Mo's Rescue Story

Our dog Moses (Mo) appears handsome, strong and majestic but, deep down, he’s a little broken and in need of repair.

Mo's first year of life was traumatic.   From what we know, he was training as a livestock guard dog at a farm in Ohio when, at about 8 months of age, Mo and his sister, Ava, were set free as strays by their farmer. The wonderful volunteers at The National Anatolian Shepherd Rescue Network (NASRN) discovered Mo and Ava and put them under their care. While being fostered at a NASRN volunteer's home, Mo experienced a house fire. Luckily, everyone escaped unharmed. Unfortunately, the house was not so lucky. Mo was boarded at a kennel for several months until we found him online.

Mo can’t tell us his story but we know that he suffered mentally and physically before his rescue. We have learned this from the way that he behaves. He is very wary of men and most women. He is afraid of yelling, loud noises or anything that sounds like guns or fireworks.

He also had physical damage to his legs from a dangle stick he was found wearing when rescued. This contraption is a chain with a steel pipe attached to keep dogs from chasing livestock. It is supposed to bang against the chest and legs to make it uncomfortable to run. Mo’s chain was so long that the steel pipe slammed against the front of his legs. When we got him, he still had large swollen lumps on his shins, even though he had not worn a dangle stick for months (the picture below is of Mo and Ava wearing dangle sticks when they were found as strays).

Rescue Dog, Animal Welfare, Dog Photographer

Mo and Ava being rescued.

Mo came to us via transport on a rainy Saturday in April 2017. We vividly remember the moment we saw him. He looked right into our eyes with a look of “Do I know you?” This poor soul had been between so many people and places that it seemed like he was trying to recognize someone, anyone, familiar. Below is a video of that very first time.

 

We have had Mo for over a year now. It took months for him to get comfortable with his new family, to living in a house and even walking through doorways. He is still timid around people so we have him out and about as much as possible. We live in a wonderful seacoast town, so there is never a lack of vacationing dog lovers wanting to pet Mo. We have also learned that he is most comfortable with other dogs so we make it a point to take him to doggy daycare a few days a week. There, he can be his authentic doggie self.

 Happy dog, Anatolian Shepherd, Dog Photographer, Doggy Daycare, Dogs, Fun Dog Photo

Mo and his best pal Papi

I remember hoping for the day when Mo's magnificent tail would wag at home - as a sign of his happiness and contentment. Now, a year later, it happens all of the time! At last, Mo is truly comfortable with us and he knows we are his, forever.

Rescue Dog, Animal Welfare, Dog Photographer

Mo and his boy brother, Rory

                  

1 comment

Thank you for sharing Mo’s rescue journey ❤️… I’ve fallen in love with him 🥰! It makes my eyes tear, but makes my heart so happy for him. I know so well how they in their own unique ways tell us their story! We have five rescues, we planned on our first two now twelve years old… then six years back our oldest daughter moved back in for a short while and adopted a pup from MS while with us and at the very same time the phone rang with someone begging us to take on a pup adopted to a loving family who had adopted two brothers but had gotten them home and only weeks later had a seriously ill child who would require visits to the Children’s Hospital daily for the next year – so two puppies under foot was just too much. That made four dogs under our roof, two being puppies 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️! Then two years later a friend with a rescue in NC had a 4 yr old dog that was rescued as a bait dog from a fighting dog situation… they’d torn him apart, he’d lost an eye, they’d even filed his teeth down so he couldn’t fight back. Your heart just falls apart. He also had to battle heart-worm. She was not finding anyone down south to take him and asked if we could be a temporary stop on his journey since dogs are more easily adopted up north. Well of course the story continues from there – but with more health issues after arriving here and months to heal him …. we couldn’t possibly uproot him again to yet another home ~ and so there were five. The craziest thing?? … after all he’d been through – he still is dog and people friendly !??
Just like people they each have their own little quirks and likes and dislikes and fears…. and we love them anyway, and even more for allowing us to be their ‘person’ ! You’ve made Mo’s life complete, my heart is so happy for him ~ what a gift for all of you !!❤️🙏🏻

Shelley M April 24, 2022

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