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More about Echo

Echo is a border collie mix. He is ten years old. Echo has a very, very sad tale to tell. Echo was raised at Iams food testing lab where he lived for 8 1/2 years. If you do an internet search you will find out disturbing information about the Iams testing lab. When Echo was 8 1/2 they closed the facility and over 300 dogs and cats needed somewhere to go. One of the workers had taken a liking to Echo and decided to list him on Craig's List.

For those of you that don't know Craig's List is an internet based classifieds site where dogs, cats and other animals are often given away for free. This is a horrible thing to do because in most cases if an animal is given away for free the person taking the animal is not screened to make sure they would be good owners for that animal. Also, when you give an animal away for free they have no value and thus often have a hard journey ahead of them.

In Echo's case a young woman saw the ad for Echo and went and picked him up having no idea what the damage could be to a dog that lived in a testing facility their whole life. She quickly learned that he was terrified of the outside world, was emotionally distant and acted more like a cat than a dog. She was in over her head. She kept Echo for seven months. She got a new job and was moving and also going to Grad school. She called us asking us to take the dog. "She just wouldn't have time for him. It would be too hard on him, especially with everything he needs."

So we agreed. Echo acts much like Liberty did, our resident Puppy Mill breeder dog. he is emotionally distant, appears confused by life and so desperately wants to not cause any trouble. He is very obedient, does what he is told and let's us pet him and talk to him. But he acts like a person who had been in a war or been part of a disaster.

Echo needs a kind and patient family who will lavish him with love, teach him how to enjoy the outside, work on housebreaking, give him lots of yummy treats and a warm and cozy bed at night. The last owner said that Echo loved human beds and will warm up quickly to someone who would allow them in their bed. She also said that Echo will go potty on pee-pee pads. He is still so terrified of the outside world he won't go potty outside. According to his previous owner she has never heard him bark.

Echo is ever so gentle and would probably do quite well with another dog in the house to teach him the ropes of being a dog. He is fine with cats and kids too. Echo has a ton of potential. Are you the one to give him the wonderful life he deserves?

8-10-10 It's been a long time since I've written about Echo.  It's been so busy I haven't had time.  Echo is doing fantastic living at the doggy day care.  He loves it there and is thriving.  We are not sure how to transition Echo to a home but that would be our next step.