"Balin”

This morning I looked at the dogs in my care and was drawn to their collars. All my dogs have them. Everyone have a special color or style selected just for them with matching ID tag and leash. I place these on my beloved friends as a safety precaution. If they somehow become lost, it will help in their quick return. I get a fuzzy sense of joy when I select a new collars for my dogs. I love deciding what will show off the color of their fur coats. Purple or blue, even pink with rhinestones. They are necklaces of love for my canine family.

A collar has a much different meaning for a brown eyed boy who won the hearts of the Bremerton Animal Control staff and the volunteers of R.E.D.. The call came in. A dog was dumped in the park and a confusing message about a chain. BAC's, Officer Olson, headed to the scene. What she found was a scared, sick, frightened Rottweiler. She instantly knew what was wrong and was fill with the rage. This beautiful 18 month old boy had a large chain completely embedded into his neck. His neglectful sub-human owner had placed it there probably a year ago. As this dog grew, the collar was never changed. His neck slowly, painfully swallowed the heavy chain. The thought of the daily pain from the chain and the infection this dog had indured makes me sick and angry. In the last year, they could not find the time to help their innocent charge from this collar. Which almost took his young life. Rather than take care of the abuse and neglect they inflicted upon him, they simply dumped him in the park. The whys will probably never be answered.

The caring officer immediately called for help and medical assistance was found for him. The heavy chain and infected tissue had to be surgically removed. This dog has a sweet, gentle nature which has won the hearts of all that have met him. He greets life and everyone he meets with a wagging, stubby tail. He holds no grudges to mankind for the horror he has endured. Vet staff selected the name "Balin." for him. It means "Valiant" and he is just that...

The BAC kennel was not a place suitable for him to recover from his surgery and the facility has very limited space. So the next step for him was recovery in a loving R.E.D. foster home. He suffered several more bouts with serious infection and abscessing, which all required more treatment. Slowly, the medical treatment combined with the affection shown him, by his foster family, Balin boy's battle back to good health was won.

We then needed to find the loving, lifetime home that this exceptional dog has always deserved. I had a wonderful woman apply for Balin. It was a magical match. After the home check and paper work was done. Balin joined his new human companion, Deanne. For Balin, our brown eyed boy, this painful path through life has finally brought you to a lifetime of love...