Far too many animals reside in shelters across the country. Some have been dumped by owners; others were left there after an owner passed away.
Some sadly have gotten lost and aren’t microchipped, never to be found by an owner. Whatever the reason, it’s heartbreaking and frightening for an animal to be abandoned in a shelter no matter how amazing the staff members and volunteers are at the facility.
KaTarra Taylor of Colorado Springs, Colo., has a heart of gold and loves animals. When she found Bentley, she felt she could help him.
Bentley definitely needed someone in his corner to root for him, care for him and redirect him. She just might be his last chance.
The four-year-old dog had been in four previous homes and “everyone had given up on him.” He also had been battling a non-cancerous tumor right along the bridge of his nose.
“He was destructive, aggressive and untrusting. I was in a one-bedroom apartment but I couldn’t let him go back to the rescue again after not doing well at my parents’ home. I worked tirelessly to leash train him, treat his anxiety, diagnose and treat his severe allergies, and break his aggression.”
It takes a special, dedicated person to work with a foster dog or new adoptee that has challenging behavioral issues, not to mention medical concerns, too. Thankfully, KaTarra wasn’t on her own in helping Bentley pull through.
She had her boyfriend Nick who supported her and Bentley down their turbulent path. KaTarra was grateful to have Nick by her side while she worked relentlessly with Bentley who deserved nothing but love and support.
She refused to give up on Bentley and even though Nick said he wasn’t “fond” of the bloodhound, he did something so incredible that KaTarra just had to share it on social media.
The couple decided to move in together, successfully introducing Bentley to Nick’s dog. But their new home lacked something – a backyard.
Nick vowed to treat Bentley to something he had never had. Something that just might change him for the better.
Some therapists believe in the concept of grounding, also called earthing. It’s where humans have direct contact with the earth’s electric charge by walking barefoot through grass.
In fact, research has shown barefoot contact with the earth can produce nearly instant changes, essentially helping improve sleep, reduce pain, decrease muscle tension and lower stress.
Dr. Karen Becker explained that when an indoor-only kitty lives 24/7 above the surface of the earth in an apartment in downtown Chicago, she can’t benefit from the “negative surface charge of the earth that provides an abundance of electrons that move very quickly to reduce the charge on her body. Her body begins to deplete itself of electrons.”
So it appears that the benefit of grounding for humans offers the same benefits to animals.
“The whole time [Bentley’s] been with me he’s never had his own yard … just the park and the grass on our walks.”
It took an entire weekend, but Nick changed Bentley’s outlook on life with one giant gesture of kindness. He tore out a large section of concrete and laid down soil and sod in a big patch in one corner.
It took hours of hard work and labor, but in the end, it clearly was well worth it.
Even though Nick has teased that Bentley isn’t his favorite dog, his actions speaker louder than words. KaTarra couldn’t thank him enough on Bentley’s behalf.
“We’re so lucky!”
It’s true, Bentley is so lucky to have a pops like Nick who made sure he had some fresh green grass to roll around on.
What an awesome guy! Enjoy that grass, Bentley!
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