy. I'm going to tell you my compelling story about living with a dog hoarder.
According to the ASPCA web site, some animal hoarders begin collecting animals after a traumatic event or loss, while others see themselves as "rescuers," who save animals from a life on the streets. Quite often, the owners simply get too overwhelmed, can't understand they don't have the means to take care of that many animals, and the situation spirals out of control. In my case, the woman I lived with worked a regular job and meant well in the beginning. Then things started to get out of hand.
I lived with 150 other dogs that our hoarder had collected over the years in the baron and desolate Mojave Desert in California. We all lived amid trash, filth and stacks of wooden pallets. Four other dogs and I were imprisoned and cramped together in a tiny chain link fenced cage. We were never let out of our enclosures and had no covered areas to shelter us from the elements. We were forced to live through scalding hot summers with temperatures well over 100 degrees, and the freezing winters of snow and ice in the Mojave Desert.
Tragically, hundreds of dogs suffer this mistreatment and neglect more often than I would like to think. Dog hoarding is a very serious issue and can have many devastating effects. Many of us who are rescued from hoarders or "collectors," as I like to call them, have to survive severe overcrowding, malnourishment, and neglect. Many organizations, like the ASPCA's Hoarding Prevention Team, work tirelessly to prevent the hoarding of dogs and animals by targeting the root causes that create this form of animal "addiction".
I did not always live in such a dreadful place. Nope, I had once come from a home where I lived with another dog. Somehow, we both ended up at the hoarder's camp, living in the same cage together. Sadly though, he died in our cage, leaving me with no more pleasant memories of a better life.
When I was rescued, I was weak and very thin. I had to be lifted into the rescuer's car because I couldn't get in by myself. I had an ear infection, was dehydrated and malnourished, and my toenails were so long that they wrapped around my paws. I don't really know how long I lived in the concentration camp setting of the hoarder's collection of dogs. But when my rescuers arrived, I was grateful for attention and I behaved very well. Despite being in such a cruel environment, I am an even-tempered, older shepherd who yearns to be someone's loyal friend again. I don't ask for much, just kindness, soft words, a cozy bed and regular meals. Most of all, I am looking for someone to help me have a future that is filled with love and sunshine, so that I can put those dark days behind me forever.
It has taken some time to readjust, but now I am beginning to settle into my new, safe surroundings at the German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, in California. They have even nick named me "Mo Mo." If you are looking to give a truly deserving dog a life of happiness, please don't overlook me. I will even sit with you and keep my paw in your lap. I am a big-boned boy, and with a little care, my coat will be restored to a gleaming luster.
Thanks to the efforts of my rescuers, I have been given a new life and am now looking for a place to call my forever home. GSROC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing German Shepherd Dogs that have nowhere else to turn to. They are an all-volunteer organization and are funded entirely by private donations. Dogs for adoption are housed in foster homes and private boarding facilities. If you are interested in me or any of my fellow comrades, check out our pictures on our website.
If you would like to see me or any of my friends in person, we will be in Lake Forest, Ca on April 23rd for an adoption day. I know that Easter is the day after, but my human friends will be selling yummy baked goods to raise money us. Let me tell you, I have been drooling over the idea of baked sweets ever since they mentioned it! You can find out more about this even on the Events Page.
To date, several different rescue organizations were able to rescue approximately 93 of the dogs held captive by the Mojave hoarder. Animal lovers are still trying to get the rest of my fellow four legged friends out of that horrible place. With the help of organizations like GSROC, I know that, like me, those dogs will soon have a new reason to wag their tails once again.
See how happy I am! I just need a new family to make my life complete!
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