Building Trust with Rescue Dogs: Hela’s Story
Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.
Rescuing dogs from the street is more or less signing up for the unexpected. The character and behavior the dog shows in the first days or weeks of meeting them may not be their genuine self, as they need some time to come out of their shell. And that’s how it was with Hela. When I reflect on her almost 2-year-long journey since I first met her, it’s clear that she’s come a long way and taught me a few things about trust in the process. And in the end, it was well worth it.
From Greece to Croatia
When I first met Hela, she was a very sad but sweet dog. Skinny and malnourished, confused, fearful, and uncertain of everything around her, being exposed to new people, environment, and experiences. She was very good at tolerating handling and would easily allow blood to be taken, as well as clinical exams and ear cleaning being performed, and similar. As she was receiving her initial treatment for Leishmania, and waited for her rabies vaccine, passport, and travel documents to be ready, she stayed in a kennel in Greece. There, she started interacting with other dogs in a supervised environment and took a few weeks to become comfortable with them. Little did she know that she would soon embark on a long journey to her new home and become family with two other dogs and now three cats, all of whom she loves.
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