We saved Thea from certain death in the government shelter, which has become overcrowded and an automatic death sentence for young dogs sinds Turkey’s ‘Massacre Law’ came into effect.
Sweet little Thea was really struggling in the harsh conditions at the government shelter. She had kennel cough, a bacterial infection, and she was completely malnourished. She was weak and so incredibly thin, but that didn’t stop her from wagging her tail non-stop when we got her out! She was so incredibly grateful to be safe.
If we had to describe Thea with one phrase, it would be: ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’. This sweetheart is so gentle and soft-natured, she really doesn’t have a bad bone in her body. Despite being a bit shy, she is always friendly with everyone and never acts defensive, even when she gets overwhelmed. She is the loveliest little soul, and she is so deserving of a better life.
Thea adores people, and loves getting cuddles. When she sees you, she starts wagging her tail frantically, and she can’t wait to say hello and get some pets! She is also very friendly with strangers, and is her sweet, loving self with everyone she meets.
Her kind, warm character also shows in her interactions with other dogs. She is friendly with every dog she meets and gets along with everyone in her kennel. She has a submissive, slightly hesitant character. She doesn’t know how to stand up for herself, and this makes it easy for more dominant dogs to pick on her. She does enjoy the company of other dogs though, and she would benefit from the presence of a stable, social dog, who can be her buddy and help her build up her self confidence.
The world outside her kennel is overwhelming for Thea. The hustle and bustle, new smells and sounds, all make her feel nervous and insecure. When she feels stressed, she looks towards people for reassurance and clings to you for comfort. If you try to make her go over her comfort boundaries, she flops onto the floor and shows you her belly – a submissive plea for help, to show you she doesn’t feel comfortable. Even when she is nervous, she never becomes defensive – all she wants is the comfort and reassurance of people to show her everything is ok.
Thea will need a calm home with patient adopters, who are willing to give her the slow, quiet, loving guidance she needs to be able to build up her self-confidence and conquer the world. It’s important that her adopters don’t try to go too fast with her, and take things slowly, at her pace, otherwise she will get overwhelmed. You won’t find a sweeter, more gentle mentee than Thea! She is so ready to find a person to build up a bond of trust with, so she can finally experience what it is like to live a care-free life!
Thea is neutered, vaccinated, chipped, and has been tested for Brucella, Leishmaniasis, Anaplasma, Heartworm, and E-Canis before leaving Turkey along with proof of testing and signed vet letters.
If you think you could offer Thea the forever home she’s been waiting for, please check out our adoption process via Adopting With AFOT. There, you’ll find everything you need to get started, including our adoption form. A home check is always carried out, and while there’s no fixed adoption fee, we do kindly ask for a voluntary donation to help with our ongoing rescue efforts.