Happy Tails
Tawny - one of the lucky ones
By Will P.
Wary of change was how Tawny’s adoptive mother Sue described her, and it is fitting. Her environment before she came to Sue wasn’t one most dogs, or even people, would find comfortable. Tawny is an Italian Greyhound. 
She came from a puppy mill, a place where dogs are continuously bred for profit. Tawny lived in a cage for the first seven human years of her life without receiving much human contact or proper medical care. She had such severe dental disease that most of her teeth were extracted. Then she was rescued and arrived at Sue’s doorstep, awaiting a new life. One she probably hoped would be drastically different from the one she left. At first Tawny was in the foster program at Pet Haven where she needed special help transitioning into a life where people would care for her and love her because of her difficult background. Sue was up to the challenge; she previously had an Italian Greyhound and was familiar with the breed. “Tawny has to have things have on her own terms.” Even after five years, “She won’t let any one come up to pick her up, including me,” said Sue. However, she has made a lot of progress. Tawny snuggles in bed with Sue every night, however cautiously. Sue has two other toy dogs presently. She has Patty, a terrier/ chihuahua mix, and a toy rat terrier named Pina. She loves the other dogs. “Now she dances around when I come home, it's always been key for every one [dogs] to blend together.” Sue said. “I love the idea of helping an animal like Tawny. It's been a very rewarding and enriching experience, and has heightened my awareness for the suffering of puppy mill animals”
Patty (Chihuahua/Terrier x), Tawny (Italian Greyhound), Pina (Toy Rat Terrier). All were born in 1996 and all adopted through Pet Haven.