Vermont Hounds on the Mend!

The call came in late February; 21 dogs, most of them Treeing Walker Coonhounds, were in the custody of the Windham County Humane Society (WCHS) in Vermont.  The dogs had been tied up outside in frigid weather with inadequate shelter, no food in sight, and water bowls that had frozen over.

The WCHS needed help, and reached out to Dakin and other organizations to take some of the dogs who were in poor condition; starved and malnourished, many with other medical issues that needed to be addressed.

Dakin’s Adoption Center Manager Moon Wymore made the trip to Vermont the next day to meet the dogs, and shortly afterwards WCHS brought four of them to Dakin:

  • Sophie, a friendly 7-year-old female who has a nose that works 24/7
  • Murphy, a sweet 2-year-old male who would become frantic over food
  • Oliver, an anxious 3-year-old male who had to be coaxed to go outside
  • Maggie, a gentle 10-year-old female who was social, but not needy or clingy

(From left: Sophie, Murphy, Oliver & Maggie)

Despite their low body weight and other issues, each of them seemed capable of pulling through with considerable care and attention. There were no guarantees, but everyone was ready to put forth all efforts to help them.

In less than a month, the dogs have improved. Getting them to a healthier weight is a very specific process of slow and careful feedings, as well as constant weight monitoring and observation, and they’re getting great care.

Finding homes for these coonhounds has been a bit tricky. As loveable as they are, dogs like these are large, vocal and need lots of outdoor space to be happy. Our team created an online application where interested adopters can fully understand what these dogs require. We've received several responses, and while two of the dogs have settled into adoptive or foster homes, Oliver and Murphy are still being matched with the right family.

Thanks to your support, we are able to answer the call from other shelters like WCHS when they face challenges in caring for animals in distress.

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