"Brownie" was a wild mixed breed dog who had lived a survivor's life. She lived in a wooded area of Osage County and foraged for food to survive. We first saw her from afar when we visited the home of a cancer patient whose sister was caregiver for him and their bedbound mother. Lena, the sister, had taken a liking to the dog and had tried to befriend her. After a lot of patience and coaxing on Lena's part, they had forged a real, but fragile bond over the years. "Brownie" had given birth to 36 puppies over her lifetime, despite Lena's attempts to catch her and have her spayed. Instead, the wise old dog would eventually lead her to her puppies, let Lena tame them, vaccinate them and give them away. Now, as caregiver for two family members, Lena was overwhelmed with "Brownie" and two other dogs and she asked for our help. First, we provided food for all three dogs and had volunteers and staff deliver it to them out in the country on a regular basis. Then, we devised a plan for Brownie. I lent her a large cage to start feeding her in and after several weeks, Brownie went to her spay appointment (inside the cage) to a hospital that was prepared for any surgical complications. After surgery, "Brownie" recovered at home inside the cage and inside the kitchen of her master's home. The dog was transformed by the experience and she began to truly trust this woman who cared for her throughout her recovery process. Now, "Brownie" is a house dog and is living the life she always deserved.
