In January, I wrote about a stray dog affectionately called Otis. If you missed the backstory of Otis, you can go back and read about him. Well, last week, a woman posted on a lost pet page that a dog had shown up at her friend’s house and she was trying to help her find its owner. Pam, one of the rescue group on Otis’s trail, saw the post and that’s where the rest of the story begins. 

The first sighting of Otis was about 4 months ago- at least, for us. It was assumed that he was a hunting dog and was abandoned in a parking lot near the place he was usually spotted. He’d been seen running toward random white trucks on a couple of occasions, so we wondered if his human may have driven a white truck. No one knew how he ended up there, really. It was all speculation. Whatever his story, Otis was out of place and had become a rambling man. A man on the run. In survival mode. On high alert. He let no one touch him or get anywhere close. He was always on the move. Solitaire was his game. 

But, he drew a lot of attention because of the paths he traveled. He liked a retail/restaurant section of town where he captured the eye of many-a-sympathetic woman who would stop and try to help. An accumulation of dog food bowls left for him grew quickly. Besides enjoying the food they left, Otis would accept none of their help. He was a proud man. He made regular appearances on the local lost pet pages like the sampling below. He was becoming a real local celebrity and was often referred to as “baby” in the posted pleas for help. Otis never appreciated being called baby online. It was bad for his image. He’s a man’s man, after all. 

A drowsy Otis is taken into custody by Amber.

The homeowners, who reported the wanted man hiding out on their property, after the capture. 

We loaded Otis in the back seat of the truck and Amber sat next to him. The first stop for Otis would be to the vet. We’d noticed, weeks earlier, that he had a bad injury to his tail and there was really no telling what else. He stayed overnight after having a good work up, being neutered, and having his tail removed. The vet suspected he chewed it off after it became caught in something. What was left was so infected, she decided it was best to bob it. He’ll also have to be treated for heartworms in the coming months. Other than that and being underweight, Otis was pretty healthy and estimated to be 1-2 years old. 

Bloodshot-eyed Otis arriving at the animal hospital and wondering where it all went wrong.

Otis left the vet on Saturday and and checked into our inpatient Off the Streets program here. If anyone has experience in taking vagrant hounds and turning them into a semi-civilized canines, it would be Ruby’s adoptive parents. Here at the Happy Hound Halfway House, we specialize in hounds who have lost their way and need a fresh start. Davis and I plan to foster and love Otis for a few months until he’s done with his heart worm treatment. 

Otis sporting his new tail. It will be more attractive to the ladies when the fur grows back. Is there anything more southern than a couple of hounds lazing around on the front porch? 

Otis has really taken to Ruby. Although freshly neutered, he still tries to flirt with the ladies around the neighborhood. They say it takes a few weeks for the hormones to work their way out of the system which I’m sure is not surprising to any of us. None of the neighborhood girls have met his advances with kindness. Otis will soon learn that subdivision women are not like those women he met on the streets. They are looking for long term commitment. He has a lot to learn about becoming a proper southern gentleman in the coming weeks. 

Otis meets some of the more refined ladies. 

We’re currently working on being happy in our kennel at night and making progress. Night one and two involved howling for two hours before falling asleep. Last night- only 15 minutes of howling so we’re making progress. He’s sleeping 12 hours each night. I think it’s the first time he’s slept on anything soft in a while and he’s finally able to let his guard down enough to sleep soundly. We’d see him sleeping in the grass on the side of the road when he was homeless. After five months of solitude, it only took one day here before he was crying at night because he was separated from us. Dogs really do crave human companionship. 

We’re learning about the leash and we’re taking a lot of walks. A. Lot. Of. Walks. Otis is accustomed to walking all day, every day. I want him to be tired when he’s tucked in each night, so we’re keeping the road hot. I’m currently on the rescue hound weight loss program. Down two pounds since Saturday. This will certainly help Ruby to lose a few, too, which is needed. If anyone is interested in this program, contact me and I will loan Otis out and retrieve him when you’ve reached your desired weight. 

Otis and Ruby mole hunting

Goose hunting

and napping in the sun. 

Some may think it’s just a dog, but no one wants to see a living thing scared and suffering. Otis eats like he’ll never see food again and still startles easily but is learning to trust us more each day. The noises Otis had been used to- big trucks, car horns, and loud sirens have been replaced with kinder sounds here outside the city- birds singing, roosters crowing, geese honking. The once untouchable boy has taken a liking to affection and nuzzles us for pets. He’s reminded several times a day in a gentle voice that he’s a good, good boy. In time, large doses of love and tenderness will heal his little spirit. 

And now you know the rest of the story of the dog named Otis.

Otis would like to thank a few people who helped him along the way. He sees now that he only delayed good things for himself during those months of resistance. First of all, my animal loving friend, Betty, was the one who named him Otis long before his capture. She fed him when he was a stray and started referring to him as Otis. It stuck. He looks like an Otis. James and Pam made many trips from another town to set up their traps on several occasions. They tried so hard to catch him before the really cold weather arrived, but it didn’t happen. They’re professionals and help so many people trap their lost animals who are scared and run away from help. Tracie is another dog rescuer. She helped with feeding Otis and whatever else was needed from her. Teresa loaned her insulated dog house to the effort, so he’d have somewhere to escape the cold wind. My dog loving friend, Shelley, made a generous donation to Otis’s care. All the people who cared enough to post about him or pulled over and tried to help him to no avail. And last but not least, Amber, the rescuer. What a great gal! She took the ball and ran with it. She stuck with it and finally got that boy. Amber has done everything in her power to help make fostering Otis as easy as possible for Davis and me. I’m so glad Otis introduced us. 

Well, I have to get to bed, so I’ll be well-rested to walk, walk, walk tomorrow. 

Night, y’all. 

JONI 

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