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www.pbgv.org

March2014

ISaberTails

Duffycameintorescueinlate2012.Someonefound
himrunninglooseinAnderson,S.C.andturnedhim
intotheshelterthere.ThesheltercontactedHelen
Ingher,Rescue’sregionalrepresentativeatthattime.
HelenthencontactedBevChildsinS.C.andaskedif
BevcouldgoidentifythedogasaPBGV.BothBev
andMikeWilliquettewenttothesheltertoIDhim.
TheycalledhimLuckyforobviousreasons.Mike
broughthimhometofoster.Hewasn’tashyboyand
fitrightintoMike’spackwithnoproblem.Duffywas
neuteredduringthattimeandthoughttobearound
2yearsold,possibly3.

LouandSharonMelanconwerewatchingthe

NationalDogShowinNovemberwhentheysawthe
PBGVintheringandreallylikedthewayhelooked
andhowhehandledhimself.Theythoughtthatthey
mightliketoaddTheHappyBreedtotheirfamily,and
thatnightLoufoundthePBGVCA’swebsiteandsigned
upasafoster/rescuefamily.HelenIngherhadreceived
theMelancon’sapplication,andknewthatDuffywasin
thesystem.ShespoketotheMelanconsabouthimand
thoughttheymightbeagoodmatchforthissweetboy.
Arrangementsweremadeforthetwopartiestomeet.

Onacool,lateDecemberSaturday,theMelancons

lefttheirhomeinCumming,Ga.,anddrovethe150or
somilestoAndersonville,S.C.toMikeWilliquette’s
hometomeetDuffy.AtMike’shouse,Duffyplayed
withherdogsandwasprettycalmoverall.The
Melanconsreallylikedhimanddecidedthatthey
wantedtomakeDuffyapermanentmemberoftheir
family.TheyalsotalkedtoMikeaboutfeeding,shots
andcharacteristicsofthebreed.Thentheysaidgood-
byetoMikeandexcitedlyleftforhomewithDuffy
inthebackseat,whowaslookingalittleconfused
andafraid.

WhenDuffygottohisnewhome,hereluctantlymet

Chopper,their7-year-oldmaleBoxer,andDaisy,their
18-year-oldShiPoo.Duffydidn’teatmuchforseveral
daysandwasabitwithdrawn.Graduallyduringthat
firstweek,ashegotusedtohisnewfamily,Duffycame
outofhisshellandtherehasbeennoputtinghimback
since.Daisyisfrailandseldomleavesherbedother
thantoeat.ButChopperandDuffyusuallyhangout
togetherandwhenthereisanythinggoingoninfront
ofthehousetheyareonbothsidesofthefrontdoor
barkingloudly.TheMelanconsthinktheboysjustlive
fortheopportunitytobarkatsomeonewalkingadog
infrontofthehouse.Whenfolksaskwhatkindof
dogDuffyis,theyusuallyreply,“He'salonghaired
appetite”becausetheycanneverseemtofillhimup!

Lousays,“WehavehadfiveBassetHoundsoverthe

last40years,andwethoughtthatthePBGVbreed
wouldbesimilar.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthe
truthwithDuffy!He’sawildman!Duffyisfullof
energy,smartasawhip,playswithourtoddler

Duffy

Duffyrecliningincomfortathis
newhomewththeMelancons.

IForeverHome:StoriesfromRescue

byJoanMann•JMann17307@aol.com

MeetDuffy...