Bailey

In nearly two years of life, the female Doberman had never known human kindness, care or affection.  Passed from one set of irresponsible owners to the next, she was kept outside with little human contact.  Her last “owners” simply departed Virginia, leaving her penned up outside with no food or water as winter approached.  Somehow she survived many weeks of freezing temperatures and starvation, existing on nothing but rainwater, before she was found.

 

The rural ACOs where she was impounded, otherwise very seasoned workers, were so horrified with this dog's condition they bought her canned food out of their own pockets.  When I went to examine the dog they named Baby, they held forth photos, exclaiming hers was the most gruesome case they'd ever seen.

 

After days of “fattening up” the dog remained a walking skeleton.  She differentially accepted my every move, not shyly but respectfully.  I examined and vaccinated her, obtained blood and fecal specimens, and proceeded to bathe her.  Clearly this dog had never had a bath, nail trim or ear cleaning, but to each procedure she acquiesced quizzically but politely.  Despite a wholesale lack of socialization she was gentle and accepting.  A heart of gold shone through horrendous neglect, mistreatment and filth.  We offered her toys, but even the concept of “play” was sadly, foreign.

 

Baby entered a Doberman Rescue foster home and not long afterward was adopted by a wonderful rescue Mom, Sandy Earnshaw.  Sandy took Baby, now “Bailey” through obedience classes.  She poured time and effort into socializing her, teaching her from the ground up the meaning of love and trust and showing her that humans really can be decent.  Sandy then took Bailey for her Canine Good Citizen test, which she passed on her first try!

 

Most incredibly, Bailey passed her Therapy Dog test with flying colors!  She began her life's work of uplifting spirits and bringing love to people on November 3, 2005 with her first visit to Saucan Valley Manor, an assisted living facility, representing the organization Pleasure of Your Company Therapy Dogs, Inc.  “Bailey is gentle and wonderful, everybody loves her and she brings many smiles to residents' faces!” come the frequent reports. 

 

Bailey now visits residents and patients at several facilities each month.  She and Sandy also have two other great accomplishments.  They single handedly established the first therapy dog reading program for children at the Reading, PA Public Library.  And not long ago, Bailey began accompanying chemotherapy patients as they receive their cancer treatments at a local hospital.  She now works bringing comfort, joy and improved health to people five or more days each month.

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