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After the flood, Rusty came to stay

Months after Hurricane Floyd and the Flood of 1999, our mixed canine Rusty came to our house. He had no hair on his body, and his collar was almost embedded into his neck. He had been hanging around our neighborhood for weeks after the storm. The neighbors tried to catch him, but they had no success. But the minute he saw my husband, he came running. My husband removed the collar, and the dog stayed.
We decided that if he was going to stay he needed medical attention. The vet told us he was about a year old, and that the collar was put on him when he was young. He had heartworms and mange, and the vet said it would be almost impossible to treat or cure. We could not bear to see him put down, so we went through the treatments.

It took months, but he became heartworm-free, and his hair finally grew back. He is a beautiful, loving watch dog today. I guess you can say he found his refuge and the best home he ever had, his pet palace.

Nancy Mills, Emerald Isle, Carteret-Craven EC

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