Misfit Rescues
We thought it would be fun to dedicate a page to our rescued misfits who found a safe haven on our farm. Some are just passing through until they are reunited with their families, some come around to visit, and some make the farm their fur-ever home. Whether a wayward animal stays for a day or a lifetime, all are welcome here, and these are their stories. (Cue Law and Order SVU theme)
Zeus (R.I.P.)
Our dog Zeus was our first rescue and the one who started this whole misfit farm. My husband worked as a collection agent for a furniture company in 2013 when he was called out to repo a washer and dryer set from a local family.
The family just learned their young son had a major heart defect and would need long-term care and support. They were barely scraping by as it was, but this turn of events forced them to downsize even further.
As my husband was regrettably loading up their appliances (he would quit the job after this incident), he noticed a little black speck of a dog hiding in the shadows, shaking for fear of the two larger dogs in the yard. The pup had a gash on his nose and was covered in mud and blood. He had taken quite a beating for trying to outcompete the pit bulls for food.
The lady of the house said they got the dog for her son, but now that he was sick, they would have to take the dog to the shelter. My husband told me to meet him at work an hour later, and after he pulled the appliances from the truck, he presented me with a tiny kennel and a ball of fluff with ears the size of satellites wrapped in a tattered pink blanket.
Warrior Weenie
We knew we had to give the little warrior a big name, so Zeus was the obvious choice. He was a Chiweenie weighing in at 20 pounds full grown, but with the spirit of a Great Dane.
Zeus took the Alpha Dog position very seriously and mentored many misfits in his time. He was also a natural protector, never forgetting that my husband rescued him. Zeus would eventually save my husband on multiple occasions, earning him an official service dog title with full credentials.
Our warrior weenie was a walking contradiction. He loved car rides but hated loud noises. Zeus loved adventures but was wary of people. He loved to play with toys but hated to fetch. Zeus loved his bed but hated bedtime.
He greeted each day like a new and precious gift. He would wake up sneezing and spinning (spinny-spinnies, kind of like zoomies but in one spot) and would check each room to make sure all the humans and other animals were just as excited as he was. If anyone dared to be grumpy, he would give them the “sneeze of disgust” and invade their space until they changed their mind.
D Day Weenie
Zeus survived a bout with cancer, a CAT-4 hurricane, and was successfully treated for an acute heartworm infection. Then, one morning he started to act like he had a urinary tract infection and went for a trip to the vet. They said he had diabetes and sent him home with meds.
Six weeks later, Zeus passed away suddenly from complications of diabetes (his kidneys gave out). In true alpha dog fashion, he went out into the yard and disappeared into the mist so his family would not have to see him die.
Zeus’ passing taught his family never to take another moment for granted and to love one another as deeply as he did. More misfits have come and gone since Zeus left, but there will never be another one like him, a little dynamite warrior with big bug eyes and satellite ears.
Bea (Beazer)
Beatrice, AKA Bea, AKA Beazer, AKA Bedouin Beazer, joined Misfit Farms in October 2017. Our family had just endured the trauma of a CAT 4 hurricane that decimated our little coastal town that August. And our son, who was eight at the time, was suffering from PTSD.
Since our other rescue dog Zeus had become such a detrimental part of my husband’s journey to healing, we thought it might help our son to have a dog of his own. I selected three dogs from the local humane society that I wanted our son to see, and we set off to pick out a pup.
Hallow-Scream
It was close to Halloween, so the shelter was decorated with spooky surprises. Exaggerated spiders in sticky webs, ghosts floating from the ceiling, and painted pumpkins all tried to capture the spirit of the season. What terrified us, however, was all the screaming and howling, moaning, and groaning. Hoping it was a haunted house soundtrack, we soon discovered it was merely all the miserable lost pets behind bars.
We made a fast pass through cell block D and showed the attendant the three dogs we wanted to meet. Even though she was curled up tighter than a ball of yarn, I recognized Beazer right away. Her online profile picture showed a Min Chi with a crooked smile and ears longer than Wile E. Coyotes. No matter how small she tried to be to save warmth, those ears gave her away every time. I had already secretly decided Bea was perfect for our son but had to let him think he was choosing.
Third Time’s A Charm
An adoption associate showed us to a cinder block room with little more than a concrete bench inside, and we waited for the introductions. The first doggie to arrive was friendly and had boundless energy. She had a good personality, but no training, and she stubbornly refused to listen. Since we already had a child with this affliction, we decided to pass and meet number two.
The next dog was a complete mess, inside and out. He had been dumped on the shelter’s doorstep a few months prior, and he was still in mourning. He was very timid and afraid, and he wet himself when the attendant tried to get him to come over to us. At this point, we were beginning to think we had made a mistake by coming to the shelter, and the adoption specialist was not giving us any more hope when it came to Bea.
From a Dumpster To a Lap
When a good samaritan found Bea eating out of a dumpster, it was obvious she had belonged to a family. She was friendly, outgoing, and well-fed. Yet once she arrived at the shelter, a deep depression took over her. Bea refused to eat, refused to go potty outside, and just sat miserably in the corner of her cage all day, shaking like a leaf. The staff was at a loss and was considering sending Bea to another shelter to be put down since she was withering away.
Like the two before her, the staff members carried Bea in and set her on the floor between us and the attendant. She looked around the room for a minute, then focused on our son. He patted his leg and said, “come here, girl,” and she sprang into action. With two quick bunny hops, Bea landed in our son’s lap and promptly began to smother him in kisses. The shelter staff was delighted and said they had not seen that side of Bea since she arrived. It was love and lap at first sight, and six years later, Beazer is still the ultimate cuddle bug. She enjoys sunbathing, stealing toys, and dressing up in one of her many outfits and bows.
Maci (Bear)
Maci originally belonged to the farm family next door, but her stubborn and free spirit soon got her in trouble.