I acquired Callie from Gail’s Second Chance Pets in Oakdale, Arkansas, where she had been abandoned. This rescue is maintained by an 80+-year-old woman who is the loveliest person you will ever meet!
Callie was shot in the head and abandoned in the woods of Arkansas by her presumed first owner, who we believe was also her first owner. Fortunately, she was discovered and sent to the nearest emergency veterinarian.
This individual saved her life, but she was not without scars as a result of the experience. She is missing her right eye, a portion of her right ear, and a portion of her skull on the same side.
You can really feel the route that the bullet went through the air. She has gunshot pieces lodged in her head to this day. (We discovered this when visiting her in Wisconsin, where she had some dental x-rays.)
Unfortunately, the lovely person who rescued her went away, and she ended up in Gail’s place of residence. That’s when I enter into the picture, and she officially becomes a member of my family.
I came saw her on Petfinder. I wanted a younger dog, but not a puppy since I was allergic to them. In addition, a German Shepherd was an absolute requirement! But she was 9 years old at the time (she is now 10)! I contacted the rescue to check whether they accept applications from people outside of the state.
Once they answered okay, I filled out the application, and Gail called me within an hour of my submitting it. Within two weeks, I was on the road, driving to Illinois to meet with a transport crew in order to pick up our precious Callie. My kid and I had never met her until that point!
Everyone compliments her on how fortunate she is to be with us, but we are the ones who are genuinely fortunate! She’s a one-of-a-kind canine.
I have two dogs (as well as three cats, all of which were rescued), and I adore them all equally, but no dog will ever be able to compare to Callie in terms of affection. That is how precious she is to everyone that comes into contact with her! However, her narrative does not end there!
In January 2021, I was in the process of selling my apartment and purchasing a home. During my time working with a wonderful realtor, I learned that she was afraid of Shepherds after having a frightening encounter with one.
I told her that Callie is the loveliest creature on the planet, but I informed her that she would be placed in a different room when she came to visit. When this occurred to her the first time, she insisted on meeting Callie and was immediately inspired.
She was moved to assist dogs in need of decent homes, such as Callie, and decided to pursue a career in animal welfare. My realtor will contribute a portion of the proceeds from every house she sells in 2021 to HAWS (Humane Animal Welfare Society).
