Gem

My story

Meet Gem the 3.5yr Shepherd/Husky! Unfortunately, Gem has had a terrible past. She was a victim of horrific animal abuse and has been spending the past several months healing from her injuries and trauma. Months ago, she was picked up unresponsive, starved almost to death (25lbs), anemic and unable to stand or even lift her head. She was rushed to the emergency vet, where she stayed for over a week requiring tube feeding, blood transfusions and other vital care. After months of recovery, she is now almost back to her normal happy, goofy and sweet self. We are currently in a case with her abusive owner, and we hope to see her held accountable for what she did. This has been such a heartbreaking and unimaginable case. We can’t wait for Gem to get her happy ever after! Gem is a happy, energetic and playful girl. She adores meeting new doggy friends and does great with pups of all shapes and sizes. She has had limited interactions with cats, however with proper introductions we think she would do well. At times, she can struggle with meeting new people, but with some treats she becomes everyone’s friend. Due to her past, she is working through a lot of trauma and learning how to be a dog again. She is looking for an experienced and patient family who is willing to continue building her confidence and working on gaining her manners back. Her biggest weakness is food. She is ravenous and will eat anything and everything in sight. She must be watched closely. When not being watched, we highly suggest her being crated for her own safety. At times, she will look for food on counters, jump up on you to grab food out of your hands or try to eat something that is inedible. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence after a dog is starved. She has already made a lot of progress in this area but still needs more time to realize she will not be starved again and that these behaviors are not necessary or acceptable. Additionally, she has been working on her house training again. She has been doing great and has not had an accident in several weeks. We do suggest that she is taken out very frequently, to keep her on the right track. Lastly, Gem can struggle with separation anxiety at times and tends to bark when she can’t be a part of what’s going on. Due to this, we do not feel like she would be a great candidate for apartment living. Gem is up to date on vaccines, spayed, HW- and microchipped. She is crate trained and listens well to basic commands. Despite all of the things she is working on relearning, Gem has a heart of gold! She is such a loyal, resilient and energetic gal. She would love to join an energetic family who can show her the love and understanding she deserves.

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Gem, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.