by Lee Juslin

Dolly, a six year old Westie, was passed around to several owners until she was finally turned in to Westie and Scottie Rescue of Houston where she is being fostered by Billie, an experienced and long time foster mom.

Dolly’s last owner had taken the little Westie when the woman’s boss could no longer care for her, but with two small children and Dolly’s diabetes, the home didn’t work. The woman tried to sell her on Craigslist, but fortunately the rescue group saw the ad and persuaded the woman to turn Dolly into rescue.

Dolly

When Dolly came into rescue, she was not spayed and her diabetes was out of control. Billie has worked with her vet to establish a feeding and insulin schedule, and it has taken them six weeks to get Dolly’s diabetes safely under control. Dolly has been spayed, is up to date on vaccinations, and is recovering well from her surgery.

“She’s a fireball,” said Billie, “and she definitely wants to be the alpha girl. But, she only barks if there is a reason like a stranger approaching the house or if she spots her dreaded enemy, Mr. Squirrel.” Dolly, like most terriers, is strong willed but there is no biting or snapping; she is all talk, and she fits into the pack of eight dogs currently housed with Billie. She is also very affectionate once she gets to know a person, and she enjoys a cuddle rather than playing with toys. She prefers females, though she has bonded with Billie’s husband.

A good home for Dolly would be one with a retired person or someone who can keep her on her feeding and insulin schedule. To keep her diabetes under control, Billie feeds Dolly twice a day with a midday snack in between feedings. Her insulin is given every twelve hours. It is important to keep on this schedule, as spikes in sugar levels, as with humans, can bring on a coma, even death.

Dolly’s forever home would also have to be free of children and have someone capable of handling Dolly’s financial requirements. Her insulin runs about $25.00 per bottle, and a bottle lasts about two and a half months. In addition, she spends one full day every three months at the vet clinic to have her glucose monitored at a cost of about $50.00. While Dolly does get along with other dogs, she is an alpha girl so a home with an established alpha female probably wouldn’t be suitable. She also needs a home without cats or other small animals as she has a strong prey drive. And, most of all, she needs a person with a ready lap and lots of cuddles to give.

Westie and Scottie Rescue of Houston concentrates on rescuing Westies, Scotties, and other small terriers in the greater Houston area as well as Louisiana and Oklahoma. The organization has a number of volunteer foster homes, but Billie’s niche is older dogs especially those with health problems. Currently, she has four of her own dogs plus four fosters including one missing legs, one blind, one deaf, and of course, Dolly with her diabetes.

If you would like to learn more about Westie and Scottie Rescue of Houston, volunteer, or make a financial contribution, you can visit their website or find them on Facebook under Westie and Scottie Rescue of Houston.

You can find more animal rescue, therapy animal, and other pet related articles in our pet section.

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Lee Juslin is a free lance copywriter living in North Carolina with her husband, Scott, and her band of misfits: Tarquin, a Wheaten Scottish Terrier, and three handicapped cats. They can be seen on their website: Hampshire Hooligans. She owns I B Dog Gone, a small embroidery business and is the author of the Nurse Frosty books for children and Frosty’s Story: Tales of a Therapy Dog. She supports a number of national and regional terrier rescue organizations.