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Health & Fitness

Success! A New Start For Hope

An update on Hope, the Gentle Giant. A formerly abused pup finds her new family, comes out of her shell, and is living the good life in Florida.

 

A few months ago we featured  a gorgeous, sweet Mastiff pup who spent the first year of her life living outside in a cage, where she was cut off from the world, over-bred, and abused by a backyard breeder. Hope was one of the most severe cases of abuse to be rescued by Mutts Matter, so the news of her turnaround and new life is especially heartwarming to us all.

When Hope first came into rescue, she had shut down, and was so frightened by her experience at the breeder that the mere presence of humans caused her to panic. She refused to come out of her cage or even make eye contact with us. She has come such a long way since then, and her new lease on life was made possible by her awesome foster parents, Danny and Jessica, who took her into their hearts and home and worked with her for over eight months, providing the love and stability that she so desperately needed.

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Hope was just adopted in early December by a family from Florida who had read her story and were immediately drawn to her. I spoke with Hope’s new mom, Stefanie, and asked what prompted her to adopt a dog so far away in Virginia. She said, “We didn’t have the intention of adopting another dog at all, but my husband was doing some research on Mastiffs, and saw Hope’s story and fell in love. We knew we could really help her. We knew we could love her and give her a great life. It was a stroke of luck.” They also understood that Hope’s large size and story would put off a lot of potential adopters who aren’t familiar with how quickly even abused dogs can be rehabilitated, and they wanted to make a difference in her life. 

Stefanie and Andres drove all the way from to Virginia to meet Hope, and knew right away that it was meant to be. When they first brought her home, she was fearful, so they didn’t force her to interact. They let her have time and space to acclimate to her new surroundings, and just two days later, Hope was on Stefanie’s lap rolling over for belly rubs and sleeping in their bed at night. She started showing interest in the family and playing with her pup siblings, Moose and Dante, who have shown her the ropes and taught her that it’s OK to trust her human family.

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Stephanie speaks lovingly about the newest member of their family, adding, “Hope is amazing and so smart. She opens up more and more every day, loves to run and play in the yard, and she stands tall now. It’s wonderful to watch.” 

Hope, like all dogs, has her unique personality and favorite things too. She loves marshmallows and peanut butter, daily belly rubs, and loves to play tug with her Rottweiler brother, Moose. She can drag him all around the house even though he’s got 20 pounds on her. Hope has become the playful, loving, and silly pup she was always meant to be. 

Hope has been renamed Amari by her new family, which is an African word for “great strength.” Her story is one that demonstrates the true resilience of dogs, and that a little love, stability, and patience goes a long way towards their rehabilitation. 

A special Thank You to Danny and Jessica who gave Hope a second chance, and to all the wonderful foster families who continue to do such great work. You make a difference!

 

If you are looking to add a new pup to your family, click here to learn more about all our wonderful Mutts Matter dogs  - http://www.muttsmatterrescue.com/available_dogs.html

If you have interest in fostering a dog in need and want to learn more, go to http://www.muttsmatterrescue.com/foster_faq.html

 

Questions - Contact Suzanne at suzanne@muttsmatterrescue.com

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