Tank, a Boxer mix, middle-aged in dog years, is now officially known as Teddy.
It’s a P.R. move by the folks at Great Plains SPCA in Merriam, who haven’t found a forever home for him after 90 days, think it’s cute and might help.
It’s also a more fitting handle for this “big hunk of love.”
“It’s frustrating that people can’t see that,” says Grace Rexroat, marketing manager.
Teddy, 7, was raised as an indoor dog near LC’s Bar-B-Q. But when he was about three, he just wanted to live outside. Perhaps to hang out at a homeless camp nearby with its many female dogs.
His 87-year-old owner left the basement door open for round-the-clock shelter.
Great Plains’ HERO Team (Humane Empowerment Resources Outreach) was helping a neighbor’s three dogs when they met Teddy. The HERO team offers a non-judgemental approach and resources to pet owners who love their pet but are struggling to buy food or medication, or for community cats who need to be spayed or neutered.
For around 18 months, they provided Tank/Teddy with food, shelter, neutering, and flea/tick medication.
“We look at what is missing and what could change an animal’s life,” says Amanda Rose, HERO program manager.
When Teddy tested positive for heartworms and dropped to 46 pounds in a month from his ideal weight of 65, it became too much for the owner, who is on dialysis. Dogs need a 90-day treatment requiring multiple visits to the vet.
Teddy had a cat sidekick in his previous neighborhood, and was raised with a 130-pound dog called Montana. But the stress of living in the shelter has him skittish around other animals for now. So he would need to meet any future “siblings” as a test.
“He loves pig ears and stuffed toys, anything that squeaks,” Rose said. “He usually will destroy them so they don’t hang around too long. He loves to de-fluff them and then show them to everybody.
“He wants a companion, he wants love. He wants to be where you are.”
