Meet Bella (ID5919)

Bella is a 4yo, purebred girl. This little lady has made some very big strides since coming into rescue in early May 2023. Bella came into rescue from a USDA licensed breeder, where she received very little handling, poor quality food, minimal vet care, and was bred. She was overweight, sluggish, was experiencing a false pregnancy and it was discovered at spay she was in the early stages of pyometra (infection in her uterus). With good food and care, Bella has improved a lot. She loves her foster brother, is not as skittish as she used to be, and no longer as fearful of being petted or touched. She loves mealtime, and does the “Snoopy Happy Dance” while waiting to get her food. She also quickly discovered toys, bones, soft dog beds and treats!! Due to her background, it will likely take Bella longer to trust her new family but with patience and kindness, eventually she will. Bella is a sweet girl who wants affection and to be with her person/people. She is extremely cautious, so her adopters need to take it slowly and give her plenty of time and space to come around. She needs a quiet, moderately active home with another dog. Eventually she will benefit from a group obedience class, but she will need time to decompress and adapt before attending. While she gets along great with other dogs, cats are an unknown - she does chase squirrels! BELLA WILL NOT BE PLACED OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON OR OREGON. UPDATE!! Bella is doing really well in her foster home. She has lost over 20 pounds and is really active, playing and running and jumping. Even though she has recently been diagnosed with mild elbow dysplasia in one elbow, it doesn’t slow her down! Her only symptom was a slight limp; with supplements added to her diet (joint and fish oil) and a monthly injection (administered by her foster mom), Bella is no longer limping! The cost of maintenance for her condition is approximately $56/mo, based on the brands we are using. She is also learning some basic obedience commands, and she is very good about being handled - foster mom can dremel her nails, clean her ears, give her her shot and she is learning to get her teeth brushed now. Car rides are an adventure! She loves to go for car rides and is a great traveler. And she loves having her jammies on at night! Bella is not afraid of new people any more and actively seeks affection from her foster mom. If you have the time, patience and kindness to continue buffing this gem until she shines, please fill out an application for Bella. We are sure she will be well worth the wait!